Month: September 2020
SAMAD Aerospace Reveals Q-Starling Luxury PAV
SAMAD aerospace, a British hybrid electric VTOL aviation company that calls Cranfield Technology Park home, announced the launch of their Q-Starling concept on Monday. The Q-Starling concept is an addition to the luxury personal aerial vehicle (PAV) category of aircraft within the aerial mobility industry. SAMAD’s press release on the aircraft focuses on design foundations grown from both fast jets...

SAMAD Aerospace Reveals Q-Starling Luxury PAV

SAMAD aerospace, a British hybrid electric VTOL aviation company that calls Cranfield Technology Park home, announced the launch of their Q-Starling concept on Monday. The Q-Starling concept is an addition to the luxury personal aerial vehicle (PAV) category of aircraft within the aerial mobility industry.
SAMAD’s press release on the aircraft focuses on design foundations grown from both fast jets and VTOL aircraft, and emphasized the sustainable nature of their new design in production and operation.
Dr. Seyed Mohseni, CEO of SAMAD aerospace, commented that “The Q-Starling will give owners the ultimate luxury in personal hybrid-electric flying. The efficient sustainable Q-Starling will give passengers unparalleled point-to-point mobility options.”
SAMAD aerospace categorized the Q-Starling as “a clever mix of fighter jet and VTOL allowing you to fly from a tennis court or super-yacht helipad to an event 500 miles away in under 2 hours.”
Production of the aircraft All materials used in the aircraft are made of ultra-light carbon fiber giving a higher performance capability and enabling semi-aerobatic maneuvers due to the increased strength of the composite material and design.
Why it’s important: While most aerial mobility companies are focusing on the democratization of aviation, few have specifically targeted the luxury air vehicle market. SAMAD’s release of their PAV concept, if furthered by enough investor support, could be popular among those with large amounts of disposable income and capital holdings, or business executives, as an opportunity to be “first in” on a new mode of personal transportation.
Read the full product brochure here.
Source // SAMAD Aerospace Press Release
Vertical Aerospace’s £2.3 Million Smart Charger Project Gains ATI Funding
Vertical Aerospace has received a major investment from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) to fund the development of a smart charger network for its VA-1X eVTOL aircraft. Working in partnership with Warwick University, the two-year project aims to usher in a new wave of aviation battery technology, with marked improvements in battery lifetime, maintenance time, and anomaly prevention. The smart...

Vertical Aerospace’s £2.3 Million Smart Charger Project Gains ATI Funding

Vertical Aerospace has received a major investment from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) to fund the development of a smart charger network for its VA-1X eVTOL aircraft. Working in partnership with Warwick University, the two-year project aims to usher in a new wave of aviation battery technology, with marked improvements in battery lifetime, maintenance time, and anomaly prevention. The smart charger system is expected to be completed by October 2022.

“The collaboration between Vertical and Warwick University will take cutting-edge electrochemical concepts and principals from academia and apply them to the production of a charger with an incorporated diagnostic device, effectively a smart charger.” Photograph: Vertical Aerospace
The main feature of the smart charger will be an incorporated diagnostic device, which will allow the charger to oversee and analyze real-time in-flight and charge event data, such as battery lifetime, state of charge, and potential failures onboard the vehicle’s battery. The diagnostic device would then allow the charger to make adjustments that would optimize battery lifetime, schedule maintenance automatically, and report any anomalies before they happen.
According to Limhi Somerville, Head of Energy Storage at Vertical Aerospace, “Battery systems including charge and diagnostics testing are well-known in academia and industry; having undergone years of development and research for the automotive market. An aerospace application provides a fantastic opportunity to utilize methods, designs, models and algorithms that were not financially, volumetrically or technically feasible before. Using these novel approaches, we plan to significantly improve the safety, range and capability of our battery system.”

“The smart charger will be used in conjunction with Vertical’s recently unveiled passenger model, VA-1X, to increase the performance and further enhance the aircraft’s safety levels.” Photograph: Vertical Aerospace
To help with the development of this project, technical experts from Warwick University will be working on the algorithms needed and compare with similar models from other industries. The finished algorithms will be implemented into the smart charger, which will be tested on one of Vertical’s aircraft. After testing is complete, Vertical Aerospace intends to implement the smart chargers on their recently unveiled passenger model VA-1X. The VA-1X can hold up to 4 passengers and 1 pilot, and will be capable of flying at speeds of 150 mph with a range of 100 miles. Vertical Aerospace looks to certify the VA-1X in early 2024, and begin commercial services soon after.
According to James Marco, Professor at University of Warwick, “The successful integration and management of battery systems within future electric aircraft represents a significant research challenge and one that WMG is excited to be working on in partnership with Vertical Aerospace. This project will allow us to expand our capabilities in battery characterization, battery system modeling and novel methods of fault diagnosis and prognosis. All within a sector that is strategically important for the UK as it move towards its zero emissions transport targets.”

