EHang is one step closer to realizing its aerial mobility vision

EHang today announced its strategic partnership with property developer Heli Chuangxin Real Estate Co. Ltd. to build out an urban air mobility (UAM) demonstration project in Guangzhou. This is a major milestone as EHang prepares for the launch of commercial operations of its much-anticipated autonomous flying taxis.

Under the terms of the partnership agreement, Heli Chuangxin and EHang are committed to building up the infrastructure for the world’s first commercial in-city sightseeing UAM route in Guangzhou.

2 EHang passenger-grade AAVs performed simultaneous flight in the downtown area and CBD of Guangzhou city, near the landmark of Canton Tower and LIEDE Bridge where are must-see sightseeing place for all tourists in Guangzhou.

On November 30, two passenger-grade AAVs of the two-seater EHang 216 model performed simultaneous flight demos, vertically taking off from and landing at Heli Tiande Centre in Guangzhou on the Centre’s opening day. Six EHang 216 AAVs were also on display.

“Today’s demo flights mark another key step forward in Guangzhou’s journey to making urban air mobility a reality and lead global efforts in such commercial operations,” said Hu Huazhi, EHang’s founder, chairman, and CEO. “We are thrilled to be working together with our partners to enable safe, autonomous, and eco-friendly urban air travel as soon as possible.”

The November 30 demos took place four months after EHang announced that it had selected Guangzhou as its first UAM pilot city globally. EHang and Guangzhou plan to establish a low-altitude air transportation network that shuttles passengers and cargo in a safe, fast, environmentally friendly, and cost-efficient manner.

The pilot program enables EHang to test more flight routes and vertiports before moving into passenger-grade commercial operations. Last year, EHang already started commercial operations of air cargo transportation in and near its home base in Guangzhou, working with the express delivery company DHL-Sinotrans and retail company Yonghui.

In January 2019, EHang was selected by the Civil Aviation Administration of China as the country’s first and only pilot company for passenger-grade AAV programs. To date, EHang has safely conducted over two thousand test flights both inside and outside of China to ensure that its AAVs operate safely and reliably.

Why it matters: This milestone partnership for EHang and Heli Chuangxin Real Estate Co. Ltd. represents the progress made by the aerial mobility manufacturer. EHang appears to be on a strong growth trajectory as the company has made strides to build up its pilot program and autonomous route network in its first target city, Guangzhou. Further, the company has begun the process of filing for its IPO in the United States. Expect to see EHang making waves in the aerial mobility space in the coming weeks and months as they prepare to begin commercial operations.

The two companies will perform a joint study on the future of aircraft electrification for UAM

BAE Systems and Jaunt Air Mobility signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), agreeing to explore the development of electric energy management systems in urban aerial mobility. This MoU will also have the two companies collaborate on examining current aircraft power management needs and gain a “deeper understanding of the extension of urban traffic into the airspace.”

Photo by Tom Haines.

BAE Systems, having announced their intentions to enter the electric aviation market a few months prior, have made their next step by involving Jaunt Air. “The collaboration with Jaunt Air Mobility leverages the strengths of two industry-leading companies to develop technology for a new ecosystem,” said Ehtisham Siddiqui, vice president and general manager of Controls and Avionics Solutions at BAE Systems. 

“This strategic collaboration builds on our two decades of heritage as we develop and certify controls and energy management systems for the future of flight.” – Ehtisham Siddiqui

BAE Systems Regional Aircraft – J31 Air to Air. Photo credit: BAE Systems

Jaunt Air Mobility, currently in the process of submitting their own eVTOL as a partner of Uber Elevate, seeks to improve their power systems management through this MoU. Both companies stand to gain a competitive advantage in their respective markets with this agreement, and their alignment in interest is what lead to this collobaration. “BAE Systems’ development and integration expertise in high integrity controls and power management systems gives our business an edge in the development of next generation air vehicles for urban environments,” said Kaydon Stanzione, chief executive officer at Jaunt Air Mobility. 

“Their proven track record from concept design through manufacturing was a major selection consideration for our business as we strive to provide the highest level of safety and efficiency for our aircraft.”  -Kaydon Stanzione

BAE Systems has 20-plus years of experience developing and integrating electric propulsion systems. The company has more than 10,000 electric-hybrid systems on transit buses and marine vessels around the globe, including major cities such as Paris, London, New York, and San Francisco. The company also has more than 40 years of experience in controls and avionics for military and commercial aircraft. 

