Explaining artificial intelligence (AI) in a way that meets safety standards and rulemaking is one of the key challenges to fully automating advanced air mobility vehicles.
Converting the rooftops of underused parking garages into vertiports is seen as an early opportunity to expand the ground infrastructure for urban air mobility (UAM) beyond the limited number of heliports now operating.
Responding to Wisk Aero’s lawsuit alleging the theft of trade secrets, Archer Aviation has described the case as “entirely baseless” and accused its urban air mobility (UAM) rival of “reckless innuendo and rank speculation” in a bid to “weaponize the legal system” to harm the startup.
Barely a month after being acquired by private-aviation powerhouse Directional Aviation, helicopter operator Halo Aviation has announced a partnership with Embraer spinoff Eve Urban Air Mobility to develop an electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing air-taxi operation in the UK and U.S.
Volocopter and Near Earth Autonomy are to test autonomous flight technology on the VoloDrone unmanned cargo aircraft. The team plans a beyond-visual-line-of-sight capability demonstration in Munich in 2022.
Europe’s aviation regulator believes commercial use of electric air taxis could begin by 2024-25, but that it will take at least five more years to enable autonomous passenger transport, the holy grail for ubiquitous and affordable urban air mobility.
Honeywell and Japan-based electric automotive specialist Denso have formed an alliance to develop electric propulsion systems for urban air mobility vehicles.
As Aviation Week launches a new publication dedicated to the AAM ecosystem, technology editor Graham Warwick and senior editor Guy Norris are joined by SMG Consulting’s Sergio Cecutta to discuss the thinking behind the latest update of his AAM Reality Index.
UK vertiport developer Skyports plans to have an operational facility for passenger electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft in place in Japan’s Osaka Prefecture in time for the Osaka-Kansai World Expo in 2025.
UK vertiport developer Skyports plans to have an operational facility for passenger electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft in place in Japan’s Osaka Prefecture in time for the Osaka-Kansai World Expo in 2025.
Wisk Aero is seeking a court injunction to prevent Archer Aviation from using trade secrets the Kitty Hawk/Boeing joint company alleges were stolen by former employees hired away by the rival urban air-taxi developer. Archer described the lawsuit as “baseless.”
European citizens generally would welcome urban air mobility, particularly for medical transport applications, but have concerns over safety, security, noise and the effects on wildlife and the cultural heritage of Europe’s old cities.
Harmonization of the differing European and U.S. approaches to regulating electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft is advancing somewhat, but there are concerns over the lack of information on China’s approach to approving the new class of aircraft.
The latest investment round gives Beta Technologies the funds to advance toward FAA certification while valuing the Vermont-based startup at $1.4 billion.
