AAM_More_Business_Notes

French electric aircraft startup Aura Aero and Thales are to jointly develop connected avionics for regional aviation.

Chinese automaker XPeng says its AeroHT division has received a special flight permit for its X2 two-seat multicopter from the CAAC.

Jetoptera has completed the sizing of a high-lift system for a high-speed VTOL.

Zurich-based uncrewed helo manufacturer SwissDrones has secured “seven-figure” funding in a round led by venture capital company DiamondStream Partners.

French startup HyLight has flown an uncrewed airship with hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion provided by H3 Dynamics.

Airbus has selected Woodward to provide the balance of plant for its 2.1-megawatt hydrogen fuel cell demonstrator engine.

EHANG is to participate in the EU-funded SAMVA project to implement the EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) space-based augmentation system in AAM vehicles to enhance integration into U-space low-altitude airspace.

Albers Aerospace is to provide engineering and manufacturing services valued at $5 million to Maryland startup HopFlyt to develop the Vortex channel-wing eVTOL as a Group 5 military uncrewed aircraft designed to carry a 1,000-lb. useful load 500 nm at 200 kt.

Abu Dhabi Airports has signed a memorandum of understanding with French airport operator Groupe ADP to engage in joint planning, development and operation of ground infrastructure for advanced air mobility in the Emirate.

Brief news items of interest to advanced air mobility professionals.

TESTING Umiles Next and research partner Tecnalia have conducted a second test flight of the Concept Integrity multicopter eVTOL prototype at the

Czech startup Zuri has redesigned its planned hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft with a V tail to allow larger tilting propellers, farther from the ground.

Long-range cargo drone startup Dronamics has selected German composites manufacturer Cotesa to produce its Black Swan uncrewed aircraft.

Overair’s XP-1 uncrewed full-scale demonstrator for the Butterfly tiltrotor eVTOL air taxi is expected to fly by the end of 2023 or in early 2024.

The Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Safety Operations and Innovation will hold a hearing on FAA Reauthorization: Integrating New Entrants into the National Airspace System at 2:15 p.m. Sept. 28.

ZeroAvia has conducted medium-power taxi testing of its Dornier 228 hydrogen propulsion testbed at Kemble in the UK.

Montreal-based Limosa is preparing to fly a 10% scale model of its LimoConnect, a seven-seat aircraft eVTOL with eight tilting propellers on tandem wings.

Ohio-based Ryse Aero Technologies has begun flight tests of its Recon ultralight electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle.

Massachusetts-based Sensata Technologies has provided prototypes of a passive fly-by-wire inceptor for eVTOL aircraft to several AAM manufacturers. Versions with 1, 2 and 3 control axes are available.

The World Economic Forum has launched the Advanced and Urban Aerial Mobility Cities and Regions Coalition.

Miami-based startup Doroni Aerospace has launched a second crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine, aiming to add $2 million to just more than $1 million raised in April.

Researchers at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University have received a $371,000 grant from the FAA for a study to inform the development of standards and requirements for the accuracy of detect-and-avoid systems for uncrewed aircraft systems.

Israeli drone safety system developer ParaZero has partnered with local computer vision specialist Sightec to add GPS-free vision-based navigation to the SafeAir autonomously activated parachute recovery system for uncrewed aircraft and urban air mobility vehicles.

Lilium is to collaborate with lithium producer Livent on research and development of lithium metal technology for high-performance battery cells.

Qualcomm has identified urban air mobility aircraft as a target market for its latest Robotics RB6 Platform, which combines cameras, computer vision, artificial intelligence and 5G mobile communications into a single integrated processing system.