“Capable of traveling 100 miles at 150 mph, carrying four passengers and one pilot, VA-1X is set to be the world’s first certified winged eVTOL with initial commercial operations starting in 2024.” Photograph: Vertical Aerospace
Why it’s important: Recent commercialized developments in battery technology have mostly come from the automotive industry, meaning that those batteries are not optimized for aviation gravimetric energy or power density requirements. With Vertical Aerospace and Warwick University’s new smart charger project, battery technology in the electric aviation industry will take another step forward, creating opportunities for the entire aerial mobility industry as well.
Source // Vertical Aerospace Press Release (9/24/2020)
Chinese EV Startup XPeng Unveils Kiwigogo Flying Car Prototype
Chinese EV maker XPeng has displayed a prototype of its single-seat flying car at the 2020 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, showing off eight propellers and a capsule-like frame. According to XPeng Motors, “electrically driven urban air-enabled multi-dimensional transport will be an integral part of the future mobility ecosystem. Xpeng is exploring this area in the course of its development of fully...

Chinese EV Startup XPeng Unveils Kiwigogo Flying Car Prototype

Chinese EV maker XPeng has displayed a prototype of its single-seat flying car at the 2020 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, showing off eight propellers and a capsule-like frame.
According to XPeng Motors, “electrically driven urban air-enabled multi-dimensional transport will be an integral part of the future mobility ecosystem. Xpeng is exploring this area in the course of its development of fully integrated and comprehensive mobility solutions for tomorrow’s cities.”
The vehicle, named the Kiwigogo, can carry up to two passengers and is designed to fly in low-altitude space, between 16 and 82 feet (5 to 25 meters) from the ground. XPeng explained that the Kiwigogo is in its seventh year of development and has 15 proprietary intellectual property rights and roughly 10,000 safety tests have already been conducted. However, XPeng CEO He Xiaopeng says that the flying car is unlikely to be commercialized by XPeng as part of its current offerings.
“Xpeng’s efforts in the electric air-enabled mobility space will remain focused on R&D and experimental designs for the present,” the Guangzhou-based company said, adding that it does not expect impact on its current business. “Xpeng will evaluate prospects in the space in details before proceeding with any substantial investment in this area.”

Why it’s important: XPeng’s recent successful IPO and Series C+ financing further enhances the Company’s commitment and credibility in providing Smart EV transport for the future. This funding, in combination with its success in the automotive sector, could provide a strong base for the company to continue the development of its Kiwigogo air vehicle and other aerial mobility options in the future.
Sources // XPeng; South China Morning Post
Airbus Focuses on Hydrogen Power for Flight
Aviation giant Airbus has continued to push forward industry advancement with the release of three new hydrogen-powered aircraft concepts. Although the concepts are fixed-wing rather than eVTOL, the release of these new aircraft can do much to push forward the world of aerial mobility propulsion, suggesting high potential for the future of hydrogen-powered flight. The new aircraft (depicted below) are...

Airbus Focuses on Hydrogen Power for Flight

Aviation giant Airbus has continued to push forward industry advancement with the release of three new hydrogen-powered aircraft concepts. Although the concepts are fixed-wing rather than eVTOL, the release of these new aircraft can do much to push forward the world of aerial mobility propulsion, suggesting high potential for the future of hydrogen-powered flight. The new aircraft (depicted below) are scheduled to enter flight service by 2035.

The ‘ZEROe’ zero-emissions aircraft series includes a turbofan concept, a turboprop concept, and a “blended wing body” concept, which will open up multiple options for hydrogen storage and distribution and cabin layout
Liquid hydrogen represents a fairly bold choice for Airbus for the future. Previously Airbus had been working on the E-FanX, a now archived battery hybrid-electric concept. While many companies such as eViation Alice, Ampaire, and VoltAero are still focusing on creating rechargeable hybrid aircraft, which will greatly improve fuel use efficiency, Airbus is entering new territory in choosing liquid-hydrogen propulsion. eVTOL companies using hydrogen as a power source so far only include the Alaka’i Skai, and the Urban Aeronautics CityHawk. In general, hydrogen power is often chosen for its energy efficiency by weight. For example, a pound of liquid hydrogen can output more energy than can a lithium-ion battery of the same weight, making it a good choice for efficiency in aircraft design. However, hydrogen is not always as readily available as electricity.
This release by Airbus represents the company’s larger efforts to innovate in aviation. Of late, Airbus has also concluded its Airbus Vahana eVTOL project, and begun additional work on its Airbus CityAirbus eVTOL concept, which has now successfully completed autonomous hover flight. Airbus also recently outlined its vision for the future world of aerial mobility as a whole in its Airbus Altiscope blueprint.
Why it’s important: Airbus’s choice of hydrogen gives significant insight of what kind of fuel zero-emission aircraft may use in the future. Although many current eVTOL concepts currently are battery-electric only, some have chosen to use hydrogen as well for their various purposes. To many aircraft developers, choosing between hydrogen and battery-electric will be an important strategic business and technology choice, focused on what kind of applications their aircraft require.
General Motors Exploring Aerial Mobility
Sources last week reported to a variety of media outlets that Michigan-based General Motors is exploring investment opportunities in the aerial mobility space. In recent months, the company has been seeking growth opportunities in complementary markets to their automotive expertise, two sources familiar with the matter said. Rumors were emboldened when CEO Mary Barra highlighted the synergies between electric vehicles...

