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Drone Champions AG, the organizer of multiple drone racing series taking place throughout Europe and Asia, has created a massive pilot-ready racing drone. Although the first flight was controlled remotely, DCL (Drone Champions League) foresees a future in which daring racers face off against each other with stunning feats of aerobatics as demonstrated in the first flight of the new aircraft:

Drone Champions AG created the aircraft in order to promote its newest video game in which players can compete in a in various challenges online in order to qualify for real-world drone racing events. Through this effort, Drone Champions AG hopes to source the best pilots in the world to race in the Drone Champions League, and eventually, to compete in the manned races of the future.

The drone itself has a full carbon airframe with six arms extending outwards from an aerodynamically faired chassis, each with a pair of coaxial rotors mounted at the ends. Throughout the test flight in Croatia, the aircraft performed loops, sharp turns, and even flips. The drone itself is already capable of safely carrying a passenger as it did for DCL founder Herbert Weirather, who sat in the drone as it flew low to the ground within its testing hangar.

Herbert Weirather, founder of Drone Racing AG, takes a ride in the newest manned racing drone.

Drone Champions AG is not the first to design a racing drone for manned aerial races. Among the companies aspiring to create global quadcopter racing series are Alauda Racing and Assen Aero. To hear more about the future of manned racing, check out the TransportUP podcast with Alauda Founder Matt Person.

The manned racing drone by Drone Champions AG has 217 brake horsepower and produces 660lbs of static thrust, reaching a top speed of 87mph during test flights.

Why it’s important: Through the development of the manned racing drone, Drone Champions AG pushes the capabilities of passenger-sized quad-copters to the limit, breaking through new innovations in aerial sport which may have implications throughout the growing world of aerial mobility. The race organizer has  successfully leveraged the newest manned drone to bring global attention to the potential of aerial vehicles, and, through its new video game, has begun to identify the next generation of pilots for these new kinds of aircraft.

uAvionix recently unveiled a new ADS-B transponder to its product offerings, tailBeaconX. The transponder is marketed for the general aviation community, it replaces the rear position-light and incorporates a 1090MHz Mode S ADS-B Out signal. This design offers an easy solution for aircraft owners trying to adhere to current and future ADS-B mandates.

tailBeaconX, the first ADS-B transponder with aerial mobility in mind.

According to the uAvionix’s website, tailBeaconX is the first commercially available avionics solution developed with the needs of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) in mind. Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, powered by batteries and alternative fuels, require radically different solutions than those that exist today. tailBeaconX weighs only 90 grams, takes no critical volume from an internal avionics bay, incorporates its own antennas, and draws only 3 watts of power. This results in longer flight times and higher payload capacity for the next generation of airborne mobility.

The company said in a news release that tailBeaconX is the first transponder to be specifically evaluated by Aireon and Nav Canada, and that early tests show promise toward meeting performance requirements for ATC-quality surveillance data for general aviation aircraft. “A solution like tailBeaconX will expand the proven safety and operational benefits of ADS-B through a space-based service to the general aviation community,” said Cyriel Kronenburg, vice president of aviation services for Aireon. “We’re pleased to collaborate on these types of innovative avionics solutions with uAvionix as various global ADS-B mandates take effect in the coming months and years.” Aireon’s space-based ADS-B ATC system went live last spring.

Why it matters: tailBeaconX is the first commercially available ADS-transponder developed with the unique needs of the aerial mobility industry in mind. eVTOL aircraft are vastly different from their general aviation counterparts and require efficient applications with minimal physical footprints and power consumption. uAvionix is also developing a full suite of aerial mobility focused avionics including: command and control links, GPS receivers, obstacle detection and avoidance, among others.

Bell, subsidiary of Textron Inc, has partnered with two Japanese companies in the development of eVTOL prototypes for the future. This week the company announced partnerships with both Sumitomo Corp. and Japan Airlines as part of its mobility-as-a-service offerings, or MaaS.

Bell is no stranger to the aerial mobility space with its extensive industry partnerships with Uber and its most recent air taxi concept, the Nexus 4EX, unveiled at CES in Las Vegas last month. Bell hopes to better understand infrastructure requirements and regulatory hurdles in the Asian Pacific markets through these key partnerships. 

Bell Nexus 4EX prototype unveiled at CES

“We are excited to take this substantial step to bring together an international airline, a major infrastructure provider, and a VTOL OEM to work collaboratively on a more connected mobility future,” said Scott Drennan, vice president of Innovation at Bell, in a prepared statement.

“While we are known for our 80 years of creating vertical lift aircraft that move people, goods, and data, we also want to help shape the operational infrastructure in which they will live,” Drennan added.

