Propulsion-electric

Electric trainer flies; large cargo UAS takes shape; clean-sheet aerial firefighter flies; and Europe’s energy-dense aviation battery.

More seats, greater payload and series-hybrid propulsion define the production ES-36.

UK eyes sovereign HAPS network; airborne laser revival; contrail avoidance success.

Aura Aero plans to turn the VoltAero X-Volt demonstrator into a series-hybrid testbed to help derisk development of its 19-seat ERA ahead of first flight.

The research forms part of Clean Aviation’s goal to raise technology and certification readiness levels to 6 by 2030.

Tech startup Sift is providing electric aircraft developer Heart Aerospace with a common platform for analyzing telemetry data generated during ground and flight testing of its X1 demo.

Wayfarer’s Waylift system, tested with NASA support, uses stowable electric propellers to enable short takeoffs and landings with high efficiency.

Regent’s Viceroy takes flight as the company shifts from testing toward production and expands its defense ambitions.

Nonprofit Fermi Explorer plans an inexpensive interstellar spacecraft mission to Alpha Centauri, arriving roughly 80,000 years later.

Singapore's Nanyang Technological University has completed the first flight-test campaign of an electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft, marking a milestone for the city-state's aerospace industry as its first aircraft designed, engineered and built domestically.

Beta certification progress; Elroy matures cargo eVTOL; Ampaire’s hybrid-electric APU; and AIR picks SunTrax as base.

The regional airliner demonstrator is the heaviest electric aircraft yet to fly.

H2FLY expects hydrogen-electric regional aircraft to rely primarily on fuel cells within three to four years.

UK zero-emission flights; Sikorsky VTOL Nomad; autonomous freighters; and hybrid-power cargo eVTOL.

The UK’s Department for Transport has unveiled funding for eight projects to demo the viability of zero-emission flights using electric and hydrogen power.

Collins and Safran are testing electric powertrains for hybridized turbine engines.

GE Aerospace has flown its modified Saab 340B megawatt-class hybrid-electric testbed at 30,000 ft., representing a milestone for an electric propulsion system operating at standard commercial airline altitudes.

Airbus’ February 2025 announcement to delay plans to field a hydrogen-powered airliner sent shockwaves throughout its supply base.

Vertical Aerospace says data from flights of its eVTOL prototype is validating expectations and paving the way for a smooth run through certification activity.

Beta begins eIPP demonstrations, South Korea’s hybrid eVTOL plan, DJI first fixed-wing drone and Gulfstream explores SAF and contrails.

What is the optimal size for a battery-electric aircraft? It depends on who you ask.

VoltAero founder Jean Botti was betting on a hybrid-electric layout for redundancy and quieter operations near airports, not for decarbonization.

Collaborative combat R66; NASA open-fan demo; quantum heads to the field; and Sora’s subscale eVTOL bus.

Dutch startup Conscious Aerospace believes retrofitting existing regional aircraft offers the most practical path to bringing hydrogen-electric propulsion into commercial service.

Near-VTOL maritime stroke UAS; fully superconducting electric motor for aircraft; lithium-air battery advances.