General Motors Exploring Aerial Mobility

Sources last week reported to a variety of media outlets that Michigan-based General Motors is exploring investment opportunities in the aerial mobility space. In recent months, the company has been seeking growth opportunities in complementary markets to their automotive expertise, two sources familiar with the matter said.
Rumors were emboldened when CEO Mary Barra highlighted the synergies between electric vehicles (EVs) and its research in electric battery technology. “We believe strongly in our EV future and not just for vehicles, the strength and flexibility of our Ultium battery system opens doors for many uses”, she added, “including aerial mobility.”
GM spokesman Stuart Fowle declined to comment on any formal statement, but said “It’s an area we’re really excited about and looking at.”
Barra recently appointed Alan Wexler as SVP of Innovation and Growth to explore alternative transportation opportunities which leverage GM’s capabilities. This group has to date been responsible for the formation of a defense business unit and a $214M contract to build up troop carriers for the US Army.
GM will face competition in this space as other automotive giants like Hyundai have made staggering investments in this new industry.
Why it matters: General Motors seems to be following the actions of other automotive OEM’s who have realized the business opportunities aerial mobility will offer; including the likes of Hyundai Motor, Toyota, Daimler, Volkswagen and Geely, among others. Automotive and aerospace have long shared opportunities for technology crossovers, and GM’s entry into aerial mobility could provide the expertise required to mass produce eVTOL products with a significant cost advantage.
Volocopter Partners with DB Schenker to Operate VoloDrones
Reuters reported on Monday that German aviation startup Volocopter entered a partnership with logistics group DB Schenker to operate heavy lift cargo eVTOLs. A key challenge that faces the aerial mobility industry today (and a hindrance from full scale implementation of commercial eVTOL flights) is obtaining substantial operational data for performance and safety that will pave the roadway toward full-fledged...

Volocopter Partners with DB Schenker to Operate VoloDrones

Reuters reported on Monday that German aviation startup Volocopter entered a partnership with logistics group DB Schenker to operate heavy lift cargo eVTOLs. A key challenge that faces the aerial mobility industry today (and a hindrance from full scale implementation of commercial eVTOL flights) is obtaining substantial operational data for performance and safety that will pave the roadway toward full-fledged certification. Volocopter’s announcement of the VoloDrone unveiled the perfect system to being acquisition of this data.
The VoloDrone has a useful load of 200 kg, and supports light package delivery trips of not more than 40 kilometers. As UPS, Walmart, and Amazon continue their advancements with commercial deployment of logistics aircraft, Volocopter’s partnership with DB Schenker will also establish the German company’s infrastructure for data collection. However, the partnership is B2B oriented, as opposed to the B2C use cases that UPS, Walmart, and Amazon are hyper focused on.
In an interview with Reuters, Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter commented that “The logistics opportunity in the urban market is just as big as the passenger market. When people associate logistics with drones they always think of the 3 kg, last-mile delivery to the doorstep,” Reuter said. “It’s the middle mile, not the last mile, that we are serving.” Reportedly, Schenker selected Volocopter after suporting a portion of the company’s $103 million funding round in February. Volocopter has raised over 120 million euros from investors to date, and an operational VoloDrone prototype should be implemented some time during 2021.
Volocopter also recently announced commercial ticket sales for VoloCity airtaxi rides. Prices are currently high, at 300 euros for a 15 minute flight, but are intended to decrease as implementation of these aircraft expands.
Reuter commented that the certification timeline for the VoloCity from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is expected “towards the end of 2022”. The VoloDrone will follow with certification in 2023. While the VoloDrone might not receive certification prior to the VoloCity passenger version, special flight permits would allow for case by case use approvals for the VoloDrone. Such permits would require additional training for Schenker operators to ensure that safety protocols are adhered to, and the intent is to make the training relatively easy for employees.
Why it’s important: An increasing number of cargo logistics applications for aerial mobility companies are offering low-hanging fruit for data collection that will eventually be used for system certification. Fortunately, the lower risk exposure to conducting logistical operations will pave the way for a safer systems-based maturation and integration program for many manufacturers. However, Volocopter has established themselves as an outlier by selecting the business to business format, in lieu of B2C transactions. B2B use cases may benefit from easier of implementation than B2C: business will likely employ more routine and repeatable flight paths and delivery requirements than those of customer deliveries, which vary in frequency and location to a larger degree.
Source // Reuters
Turkey’s Cezeri Successfully Completes Maiden Test Flight
Turkish aerospace company Baykar Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Co’s Cezeri successfully conducted hover tests in its first maiden test flight. Weighing in at 230 kg (507 lb.), the prototype flying car ascended to about 10 meters in the air during trials. According to Baykar Chief Technology Officer Selcuk Bayraktar, “We will make more advanced prototypes in the upcoming process, and...