Sumitomo is a Japanese conglomerate involved in a multitude of industries including metal products, transporation, infrastructure and more. Japan Airlines (JAL) is one of the country’s leading passenger airlines with several international destinations. 

Over the coming months Bell will work alongside the two companies to develop policy and planning recommendations and better understand the transportation needs of urban travelers. 

Japan Airlines has partnered with Bell for futureneVTOL services.

Why it matters: The Asia Pacific (APAC) region will be one of the key markets for the commercialization of aerial mobility. The market is already has several competitors such as EHang, and with some of the highest population densities in the world, the mass adoption of eVTOL vehicles is highly likely. Bell’s partnership with these two Japanese companies is one of the earliest in the region and more details are expected to emerge as the partnership grows.

After recently announcing plans to conduct flight trials in New Zealand, the aspiring air taxi company Wisk has released details regarding the Cora, its autonomous electric air taxi vehicle.

The Cora is a two-seat autonomous aircraft powered by twelve boom-mounted independent lifting propellers enabling vertical flight. Designed to be autonomous from the start, Wisk CEO Gary Gysin emphasized the focus on safety for the development of the pilotless vehicle. “It also has a parachute recovery system,” said Gysin, “It is one of several safety aspects of the design. Whenever we fly along a route we always have multiple emergency landing spots and, being able to land anywhere, you have space everywhere in an emergency. And as a last resort we also have the emergency parachute—there is no single design point of failure.”

The Cora air taxi

Gysin and Wisk are aiming for a market niche centered around the two-seater design. “We are going straight to self-flying with two seats, so it is not optionally piloted”, said Gysin, “The sweet spot is anywhere from 30-to-60 mile range with reserves and 100 kt.-plus in speed. But based on the analysis we’ve done from a commuter perspective, when we are attacking that kind of market most of it says you are looking at 1.6 to 1.7 riders per vehicle. Clearly that data comes from the auto market, but we think that extrapolates into this market.” 

Wisk is a partner in the New Zealand government’s Airspace Integration Trials program, and the Cora will be certified by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, which has been working with Wisk and its predecessor companies for several years. “We have a certification basis to fly already and we are finishing that up and hope to get that soon,” Gysin said. “We have made a conscious decision not to give certain dates. We will fly when it’s safe and we are certified.” 

Why it’s important: Backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, Wisk and the Cora are in the running for one of the most anticipated air taxi rideshare services in the coming decade. With several conscious decisions made about how design of the Cora differs from other eVTOLs, the success of Wisk could help define how aerial mobility fills a market niche for transportation.

Source // Aviation Week

Related:

Wisk and New Zealand Government Partner for Autonomous Air Taxi Trials

Jameel Investment Management Company (JIMCO), the investment arm of Abdul Latif Jameel, has announced its participation in a Series C round of funding for California-based startup Joby Aviation, which recently raised an additional $590 million in capital.

Joby has attracted several big names in the automotive, aerospace, and financial sectors in its recent round of funding including Toyota Motor Corporation, JetBlue Technology Ventures, and Intel Capital, among others. JIMCO’s investment in Joby brings the total funding to $720 million, making Joby the most funded eVTOL manufacturer in the aerial mobility industry. The latest round of funding will give Joby a leg up on the competition within the aerial mobility playing field as it recently announced plans to greatly expand operations at its Marina, CA site. 

Joby Aviation’s aircraft prototype

The move is in line with Abdul Latif Jameel’s strategy of making high-stakes investments in the future of mobility. Abdul Latif Jameel has a strong track record as a value-adding investor – through supporting innovative startups in the evolving mobility industry, and by bringing long-standing regional expertise and access to a global network of partners.

Hassan Jameel, Deputy President and Vice Chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel, said: “Through JIMCO’s investment, Abdul Latif Jameel is leveraging its regional expertise for Joby Aviation. Air taxi service is still in the early stages of commercialization, but one that has the potential to completely transform the future of mobility. We are excited to be a part of this new chapter for the sector, bringing fast, affordable, and zero-emissions air mobility to Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region. Improving daily transportation in line with environmental sustainability is a mission we share with all our partners in business, and one which we are committed to delivering on.”

Said Paul Sciarra, Executive Chairman of Joby Aviation.“We are very pleased to have Abdul Latif Jameel as new backers in our recent Series C financing round. We respect their track-record of significant investment in the future of electric mobility.”

Why it matters: Joby’s significant fundraising and expansion plans promise to be competitive with the biggest names in the industry. JIMCO’s investment in Joby is notable given its track record for selecting innovative startups, and its wide range of mobility expertise. To date, the $720M USD raised makes Joby the most funded eVTOL manufacturer.