Month: May 2021

Beta Technologies, an innovative Vermont-based eVTOL developer, has recently become one of the first eVTOL companies to ever receive a MFR (Military Flight Release) from the United States Air Force. This marks one of the first ever such approvals for a vertical flight electric aircraft.

Capable of both fixed-wing forward flight and vertical take-off, BETA’s ‘Alia’ aircraft weighs in at arounnd 7,000lbs, and can carry at least four passengers plus a pilot. The aircraft will remain semi-autonomous during initial operations, but will have full-autonomous capabilities. BETA expects the Alia to go into operation within the next five years, and has already inked partnerships with both BLADE Urban Air Mobility and UPS.

The MFR from the Air Force will now allow Beta to perform flight tests in collaboration with the Air Force with a pilot on board. For now, the MFR is allowing these tests only for fixed-wing forward flight mode of the aircraft, rather than for vertical flights as well. After an early series of tethered hover tests, Beta has been flying Alia with its overhead lifting propellers removed while it tests the aircraft’s fixed-wing handling abilities and characteristics. The company plans to return to hover testing in the near future, and expects its work with the Air Force to eventually fully test Alia’s vertical capabilities and complete flight envelope as well.

With this announcement, Beta becomes competitive with Joby Aviation, which was the very first eVTOL aircraft to receive an MFR through the U.S Air Force’s Agility Prime initiative. Both companies have received approval from the FAA for piloted flight tests, but Joby only received it from the USAF for unmanned flight tests, whereas Beta’s are now for piloted tests.

The Beta Technologies’ Alia prototype

Why it’s important: Beta Technologies has now inked deals with both UPS and BLADE urban air mobility. Now that is has approval for manned flight tests from the Air Force, it will become one of the first US-based eVTOLs to fly manned. Although Joby has recently taken much of the limelight through its partnerships with Agility Prime and massive fundraising, Beta has well earned a spot competing with it, and should be watched closely as it develops further.

Aerial mobility developer Wisk has officially announced a partnership with BLADE Urban Air Mobility to provide and operate up to 30 eVTOL aircraft on key routes. Wisk, originally founded from Larry Page’s Kitty Hawk, is developer of the all-electric, autonomous Cora aircraft, which has already conducted hundreds of flight tests, and has partnered with the likes of Boeing and Air New Zealand.

Blade and Wisk intend to deploy the Cora eVTOL aircraft on short distance routes between BLADE’s dedicated terminals. Wisk will maintain ownership and operating rights of the vehicles and has agreed to flight hour minimums with BLADE.

In addition to the announcement, the two companies have agreed to create a taskforce that will research the deployment of technologies necessary to expedite aircraft charging and implement next-generation air traffic management. The partnership combines Wisk’s technical expertise in vehicle design and operations with BLADE’s six years of operations experience in helicopter aerial mobility.

“We look forward to working with Wisk to help accelerate Blade’s transition from conventional rotorcraft to safe, quiet, emission-free Electric Vertical Aircraft,” said Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade.

“This arrangement validates that UAM is the future of mobility,” said Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. “To date, we have been focused on developing an aircraft and customer experience that is efficient, accessible, and — most importantly — safe. The combination of our expertise as an autonomous eVTOL aircraft manufacturer and operator, with the operational expertise of Blade, will help usher in an even greater level of safety and service.”

“The Wisk-Blade arrangement is a perfect fit for our asset light model,” said Will Heyburn, CFO and Head of Corporate Development for Blade. “Backed by Boeing’s deep aerospace experience, Wisk will own, operate and maintain their aircraft as part of our network, allowing Blade to focus on delivering a great experience to our fliers.”

Why it matters: Through this partnership, Wisk will become one of the first eVTOL manufacturers to reach commercial operation in the U.S, by utilizing BLADE’s platform and existing business and operations infrastructure. BLADE conversely benefits by leveraging eVTOLs as an early adopter, with less risk than being a developer, since Wisk will maintain ownership and day-to-day operation of the vehicles. Notably, this is BLADE’s second eVTOL developer partnership, closely following a deal with Beta Technologies last month.

Source: Wisk Press Release

XTI Aircraft Company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Enterprise Estonia, Estonian Aviation Cluster (EAC), and the Estonian Aviation Academy (EAVA) to recognize Estonia as a Regional Mobility hub for the TriFan 600 hybrid-electric long-range vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) airplane.

“We are excited to partner with Enterprise Estonia, the EAC, and the EAVA to serve the needs of the regional air mobility market,” said Robert LaBelle, Chief Executive Officer, XTI Aircraft Company. He added: “Given Estonia’s track record of being at the forefront of technology innovation, we intend to foster this relationship to deliver maximum results for both parties to include long range mobility utilizing clean aviation technology, while expanding the country’s aerospace centers of excellence.” According to Mr. Kristo Reinsalu, the city of Tallinn, Estonia has enormous potential to become a regional air mobility hub by 2026.