Turkey’s Cezeri Successfully Completes Maiden Test Flight

Turkish aerospace company Baykar Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Co’s Cezeri successfully conducted hover tests in its first maiden test flight. Weighing in at 230 kg (507 lb.), the prototype flying car ascended to about 10 meters in the air during trials. According to Baykar Chief Technology Officer Selcuk Bayraktar, “We will make more advanced prototypes in the upcoming process, and perform flights with a human [on board].”
Bayarktar also noted that an expected timeframe could see the launching of the commercial variant after all development and trials to be after 10-15 years. “After smart cars, the revolution in automotive technology will be in flying cars. So from this point of view, we are preparing for tomorrow’s races, rather than today’s,” he said.
Unveiled at Teknofest in 2019, the Cezeri is one seater quadcopter that is expected to be able to reach a flight ceiling of 2000 meters and a maximum speed of 100 kph. The craft’s name is inspired by Ismail al-Jazari, a renowned Muslim engineer who lived between 1136 and 1206. The company already produces drones for both armed and non-armed forces as well as control systems, simulators, and avionics systems. Selcuk Bayraktar has confirmed that plans are in place to conduct test flights with a human pilot.

Turkish aerospace company Baykar Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Co’s Cezeri successfully conducted hover tests in its first maiden test flight.
Why it’s important: Countries and companies worldwide are continuing to make inquiries and decisions to enter the aerial mobility market. Turkey, Japan, and many other countries are now all looking into supporting their own native aerial mobility vehicles with political and financial backing. With this latest technological milestone, Turkey and companies within it hope to continue to expand domestic aerial mobility technology in the coming years.
Source // The EurAsian Times
Humatics Secures $30M in Series B Funding
Humatics has secured $30 million in Series B funding to scale its sub-millimeter Milo Microlocation System and increase its footprint in the transit industry with its proprietary Rail Navigation System, among other investments, company leadership announced today. Blackhorn Ventures led the funding round, with Tenfore Holdings, Fontinalis Partners, Airbus Ventures, Lockheed Martin Ventures, and Presidio Ventures following suit. The $30...

Humatics Secures $30M in Series B Funding

Humatics has secured $30 million in Series B funding to scale its sub-millimeter Milo Microlocation System and increase its footprint in the transit industry with its proprietary Rail Navigation System, among other investments, company leadership announced today.
Blackhorn Ventures led the funding round, with Tenfore Holdings, Fontinalis Partners, Airbus Ventures, Lockheed Martin Ventures, and Presidio Ventures following suit. The $30 million infusion grows the company’s funding by a third, bringing its total raised to over $80 million.
“This visionary $30 million investment will help bring Humatics microlocation technology to scale across the globe” said David Mindell, CEO of Humatics. “Microlocation technology is useful especially now, as we try to keep each other safe by providing space and keeping people and goods moving. We are grateful to Blackhorn and our other investors for sharing that vision.”
“We’re excited to lead the Series B round and invest in the Humatics team,” said Trevor Zimmerman, managing partner of Blackhorn Ventures. “Humatics’ focus on developing location and navigation technology for the transit space and millimeter scale precise positioning technology for manufacturing, logistics, construction and medical unlocks unprecedented collaboration between humans, machines and infrastructure. We look forward to working with the Humatics team to leverage the tremendous success they’ve had with their Rail Navigation System and Microlocation System.”
Humatics proprietary Milo Microlocation System has broad uses across the manufacturing, logistics, industrial equipment, healthcare and construction spaces, helping to identify with millimeter precision where objects are in relation to each other, facilitating seamless collaboration between people, machines, robots and infrastructure. In manufacturing, the technology improves the speed and accuracy of autonomous lineside delivery, making it possible for lineside workers to take on other high-value tasks, and to facilitate tool endpoint tracking for faster, and better-quality assembly procedures. For other markets such as healthcare, construction, and security, Humatics envisions this technology fundamentally transforming how we conduct surgeries, manage secure spaces and utilize construction tools to make sure everything goes according to plan.