Jaunt Air Mobility LLC is an aerospace company focused on developing advanced air vehicles that incorporate innovative technologies and management strategies, providing the highest levels of operational efficiencies, safety, and community acceptance. The company is a pioneer and world leader in the aerospace industry with the design and development of its Reduced Rotor Operating Speed Aircraft (ROSA™) solution for urban air mobility.

Why it’s important: WIth the experience in electric propulsion systems provided by BAE and the in-depth knowledge of the UAM market from Jaunt Air Mobility, this MoU is intended to address a lucrative topic in the future, the shift from a hybrid/conventional eVTOL model to a fully electric eVTOL model. The first to develop a working, fully electric eVTOL capable of providing the same benefits as conventional engines will have the ability to dominate both the electric aviation and UAM markets over the next few decades. 

Source // Press Release by BAE Systems

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ALI Technologies showed off their prototype, Xturismo, at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show

While ALI Technologies is still in the process of developing its final product, they presented their prototype, the Xturismo Limited Edition, at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show at Tokyo Big Sight. ALI plans to have the final product ready for delivery by late 2020, and gain licensing for public roads under Japan’s Road Transport Vehicle Act by 2023. Mass production is also scheduled once the vehicle gains licensing provisions. 

The Xturismo Limited Edition

The futuristic looking vehicle runs on two fans, aligned on the front and back of its underside. Additionally, four sub-fans are installed on each quadrant section of the vehicle for steering purposes, and small, motor-driven propellers are placed on either side of the vehicle to maintain posture control. A hybrid, the vehicle is driven by both a gasoline engine and electric battery; according to ALI, while a completely electric vehicle is the plan for mass production in 2023, the gasoline engine is installed for now to ensure sufficient and sustained driving power even with small propellers. A cowl on the front and an exhaust duct at the rear help to further maximize lift. ALI Technologies did not elaborate on the vehicle’s capabilities or specifications at this stage of its development. “As for speed, all I can say right now is that we are aiming to produce a 200-kilometer-per-hour model.”, says Katano Daisuke, president of ALI Technologies.

Katano Daisuke, president of ALI Technologies.

Conceptually, the vehicle is a “fusion of compact size and design,” according to Katano. Katano emphasizes the importance placed on design, and compares ALI to Tesla Motors, in that “we plan to start by marketing exclusive, high-end models, and after we’ve established our market, we’ll shift to mass production.” An important parallel would be the importance placed on the usage of clean energy in their vehicles; while Katano did not elaborate on the final product’s intended battery capabilities, at the moment ALI Technologies is aiming for two hours of driving time with one full charge of the batteries.

In concert with finishing the development of its aerial mobility technology, ALI is also working to build infrastructure for airborne traffic, including three-dimensional control systems and air route designs, ultimately aiming for “an air mobility society in which traffic accidents never happen,” according to Katano. The focus is especially strong on cutting down on traffic accidents by developing self-driving electric vehicles with a high degree of control.

“Self-driving vehicle mobility is easier to achieve in a three-dimensional rather than a two-dimensional context. The lack of obstacles make it easier to control the vehicle.” says Katano, “Our mission is to eliminate traffic accidents altogether.”

Like with many other eVTOLs and flying vehicles, ALI Technologies’ flying motorcycle will need to face numerous safety and legal hurdles to overcome, as well as a need for public acceptance. ALI Technologies has appointed Yasutomi Masafumi, a former vice transport minister, as its special advisor and is hoping to secure licenses for its airborne vehicles to be used on public roads by 2023. Until then, the vehicles will only be usable in areas such as: open fields, lakes, deserts, and wetlands, or even areas where unexploded ordnance is present. Uses that will benefit society, such as disaster relief,  will take precedent over personal applications.

ALI Technologies, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, was established in September 2016 by a group of University of Tokyo student entrepreneurs developing drones. Chief among the group is Komatsu Shūhei, who developed the basis of a business plan for a flying bike and is the former company president and current chairman, and Katano Daisuke,who took over as president in July 2018. Komatsu and Katano work in tandem in guiding the firm, with Komatsu overseeing technology development and Katano taking responsibility for overall management of the company. 

