Electric aviation can get started using technology adapted from the automotive market, but moving beyond small, short-range aircraft will require significant government and industry investment in battery research and development focused on the unique requirements of aviation.
Automaker Honda has launched development of an electric vertical-takeoff air taxi and reusable small satellite launcher in a push to enter new business areas by leveraging its core technology capabilities.
Embraer and its EmbraerX market accelerator have made a number of announcements in the past week—all signaling a drive to play in the advanced air mobility market.
The lineup of commitments for almost 4,000 aircraft so far assembled by the nascent electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing industry paints an interesting picture of the potential customer base.
Building an airport—or vertiport—from the ground up is an arduous process, but high-speed entry to advanced air mobility will come through existing small and midsized airports.
Where several of its rival electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) developers have chosen to be vertically integrated, Vertical Aerospace is relying on Tier 1 suppliers funding their own technology development work in return for gaining access to a new aviation market.
The companies say they will work together to accelerate the entry of Pyka’s autonomous aircraft into the precision agriculture sector and “pursue opportunities to scale commercial services as autonomous aircraft operations in Brazil evolve in the coming years.”
Looking to gain experience and revenue from an earlier market entry, UK startup Samad Aerospace plans to develop manned and unmanned versions of a half-scale model built to flight test the configuration of the company’s planned e-Starling hybrid-electric vertical-takeoff business aircraft.
Alaka’i Technologies is awaiting FAA approval to begin free-flight tests on a new prototype of its Skai zero-emission hydrogen fuel-cell-powered electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft.
Alphabet subsidiary Wing has paused some of its drone package deliveries in the suburbs of Canberra, Australia, after one of its drones was attacked by a raven.
Embraer subsidiary Eve Urban Air Mobility continues to build its orderbook of conditional commitments as it looks toward completing a deal to go public through a merger with a blank-check company.
China’s Autoflight has announced completion of a $100 million Series A funding round, which it believes may be the largest yet in the country’s fledging electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing vehicle industry.
After announcing a joint venture in June, startup Xeriant has agreed to merge with XTI Aircraft in a bid to secure the funding needed to develop the TriFan 600 hybrid-electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing business aircraft.
