Aerospace & Defense Roundup: September 16

Leonardo, 2Excel Begin Progressing 757 Tempest Testbed

A Boeing 757-derived flying testbed being developed to support the UK-led Tempest Future Combat Air System initiative will be made available for other flight-test activities as well. The former TUI Airways-operated airliner was purchased by 2Excel Aviation in 2019 to be converted into a flying laboratory under contract from the defense electronics arm of Leonardo. Credit: Leonardo

French EVTOL Startup Secures Funding Boost

French startup Ascendance Flight Technologies is to focus on developing full-scale prototypes of its hybrid-electric propulsion system and electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft after closing a €10 million ($12 million) funding round. Credit: Ascendance Flight Technologies

U.S. Air Force

China’s Heli-Eastern And EHang Partner On UAM

China’s EHang has partnered with operator Heli-Eastern to develop a low-altitude airspace management system for helicopters and autonomous air taxis in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. The partnership supports EHang’s 100 Air Mobility Routes initiative to roll out air taxi services in China. Credit: EHang

France Frustrated By Australian Nuclear Submarine Plans

The French government and industry has reacted angrily to the Australian government’s decision to cancel a troubled $90 billion submarine deal, in favor of a nuclear submarine pact with the U.S. and UK. In a strongly worded statement issued by the French government, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Defense Minister Florence Parly said the decision to cancel the submarine program was “contrary to the letter and the spirit of the cooperation which prevailed between France and Australia. Credit: James Glossop/Getty Images

Sutherland Satellite Launch Site Secures Final Approvals

Scotland’s Land Court has approved plans to turn crofting land in Northern Scotland into a site for satellite launches. The Edinburgh court ruled it was in the public interest that the development of Space Hub Sutherland by regional development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise on the remote A’Mhoine peninsula on Scotland’s northern coast should go ahead, citing the facility’s ability to create “meaningful and desirable employment opportunities.” Credit: Elen11/Getty Images

Peter Thiel Boosts Hyperspectral Sat Startup HySpecIQ With Funds

HySpecIQ, the once and future satellite-powered hyperspectral analytics company, has received an endorsement and funding from defense technology disruptor and investor Peter Thiel, the company said Sept. 16.

DeMuro Out, Shanahan In At SPAC Eyeing Eve Urban Air Mobility

Zanite Acquisition, a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in discussions with Embraer-based Eve Urban Air Mobility, is bringing on a controversial Trump administration defense secretary, while another industry veteran departs its board. Credit: designprojects/Getty Images

Volocopter Explores UAM Launch In LA

Los Angeles has already been identified as an early launch market by urban air taxi developers Archer and Joby Aviation, and now the famously congested city is being targeted by Volocopter. As it makes a push into the U.S. market, the German startup has partnered with LA’s Urban Movement Labs (UML) to explore the use of Volocopter’s electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) air taxis. Credit: Volocopter

Sea Guardian Marks First CAA-Cleared Point-To-Point UK UAS Flight

Colorado Springs—General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority have released new details of the first point-to-point domestic flight utilizing the UK’s airways structure of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) on Sept. 12. The flight, which was undertaken by a GA-ASI MQ-9B SeaGuardian demonstrator, flew from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, England to RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland, using the remotely piloted unmanned air vehicle’s detect-and-avoid (DAA) radar and avionics systems to ensure safe separation in civil airspace. Credit: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

Leonardo, Northrop Grumman Team On Future Rotorcraft UAS

Leonardo and Northrop Grumman have outlined plans to cooperate on what they see as a growing need for uncrewed rotorcraft. Formally announcing the arrangement, which has been two years in the making at the DSEI exposition in London Sept. 15, the two companies hinted that new rotary-wing designs could emerge from the partnership. Credit: Northrop Grumman

Hamburg Test Zone Trials Drone U-Space Services

Testing of U-space services designed to enable unmanned and manned aircraft to share low-altitude airspace have begun in Hamburg under a project to promote commercial drone use in Germany. Credit: Droniq

U.S., Australia Plan More Deployments, Industry Collaboration

While the first major initiative under the recently announced Australia-U.S.-UK security agreement is Australia procuring nuclear-powered submarines, there are a host of other military steps to follow, including increased aircraft deployments, more industry collaboration and cooperation in space. Credit: U.S. State Dept.

Hyundai, Urban-Air Port To Develop 65 Vertiports Worldwide

South Korean automaker Hyundai and UK startup Urban-Air Port plan to develop 65 urban vertiports at key locations in the U.S., UK, European Union and Asia Pacific. The companies first unveiled their partnership last November. Urban-Air Port’s first fully operational vertiport, Air-One, is planned to be unveiled in early 2022 in Coventry, England, with support from Hyundai and a £1.2 million ($1.65 million) government grant under the UK’s Future Flight Challenge. Credit: Urban-Air Port