Bell Textron has successfully demonstrated operation of its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) 70 unmanned cargo aircraft with a ground-based detect and avoid system as part of broader infrastructure development efforts for advanced air mobility.
Bloomberg’s Hyperdrive newsletter outlines several actions taken in China relative to electric power and autonomy that could be harbingers of what’s up next around the world.
The first release of the AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) Reality Index for 2022 shows some changes in ranking driven by progress in air vehicle development. Joby remains at the top of the rankings, followed by Beta Technologies.
Working with Deutsche Aircraft, Germany’s H2Fly is planning to fly a 40-seat Dornier 328 regional aircraft modified to hydrogen-electric propulsion in 2026, and the companies are aiming for certification and market entry in 2028.
Universal Hydrogen has completed a 1-megawatt iron bird for ground testing of its zero-emissions fuel-cell propulsion system and announced the first customer in France for its regional aircraft conversion.
Aircraft propulsion batteries with three times the pack-level energy density of today’s automotive technology may be achievable in the next decade if enough investment is targeted at aeronautical applications, a new report published in Nature concludes.
Lilium has hired Andrew Strachan as its first aircraft test pilot. Strachan has 30 years of experience as a test pilot, including in the UK Royal Air Force, and he recently flew the AW101 helicopter in the James Bond film “Skyfall.”
The helicopter operator believes the electric-powered advanced air mobility vehicles it has on order will require less MRO work than its current fleet.
After four years as CEO of electric propulsion pioneer MagniX, and later additionally as executive chairman of electric aircraft startup Eviation, Roei Ganzarski stepped down from both companies in January, sending a shockwave through the young industry.
Already cooperating with the U.S. Air Force through its Agility Prime program, startup Beta Technologies has received a contract from the U.S. Army to support flight testing of its Alia electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
Composites have a critical role to play in the advanced air mobility industry, and it goes beyond enabling lightweight vehicles believes Solvay, the Brussels-headquartered international chemicals company.
Hydroplane is a California-based startup developing a modular hydrogen fuel-cell powerplant producing up to one megawatt of power for general aviation, urban air mobility and vertical lift aircraft.
A Middle Eastern air force has conducted the first deployments of Yates Electrospace’s Silent Arrow GD-2000 unmanned cargo glider to take place outside the U.S., the company announced Jan. 31.
Honeywell is preparing to begin an accelerated development and test program for an aircraft electric propulsion unit developed with Japanese electric motor producer Denso.
A Norwegian team has won the race to be first to fly an aircraft that will compete in the new Air Race E piloted all-electric racing series, which is scheduled to begin in 2023.
Textron is in a key position to take advantage of opportunities in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and urban air mobility markets with plans to boost its investment in that area, according to its top executive.
Hyundai’s urban air mobility company Supernal has partnered with the U.S. Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to study potential locations and energy demands for a vertiport network in Los Angeles.
Airservices Australia has selected four unmanned traffic management providers to competitively prototype a flight information management system that will support the safe and efficient integration of drones and air taxis into the country’s low-altitude airspace.
German startup Lilium has moved its large-scale electric vertical takeoff and landing demonstrator to Spain to open up the flight envelope and begin testing a transition to high-speed, wing-borne flight.
Air taxi developer Volocopter has started flight tests of its two-seat VoloCity electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in Germany and says it is on track to certify by the end of 2023.
With its initial prototype now in flight testing, U.S. startup Zeva Aero plans to unveil an improved design in February and begin taking preorders for an experimental-category aircraft aimed at first responders and personal flyers.
U.S. startup Elroy Air has unveiled the first preproduction prototype of its Chaparral autonomous cargo aircraft, revealing a revised design for the hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle.
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