The California-based electric air taxi developer has marked a key flight test milestone by flying a full-size S4 prototype to its design range of more than 150 mi. on a single charge.
Backed by XPeng Motors, startup XPeng Huitian has flown the Voyager X2, a two-seat multicopter described as its fifth generation of electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing vehicle.
Electric vertical-lift aircraft, like helicopters, are likely to become known for their versatility—from medical evacuation to express logistics to passenger transport. Now add another potential role: an electrical generator.
Vertical Aerospace’s business model differs significantly from those of its advanced air mobility rivals that are also planning to go public via mergers with blank-check companies, and the UK startup thinks that will give it a competitive edge.
A U.S. District Court judge has denied Wisk Aero’s petition for a preliminary injunction against Archer Aviation in its legal action accusing the rival urban air mobility startup of stealing its trade secrets.
As the advanced air mobility sector continues to shape and shift at pace with the technological advances and regulatory and legal realities, the real question remains: When will the new aircraft emerge on a widely accepted basis?
Beam Global, a manufacturer of solar-powered charging stations for the automotive market, has flown an electric-powered light aircraft between five airports in California to demonstrate the potential for zero-emission aviation.
A startup led by electric vertical flight guru Mark Moore has emerged from stealth mode to develop ultraquiet electric propulsors, initially for U.S. military unmanned aircraft.
Archer’s claim to have independently developed its electric air taxi design is a “fairy tale,” Wisk alleged in a brief submitted in support of its motion for a preliminary injunction against its urban air mobility (UAM) rival.
Having started out with the vision of personal flying using a wearable jet pack, the eponymous JetPack Aviation has shifted its focus to a single-seat vehicle that the startup hopes will form the basis for a range of vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft for special missions.
Advanced air mobility offers a clean sheet for development of training centered on pilot competencies rather than traditional prescriptive models, says CAE, as the training provider partners with Volocopter to support the German startup’s electric air taxi services.
The Canadian federal and Quebec provincial governments together will invest in projects at Bell, CAE and Pratt & Whitney Canada to develop technologies supporting the electrification and decarbonization of aviation.
Airbus has joined Canada’s SAF+ Consortium, which plans to build in Montreal the first power-to-liquids plant to produce sustainable aviation fuel from renewable electricity and captured carbon dioxide.
Embraer’s Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions has partnered with an energy company to evaluate development of a viable charging infrastructure for electric air taxis.