Humatics uses UWB, IMU and offers integration with additional sensors for additional safety, and robustness.
In transportation, Humatics Rail Navigation System improves transit vehicle navigation and positioning which helps trains run closer together, speeding up throughput and improving safety in some of the nation’s busiest urban environments. These upgrades are proving critical as transit systems recover from Covid-19 slowdowns.
Humatics recently completed a successful pilot project to install its ultra-wideband technology on 5.5 miles of track in New York City’s subway system. The pilot showcased the technology’s durability, ease of installation, and potential to speed train throughput in one of the busiest transportation networks on the globe. For more information on Humatics’ work on the MTA UWB Pilot, see here.
The company also aims to expand its transportation footprint beyond New York City– helping large- and mid-market transportation systems across the United States and globally upgrade their signaling systems for quicker throughput, improved environmental durability, and reduced maintenance times.
Why it matters: Humatics Round B funding drew in investors well known within the aerospace industry including Airbus Ventures and Lockheed Martin Ventures. The technology, while being demonstrated in rail technology, offers opportunities to provide incredible opportunities within the aerial mobility space. With Humatics micro-location system, eVTOL vehicles will be able to operate in greater densities and navigate around surrounding hazards. Look for companies like Humatics to be at the center of the aerial mobility navigation conversation.
Volocopter Begins Reservations for Electric Air Taxi Flights
“Be the first to fly with an electric air taxi,” Volocopter advertised as it announced the commencement of the world’s first public sale for electrical air taxi flight reservations. As of today, September 16th, Volocopter fans world-wide can reserve their tickets online and be amongst the very first to take this new form of mobility. Volocopter revealed the initiative at...

Volocopter Begins Reservations for Electric Air Taxi Flights

“Be the first to fly with an electric air taxi,” Volocopter advertised as it announced the commencement of the world’s first public sale for electrical air taxi flight reservations.
As of today, September 16th, Volocopter fans world-wide can reserve their tickets online and be amongst the very first to take this new form of mobility. Volocopter revealed the initiative at the Greentech Festival in Berlin, and has made 1000 presale reservations available for a limited time. The “VoloFirst” costs €300 and can be reserved with a 10% deposit. With the reservation, passengers will receive the following:
- A flight with a duration of approx. 15 minutes (approx.) scheduled within the first 12 months after commercial launch
- A video of the passenger’s flight
- A limited edition, personalized certificate included in reservation
The announcement follows Volocopter’s successful demonstration flights in Stuttgart, at Helsinki’s international airport, and over Singapore’s Marina Bay. “Based on our public test flights and regulatory achievement record, we have paved the way to make electric flight in cities common in just a few years. With the start of reservations, we now invite our supporters and innovators around the world to join us and be amongst the first to experience this new and exciting form of mobility,” said Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter. The reservations for the first VoloCity flights are available world-wide on the Volocopter Reservation Platform.
Why it’s important: Volocopter is working to build the world’s first sustainable and scalable urban air mobility business to bring affordable air taxi services to megacities worldwide. The VoloCity, its fully electric “eVTOL” aircraft, has already begun the certification process in order to safely and quietly transport passengers within cities. Volocopter’s outspoken goal is to ‘Bring Urban Air Mobility to Life’ and has made significant headway in conjunction with its partners in infrastructure, operations, and air traffic management to build the necessary ecosystem. The early commercialization of its technology through limited reservation flights will serve as a funding mechanism for continued development of its technology as well as for the certification process. As an added benefit, the strategically limited supply of flights may increase publicity of the offering and ultimately result in an impactful marketing effort for the company.
Related:
- Volocopter Selects Diehl Aerospace for its Flight Computers
- Dr. Arnaud Coville Named new Volocopter CTO
Source // Volocopter press release
AutoFlightX Releases Large-Scale V400 Cargo Drone
AutoFlightX, the developer of eVTOL aircraft and large-scale drones since 2018, is continuing to create ever bigger autonomous aircraft with the release of its V400 eVTOL aircraft this week. The company prides itself on being one of the aerial mobility industry’s top developers of high-capacity, fixed-wing eVTOL cargo drones, with plans to create and deploy a passenger-ready model by 2025. On...

AutoFlightX Releases Large-Scale V400 Cargo Drone

AutoFlightX, the developer of eVTOL aircraft and large-scale drones since 2018, is continuing to create ever bigger autonomous aircraft with the release of its V400 eVTOL aircraft this week. The company prides itself on being one of the aerial mobility industry’s top developers of high-capacity, fixed-wing eVTOL cargo drones, with plans to create and deploy a passenger-ready model by 2025.
On September 13th, 2020, AutoFlightX unveiled the V400 “Albatross” at the World UAV Federation’s 2020 Drone World Congress in Shenzhen, China. This aircraft is the company’s biggest commercially produced aircraft yet, with a wingspan of 30 feet and a payload capacity of up to 220 lbs. The Albatross will come in both a completely electric version with a range of 185 miles, and and a hybrid-electric version with a range up to 620 mi. Previous models included the V50 White Shark drone, which could only carry loads up to 45 lbs, but broke multiple flight duration records.