“It’s a rare company that tackles both air infrastructure and air mobility,” says Katano, “I think there’s only one other company like ours, and it’s in Israel. Our company is working to achieve an air mobility society in which traffic accidents never happen.”

Why it’s important: It’s evident that aerial mobility can be realized in numerous forms other than the “flying car.” While similarities can be drawn with the flying motorcycle in development by JetPack Aviation, the main factor to look out for will be the difference in intended applications. ALI Technologies is ultimately aiming for “an air mobility society in which traffic accidents never happen,” while JetPack’s Speeder seems to be designed for purely recreational purposes. The paths of these two companies will be interesting to follow in light of the numerous more “traditional” aerial mobility companies. 

Source // nippon.com

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Russian startup Flyter has taken the next important step in testing the design of its 2-seater PAC 720-200. 

The Flyter PAC 720-200 is capable of carrying 440 lbs with a max range of 560 miles.

Flyter has been around since February 2018. Since then, it unveiled its concept for the PAC 720-200, a two-seater VTOL aircraft that flies like a small plane but can take off like a helicopter. Flyter’s goal is to make an aircraft that can both use airports as well as access more remote locations.

The Flyter 720-200 features a total of eight downward-facing lift propellors. Flyter states that although the it would have liked to use only four props, efficiency and thrust requirements led to the four-prop design.

In the latest test, Flyter successfully proves many of the predicted thrust and efficiency calculations. The design itself is unique in that propellors sit under the wing rather than on top of it, and the test proved the functionality of this concept. While many eVTOL prototypes (such as the Boeing PAV) use only upward facing propellors and others use a combination of upward and downward facing propellors, Flyter is one of the only companies to use solely downward facing propellors.

Watch the company’s full description of the flight test below:

Flyter is also one of the only eVTOL developers in Russia, and is proceeding with testing on schedule. The company begun taking investors in April of this year. Rather than targeting an urban air taxi market, Flyter’s strategy is to provide a vehicle that can access remote locations of Russia. The company will make both a passenger and autonomous cargo version of the PAC 720-200, and intends to use hybrid power for maximum range.

For more about Flyter, visit its website here.

Why it’s important: Since Flyter is one of the only eVTOL developers in Russia, it has a good chance of being first to capture VTOL flight demand there. Through its latest round successful of testing, Flyter sets a precedent for future progress, securing itself as a technology leader in Russia. Flyter’s next steps will involve continuous testing and eventual prototyping and certification.

Famous for creating a civilian version of the Osprey V-22, Leonardo S.p.A recently unveiled a new kind of heliport designed for urban aerial mobility.

Leonardo’s new rotorcraft terminal will support the development of a network of point-to-point connections for both urban transfers and connections between cities.

At the Dubai Air Show earlier this week, Leonardo, in collaboration with Falcon Aviation Services, released its concept for a ‘rotorcraft dedicated’ terminal. According to Leonardo, the new terminal initiative is meant “meet the growing demands for sustainable and modern vertical lift mobility.” and enable “greater access to urban areas.”

Built specifically for VTOL aircraft, the terminal concept combines a helipad, lounge, and show room into a single heliport, built to be placed in densely populated urban areas. Leonardo envisions that the terminal will support both point-to-point travel within cities as well as connections between them. The terminal is made of recyclable materials, and can even be moved between urban locations according to flight demands.

Alongside this new vision for urban air transport infrastructure, Leonardo is developing the AW609, a pressurized, passenger version of the existing military Osprey V-22. Once completed, the AW609 will be the world’s fastest commercial rotorcraft. Leonardo is currently working with the FAA on certification, and expects to be able to begin commercial flights in 2020.

The Leonardo AW609 passenger tilt-rotor aircraft. The AW609 is pressurized, and fitted with a luxury interior.

Why it’s important: Although Leonardo’s concept terminal is not the first ‘Vertiport’ imagined, it may be one of the first in commercial use. Unlike existing concepts, which are specifically designed for new eVTOLs, the Leonardo/Falcon Aviation terminal will support all types of vertical lift aircraft. This means that it will soon commence service for helicopter flights, providing an excellent proving ground for future aircraft.

Sources // Leonardo

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