Self-piloted recreational flights over the Hudson and East Rivers in New York could begin as early as 2023 using Lift Aircraft’s single-seat, semi-autonomous Hexa electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle.
As it looks ahead to certification and operation of its urban air mobility vehicles, China’s EHang has formed a partnership with commercial aircraft maintenance provider HAECO Group to develop after-sales support for its autonomous air vehicles.
A Robinson R44 converted to electrified propulsion by Tier 1 Engineering has completed the first helicopter flight between airfields solely on electric power.
On the heels of listing publicly, startup Amprius has signed a 3-year agreement to supply its high-energy-density batteries to BA Systems’ Air business for use in electrically powered flight applications.
Lufthansa Technik has converted a decommissioned Airbus A320 into a hydrogen field laboratory to test maintenance and ground-based processes in preparation for hydrogen-powered flight.
South Korea’s SK Telecom has signed an agreement with Daegu Metropolitan City to integrate urban air taxis into the future mobility ecosystem of the country’s fourth largest city and its planned new airport.
Another design has been added to the list of large uncrewed cargo aircraft under development in China, with Sichuan Tengden Science & Technology conducting the first flight of its Twin-Tailed Scorpion D on Oct. 25.
South Korean advanced air mobility startup MintAir plans to purchase up to 10 zero-emission aircraft from Australia’s Dovetail Electric Aircraft for proposed regional cargo services.
Saudi Arabian flag carrier Saudia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Lilium for the proposed development and operation of an electric vertical takeoff and landing network.
Airports and fixed-base operators that plan to service electric air vehicles should have plans in place at least a year ahead of their arrival, says the developer of the Alia-250 electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
Monte Aircraft Leasing has placed a firm order with hybrid-electric propulsion startup Ampaire for 25 Eco Caravans with an option for an additional 25 of the converted Cessna Grand Caravans.
The Advanced Air Mobility Composite for publicly held AAM stocks closed Oct. 17 down 4% for the five-day period compared to the previous five days of Oct. 3-10.
Detailing its plans for deploying the several types of advanced air mobility vehicles it has on order, Bristow Group says it is important for established operators to play an active role in ensuring the safe introduction of the new types of aircraft.
California-based electrical vertical takeoff and landing startup Overair has begun assembly of the XP-1 uncrewed full-scale demonstrator for the Butterfly tiltrotor air taxi which is expected to fly by the end of 2023.
U.S. and European aviation regulators have established the requirements for certifying electrified aircraft propulsion systems, but how industry can demonstrate compliance with those rules is a work in progress.
Letters of intent to purchase aircraft are not orders, despite the propensity of advanced air mobility startups to describe them as such. But they do provide an indication of who is interested in these new types of aircraft.
The UK government is offering £10 million ($11.2 million) in funding for net-zero propulsion projects under a competition aimed at all transportation sectors including aviation.