The V400 “Albatross” unveiling at the World UAV Federation’s 2020 Drone World Congress in Shenzen, China
AutoFlightX is now accepting orders for the V400, which can be used for express delivery, disaster relief, first response, and other applications. Construction of the V400 prototype is now completed, and the maiden flight is expected by the end of this year. AutoFlightX is headquartered in Shanghai, with research and development facilities in Munich, Germany, and Shenzhen, China.
Why it’s important: AutoFlightX has said that while it is currently building cargo drones, it intends to use the commercialization of its eVTOL aircraft to build the vision for its UAM air taxis of the future. In 2018, it shared a prototype for its V600 passenger vehicle, which it hopes to begin producing in 2025. Said an AutoFlightX spokesperson, “AutoFlightX believes that the research, design, certification, and mass production of eVTOL with large payload capacity are fundamental to the commercialization of the UAM vision.” Additionally, AutoFlightX believes that the V400 will meet the current requirements of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, and thus has a clear path to commercialization in that country.
Toyota’s Advanced Development Group Will Launch $800 Million Dollar Global Mobility Investment Fund in 2021
The Toyota Research Institute (TRI-AD) announced in a September 10 press release that it would be creating a global growth investment fund targeted at new forms of mobility. The fund is to be named Woven, L.P, with the mission “Mobility to Love, Safety to Live”. Initial commitment is reported at $800 million, with a target January 2021 launch date. The...

Toyota’s Advanced Development Group Will Launch $800 Million Dollar Global Mobility Investment Fund in 2021

The Toyota Research Institute (TRI-AD) announced in a September 10 press release that it would be creating a global growth investment fund targeted at new forms of mobility. The fund is to be named Woven, L.P, with the mission “Mobility to Love, Safety to Live”.
Initial commitment is reported at $800 million, with a target January 2021 launch date. The announcement also forms a triad of operating companies, including Woven CORE, Woven Alpha, and Woven Capital, all under the umbrella of Woven Planet. The fund is set to be located in the United States, and operate over a period of 10 years. This timeline would align with the majority of the legwork to complete certification processes, final design and manufacturing implementation details, and stand up baseline infrastructure for initial commercial operations of aerial mobility aircraft (among other mobility sources) at least in part. While the fund is more diversified than aerial mobility technologies and the respective enabling technologies, future blueprints for technical development in the mobility space are increasingly sourcing common design principles (electronic propulsion or automated guidance/directional control on ground) and operations interface (application or dashboard based ride sharing/hailing/management) that would enable investments in certain technologies intended for on-ground or in-air transport to benefit other sectors as well.
From Toyota’s press release, the fund focuses on “Growth-stage companies with innovative technologies and business models in areas such as autonomous mobility, automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data and analytics, connectivity, and smart cities”. The Research Institute also shared via their website that they intend on hiring new personnel to assist with the development and management of the Fund.
Why it’s important: Toyota is no stranger to the aerial mobility industry, having previously invested in Joby and SkyDrive. This announcement further commits the company toward a majority stake in many mobility industries, including that of aerial mobility. To date, one of the largest investments in an aerial mobility company included involvement from Toyota: Joby’s massive $590 million dollar commitment in January of 2020. While the larger fund being announced by Toyota won’t exceed that dollar amount for any one company, in all likelihood, the potential total benefit could be similar when a series of smaller investments made in multiple smaller enabling technology companies are considered.
Read the full press release from Toyota here.
Pipistrel’s Velis Electro Set to Break 7 World Records During Flight
Pipistrel’s electric airplane, the Velis Electro, will soon take flight as it prepares for its 700 km trip from Zurich to the North Sea island, Norderney, after obtaining type certification from the EASA. The Velis will fly a total of 700 km (435 miles) across Germany, and will look to break or match seven world records along the way. The...

