Emerging Technologies

German aerospace center DLR has launched development of a megawatt-scale hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion system for 40-60-seat regional aircraft.

A South Korean team including an airport operator, air-taxi developer and communications provider has been formed to commercialize urban air mobility in the country beginning in 2025.

RAF sees unmanned aircraft becoming the backbone of the inventory supporting manned fighters such as F-35, Typhoon and Tempest.

Fearful of an FVL monopoly in Europe in the 2030s, Airbus is turning to Europe to fund studies for a European Next-Generation Rotorcraft.

Shoulder-mounted conformal fuel tanks could be cut after flight testing reveals “challenges.”

The nation needs to adopt a "commercial first" policy for space technology to bolster its international competitiveness.

Virgin Orbit’s Dutch customer; MDA awards sensor development contracts; BAE to demo PHASA-35; and Spacecom HQ location in flux?

GKN Aerospace is leading a UK program to develop a liquid-hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion system for subregional aircraft.

This webinar took place January 27, 2021. Join Aviation Week’s chief technology editor, Graham Warwick, for an exclusive 45-minute discussion on the

The FAA expects to certify the first of a new generation of advanced or urban air mobility (AAM/UAM) aircraft later in 2021 and says regulations will be in place in time for initial piloted electric vertical-take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) operations to begin as early as 2023.

Advanced air mobility in the news: SESAR’s UAM demo; Paris test partners; UK airport link; Orkney test site; Volocopter cert plans.

Boeing is setting an ambitious target to advance the long-term sustainability of commercial aviation, committing that its commercial aircraft are capable and certified to fly on 100% sustainable aviation fuels by 2030.

Airbus Helicopters’ Flightlab is trialing technology for urban air mobility, hybrid-electric flight and flight safety.

The UK’s first test site for sustainable aviation, including electric and hydrogen propulsion, is to be established at Kirkwall Airport in Scotland’s Orkney Islands.

This webinar took place January 22, 2021. Hydrogen is emerging as one of the paths forward for aviation to become more environmentally sustainable

Germany’s Volocopter plans concurrent certification and validation of its VoloCity electric air taxi in Europe and the U.S., enabling it to enter both markets simultaneously.

Smallsat contracts firm up after Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne deploys first payloads in ‘picture-perfect’ demo polar orbit test mission.

Universal Hydrogen wants to enable zero-emissions commercial aviation by tacking the two biggest challenges: creating a distribution infrastructure and kick-starting demand for hydrogen.

Launch this year still possible, says NASA.

Ask the editors: Despite the pandemic-related travel dip, demand for speed continues to propel development of supersonic business jets.

Spear 3 is expected to become the primary air-to-ground weapon for the UK’s F-35 fleet from 2025.

MagniX and Eviation set up base in Washington state, focused on enabling “middle-mile” air transportation using electric aircraft.

Olivier Andries has to helm the super-Tier 1 manufacturer as it navigates a still-turbulent environment while longer term Safran will have to offer new concepts to decarbonize commercial aviation.

Electric motor developer MagniX is consolidating its global operations near Everett, Washington state. Electric aircraft startup Eviation, a sister company of MagniX, is building a final assembly, flight test and delivery center in Arlington, just north of Everett.

With the spotlight returning to sustainability, airlines and the air transport industry understand that green initiatives need to be incorporated into