News, Events and R&D
Supernal Appoints New Chief Technology Officer to Lead Next Phase of Advanced Air Mobility Evolution
Supernal announced the appointment of Dr. Farhan Gandhi as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). This leadership transition marks a natural step in the company’s evolution as it moves from initial conceptual design toward advanced engineering, certification, and commercial viability.
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, May 4, 2026 — Supernal, the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company of Hyundai Motor Group, today announced the appointment of Dr. Farhan Gandhi as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). This leadership transition marks a natural step in the company’s evolution as it moves from initial conceptual design toward advanced engineering, certification, and commercial viability.
Dr. Gandhi brings a distinguished background in vertical lift aeromechanics and advanced VTOL configurations. With a career defined by over 30 years of leadership in rotorcraft research and eVTOL configuration design, Dr. Gandhi is uniquely positioned to guide Supernal through its next technical chapter. His expertise aligns directly with the company’s current focus on refining its aircraft concept and establishing the rigorous technical oversight required for global certification standards.
Prior to joining Supernal, Dr. Gandhi was the Hassan A. Hassan Distinguished Professor in Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University and previously served as the Director of the Center for Mobility with Vertical Lift (MOVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is also a Fellow of the AIAA, the Royal Aeronautical Society, and the Vertical Flight Society, and has published over 380 technical papers in the field of aerospace engineering.
"I am incredibly excited to join the Supernal team at such a pivotal moment in our journey," said Dr. Gandhi. "My focus will be on accelerating our technical vision and ensuring we operate as a high-efficiency, intellectual engine for aircraft development. By leveraging our proprietary design guides and building a robust ecosystem of strategic partners, we are creating the most stable and precise path to a commercially viable aircraft. I look forward to working alongside this elite core team as we define the next generation of the AAM industry."
Following a strategic realignment, Supernal is operating as a streamlined, high-efficiency organization. This new structure is designed to stabilize the company's operations, shape a sustainable new business model, and focus resources on the development of a commercially viable electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. By operating as a lean, agile organization, Supernal is prioritizing technology development, FAA coordination, and technical oversight.
Supernal is currently in a period of focused internal validation. To respect the integrity of the engineering process and ensure the achievement of upcoming technical milestones, the company is limiting external updates at this time. Supernal looks forward to sharing more significant updates regarding its progress and its broader ecosystem of strategic partners later this year.
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About Supernal
Supernal (Su·per·nal) is an Advanced Air Mobility company that’s developing an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle and the ground-to-air ecosystem to support the emerging industry. As part of Hyundai Motor Group, Supernal is harnessing world-class manufacturing, automation, supply chain and R&D expertise to make this new, efficient transportation option widely accessible in the coming decades. Simply put: Rather than being first to market, we’re building the right product and right market, first. Visit Supernal’s newsroom site for more information and follow us on LinkedIn.
Contact:
Jackson Min
Supernal