Pipistrel’s Velis Electro Set to Break 7 World Records During Flight

Pipistrel’s electric airplane, the Velis Electro, will soon take flight as it prepares for its 700 km trip from Zurich to the North Sea island, Norderney, after obtaining type certification from the EASA. The Velis will fly a total of 700 km (435 miles) across Germany, and will look to break or match seven world records along the way.
The Velis Electro is an all-electric 2-seater trainer aircraft, and is the upgrade over Pipistrel’s previous Alpha Electro aircraft. The plane possesses a top speed of 181 km/h (112 mph) and a service ceiling of 3,660 m (12,000 ft). As for its power capabilities, the Velis Electro runs on a 60 kW liquid-cooled electric motor running on a 345 VDC electrical system as well as two redundant parallel batteries providing a total of 24.8 kWh of energy, which serve to give the Velis a max range at around 100 km (62 miles), meaning that the airplane will need to recharge a minimum of six times during the trip. A normal recharge of the batteries (from 35% to 95%) takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes. A full recharge (30-100%) takes up to 2 hours.
Pipistrel’s team hopes to break the following records during the flight from Zurich to Norderney:
- Lowest energy consumption (kWh/100 km) over 700 km
- Highest average speed over 700 km (km/h)
- Highest altitude ever reached by an electric aircraft (metre above main sea level)
- Fastest climb performance from 0-1000m / 1000-2000m / 2000-3000m (m/s)
- Highest average speed over 100km (km/h)
- Lowest number of intermediate stops on 700km distance (number of stops)
- Longest electrically flown distance in 24 / 48 / 56 hours (km)
According to team member Marco Bulhozer, “Flying with kerosene is extremely harmful to the climate. Aviation currently accounts for around five percent of the global warming, and the trend is increasing. The emissions at high altitude are a particular problem that arise from air traffic. We want to show that there are alternatives, even if we don’t manage the whole route in one go, CO₂-neutral flying is already possible today! Most small planes fly distances shorter than 200 kilometers anyway, and you could do that electrically.”
Why it’s important: Electric flight is constantly improving, as both demand and innovation continue to head towards environmentally friendly methods of energy. Especially for aerial mobility, where providing transportation that is quick and environmentally friendly is one of its biggest draws,the Velis Electro’s flight can publicly demonstrate that there are alternatives methods of travel such as CO₂-neutral flying and how far electric technology has developed so far.
Source // Clean Technica
Lilium Enters Partnership with Dusseldorf and Cologne/Bonn Airports
Lilium, the Munich-based aviation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing aircraft for regional air mobility, has agreed with both Dusseldorf Airport and Cologne/Bonn Airport to explore how the two airports can become hubs within a regional air mobility network spanning North Rhine-Westphalia. Lilium plans to establish regional air mobility as a new mode of transportation, using its fully...

Lilium Enters Partnership with Dusseldorf and Cologne/Bonn Airports

Lilium, the Munich-based aviation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing aircraft for regional air mobility, has agreed with both Dusseldorf Airport and Cologne/Bonn Airport to explore how the two airports can become hubs within a regional air mobility network spanning North Rhine-Westphalia. Lilium plans to establish regional air mobility as a new mode of transportation, using its fully electric, 5-seater aircraft by 2025.
The announcement was made this week in Dusseldorf in the presence of the Transportation Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik Wüst. As the largest and most densely populated German state (18 million inhabitants), including ten cities with over 300,000 inhabitants, as well as more than 40 universities and colleges and four international trade fair locations, North Rhine-Westphalia is an ideal location for Lilium landing sites. The Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area is the largest in Germany and the third largest in Europe. It now aims to become home to mobility in the third dimension.
North Rhine-Westphalia Transport Minister Hendrik Wüst explained: “What sounds like science fiction today may soon be reality. In the federal state with the highest mobility needs, smart ideas for better mobility are always welcome. We need all modes of transport in order to provide people with a convincingly diverse range of mobility options.“
He added: “North Rhine-Westphalia is a model region for the mobility of the future. We want digitally-networked mobility in North Rhine-Westphalia not only to be researched and developed, but also experienced as soon as possible. This is why we support and promote many future-oriented projects and research projects here in North-Rhine-Westphalia.”
As international traffic hubs with excellent connections to air, rail and road traffic, the two airports Cologne/Bonn and Dusseldorf are an ideal starting point for the development of networked mobility, which also includes air taxis.
“We are excited to bring our innovative service to North Rhine-Westphalia,” says Lilium COO Dr. Remo Gerber. “Cities such as Aachen, Bielefeld, Münster and Siegen will be directly connected to the region’s largest international airports within 30mins, providing emission-free, high-speed connectivity at an affordable price.”
Remo Gerber added: “North Rhine-Westphalia and its airports are ideal partners for us to implement this ambitious project of the future – we are grateful to receive this support from both the Ministry and our partners at the airports to implement our vision”.
Why it matters: Lilium’s partnership with Germany’s Transport Ministry will be crucial in making aerial mobility a reality in the region. The partnership will ensure the company has public sector support in recruiting talent, meeting with regulators, and garnering public support. Expect to see more partnerships like this one across the globe as manufacturers ready their prototypes for flight.
Source: Lilium
LG Chem’s Li-S Battery Powered EAV-3 Sets Altitude Record
Seoul, South Korea based LG Chem, Ltd and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute set an altitude record with their LG Li-S (lithium sulfur) battery powered EAV-3 UAV on August 30th. The EAV-3 reached an altitude of 22km above sea level, or approximately 72,000 feet during the flight, and operated for seven hours in the stratosphere at altitudes between 12 and...

