Aerospace

Container-transporting turboprop; heavy-lifting drones; Nvidia’s AI at the edge; and NASA backs university research.

Did Boeing’s inaction open the door to Airbus’ sales bonanza? United’s plan to use XLRs on new transatlantic routes revives the question.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Saab is challenging the low-cost, attritable model adopted by Sweden’s allies with a supersonic, survivable complement to Gripen.

Following huge investments, commercial engine-makers are accelerating into their busiest period since the start of the Jet Age.

Schneider Electric warns eVTOL growth could face bottlenecks from power infrastructure challenges, urging agnostic charging systems and better grid planning.

The U.S. Navy pushes for high-energy lasers on ships, aiming to enhance fleet defense by overcoming engineering challenges and boosting industry involvement.

NASA awards $20 million to Infleqtion to advance space-based quantum gravity sensors, enabling resource mapping and precise spacecraft navigation systems.

Study links inflight cosmic radiation to elevated cancer risks for aircrew, highlighting occupational hazards and the need for radiation protections.

The Shanghai municipal government calls for expanded manufacturing and supply-chain capabilities for China's domestically developed commercial aircraft programs as the country enters its next five-year planning period.

Regent Craft has raised $240 million in a Series B funding round as it prepares for first flight of its full-scale Viceroy electric seaglider and begins transitioning its recently completed manufacturing facility toward production.

ITP Aero aims to stake a claim in whatever future engines emerge for next-generation single-aisle airliners through a four-year program of demonstrators.

Seoul is exploring pathways to future combat aircraft, but questions about design and propulsion could take years to sort out.

Zuri unveils hybrid-electric cargo VTOL, aiming for faster revenue with maritime logistics while pursuing passenger aircraft development.

Wing tests Nvidia’s Jetson Orin Nano 2 AI module to improve drone delivery with faster perception, reasoning and energy-efficient autonomous systems.

Heico continues to see strong demand for its commercial parts and services with no signs of a slowdown despite evidence that airlines are trimming capacity.

Chinese ultralight eVTOL makers, powered by lower domestic costs, are setting their sights on the U.S. market against a backdrop of tightening export controls.

Katherine Lemke is a 2026 20 Twenties winner and an undergraduate student at Virginia Tech. Her innovative work focuses on advancing sustainable aviation and applied aerospace design through cutting-edge propulsion systems and autonomous vehicle technology.

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.

Singapore offers a blueprint for how the bottlenecks that have held back additive manufacturing can be overcome.

EHang is facing fresh uncertainty over the rollout of commercial passenger operations in China.

Nova Pangaea completes endurance trials for ethanol production, advancing sustainable aviation fuel technology to meet growing industry demand.

The latest developments in advanced air mobility and business aviation.

The news of another labor union membership rejection of a Boeing contract proposal—and a subsequent authorization to strike—is practically expected. But even when expected, there is still danger for both parties.

The lack of Western engines means two Russian programs have had to be suspended, and expected export deals have not come through.