LG Chem’s Li-S Battery Powered EAV-3 Sets Altitude Record

Seoul, South Korea based LG Chem, Ltd and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute set an altitude record with their LG Li-S (lithium sulfur) battery powered EAV-3 UAV on August 30th.
The EAV-3 reached an altitude of 22km above sea level, or approximately 72,000 feet during the flight, and operated for seven hours in the stratosphere at altitudes between 12 and 22 kilometers MSL, during its 13 hour total period of operation on a Lithium sulfur battery designed and manufactured by LG Chem, Ltd.
Lightweight Li-S batteries use sulfur-carbon composites as anodes and lithium metals for cathodes. LG Chem’s Li-S batteries are reportedly lighter than existing Lithium-Ion batteries, and claims that there battery packs have energy densities that are 1.5 times that of today’s standard lithium ion batteries. The company did not disclose what baseline energy density they used to generate this figure.
While the UAV altitude record is impressive, the IP of this achievement resides in the high energy density of the batteries themselves, showcasing an asset that LG Chem Ltd. may be able to provide to the aerial mobility industry in the future.
While Lithium-ion batteries exist today that allow for reasonable performance and range of aerial mobility or personal aerial vehicles, even a mere 10% increase in energy density almost directly correlates to 10% increases in endurance and flight time of electrically powered aircraft. A claimed 50% increase over current battery technology would allow for range extensions to validate use cases of aerial mobility aircraft as intercity transports for short range flights, not just aircraft that facilitate the “last mile” or last 10-15 miles of a journey over congested freeways.
Why it’s important: LG Chem Ltd’s Li-S battery technology may become a feasible alternative to commercially available Lithium Ion batteries. However, the super-high energy density battery industry is filled with other competitors working hard to develop their own energy sources that are superior to any currently available power sources, such as Cuberg, which developed a battery that allowed a test case drone to fly for 70% longer by redesigning lithium ion battery infrastructure from the ground up.
Walmart Begins On-Demand Drone Delivery Program with Flytrex
Just days after Amazon Prime Air has received FAA approval for drone deliveries, Walmart has initiated a program with Flytrex for its own drone delivery service. Upon announcing the new initiative, Walmart looked back on a quote from founder Sam Walton: “I have always been driven to buck the system, to innovate, to take things beyond where they’ve been.” It remains...

Walmart Begins On-Demand Drone Delivery Program with Flytrex

Just days after Amazon Prime Air has received FAA approval for drone deliveries, Walmart has initiated a program with Flytrex for its own drone delivery service.
Upon announcing the new initiative, Walmart looked back on a quote from founder Sam Walton: “I have always been driven to buck the system, to innovate, to take things beyond where they’ve been.” It remains a guiding principle at Walmart to this day, according to the company. “From being an early pioneer of universal bar codes and electronic scanning cash registers to our work on autonomous vehicle delivery, we’re working to understand how these technologies can impact the future of our business and help us better serve our customers.”
“Our latest initiative has us exploring how drones can deliver items in a way that’s convenient, safe, and – you guessed it – fast. Today, we’re taking the next step in our exploration of on-demand delivery by announcing a new pilot with Flytrex, an end-to-end drone delivery company.”
Related: FAA Approves UPS as Drone Airline for Commercial Deliveries
The pilot program launched as of September 9th in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and focuses on delivering select grocery and household essential items from Walmart stores using Flytrex’s automated drones. The drones, which are controlled over the cloud using a smart and easy control dashboard, will help us gain valuable insight into the customer and associate experience, from picking and packing to takeoff and delivery. The announcement of Walmart’s new program accompanies various other recent efforts as the U.S. retailer looks to bolster its delivery business.
Why it’s important:
In a press release, Walmart acknowledged the long road ahead; “we know that it will be some time before we see millions of packages delivered via drone. That still feels like a bit of science fiction, but we’re at a point where we’re learning more and more about the technology that is available and how we can use it to make our customers’ lives easier. Take for example our autonomous vehicle work with Gatik, Ford and Nuro – we’ve gained loads of valuable insight into how autonomous vehicles fit within our business.”
Ultimately, it’s learnings from pilots such as this that will help shape the potential of drone delivery on a larger scale and expand Walmart beyond its reputation as a company specializing in in-store shopping. Fortunately, Amazon’s Prime Air business arm has begun to pave the way for certification with its official Part 135 approval to begin operating commercial deliveries on a trial basis.
Source // Walmart press release
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