Sigrid Harjo, Member of Enterprise Estonia’s Management Board said: “The Estonian Investment Agency is very pleased to support advanced technology companies like XTI Aircraft. Estonia embraces innovative solutions and wants to be at the forefront of implementing them, so it’s the perfect place for XTI Aircraft to use as a testbed for its innovative planes and as a regional hub in the future.”

Learn more about the XTI TriFan 600’s technical specifications in the TransportUP Hangar

XTI Aircraft’s luxury long-distance VTOL is capable of flying at 345mph for a range of 1200 nautical miles, seating five passengers, and of course, taking off and landing vertically. Since 2017, XTI Aircraft Company has made numerous announcements regarding orders of its TriFan 600 from customers across the globe. Notably, Brazil’s Icon Aviation has placed orders for the XTI aircraft and brought the company’s total orders to over 80. Furthermore, The company marks a major milestone this week by selecting GE’s Catalyst engine as the core of its TriFan600 hybrid-electric propulsion system. GE will not only be the supplier for XTI Aircraft, but will also work closely with the company to develop a series hybrid architecture that will meet the TriFan600 performance requirements.

Related: XTI Aircraft Hits 80 Orders, Partners with Heliflite

Why it’s important: Estonia’s unique location in Europe means it could revolutionize regional connectivity by connecting hundreds of active airports and 100 million people inside a circle of 1000 km by using advanced air mobility solutions such as the TriFan 600. Additionally, Estonia intends to become one of Europe’s climate neutral aviation spots with all regional domestic flights becoming net carbon emission-free by 2030. The signing of this MoU signifies an ever-expanding presence of aerial mobility across the globe.

Source // XTI Aircraft press release

While international air travel still suffers major load factor reductions due to COVID, domestic travel in the United States and other countries globally continues to grow towards pre-pandemic levels. Data from the Transportation Security Administration indicates that the rolling average load factor for air travel in the US has exceeded 60% of 2019 levels, up from only 15% of original 2019 load factor levels in 2020. With many aerial mobility companies lauding 2023 and 2024 entry into service dates, will the reduced quantity of air travel negatively affect initial operations?

Most generally, no. Since initial operations of aerial mobility aircraft will be more limited than full scale networks, initial flights between city points or urban areas to area airports will be few in number regardless of total domestic demand. Additionally, since the demand for private and general aviation has skyrocketed as travelers increasingly favor modes of air travel with less direct contact with other travelers, a hybridized model for future passengers is most likely.

In addition, recent IATA trends also show that international travel is increasing, and a large proportion of air travel models indicate recoveries (in full or to their new peak load factor levels) within three years. Urban mobility companies like BLADE have resumed continuous flights between Manhattan and area airports, which were discontinued during the deepest portion of the travel rut of 2020. In many ways, the reduction in air travel demand over the past year has also allowed many manufacturers the chance to focus more heavily on their technology and flight testing campaigns, driving more value into their ultimate products.

Why it’s important: While demand for air travel is not yet fully restored to pre-pandemic levels, examination of past trends toward recovery from past events such as oil embargos shows some loose predictions for the future of aerial mobility load factor demand. The target entry to service date for most eVTOL aircraft of 2023 to 2024, at the earliest, should support and match the majority of increased traffic demand predictions from current levels. And, since the demand for general aviation and private air travel during COVID was one of the largest areas for the industry’s growth, aerial mobility’s alignment with similar market sectors is well poised for the future.

The female-led drone company MightyFly has raised $5.1 million of seed funding to scale hiring and production of its eVTOL aircraft. Meanwhile, the FAA has already granted the startup a special airworthiness certificate to allow for conducting test flights of its hybrid-electric MF-100. Ultimately, MightFly’s mission is to provide “rapid and Efficient Access to Goods via Autonomous Cargo Aircraft.”

The funding round includes investments from 500 Startups, At One Ventures, Global Founders Capital, Graph Ventures, and Halogen Ventures. The funding will be used to expand hiring, scale up MightyFly’s fleet, and build the infrastructure required to support a global network of hubs.

The MightyFly MF-100 is a hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft with a cargo capacity of 100 lbs, cruising speed of 150 mph, and range of 600 miles. It is approximately the size of a midsize car, though a larger aircraft with a cargo capacity of 500 lbs. is planned. MightyFly aircraft are capable of making multiple deliveries during the same flight via a door in the nose section, and cargo will be switched in and out of the MF-100 aircraft using a conveyor belt-like system. The cargo transfer stations will be as close as possible to final addresses for deliveries with the actual “last mile” sector being completed, eventually, in electric autonomous ground vehicles. Customers are expected to include existing logistics providers, retail outlets, and medical services.

According to cofounder and CEO Manal Habib, while there is a growing demand for expedited deliveries, the current business model doesn’t work because to be profitable it depends on each truck and aircraft being almost fully loaded. MightyFly’s objective is to make its entire operation autonomous, with a small team supervising flights and transfers remotely.

Credit // MightyFly

The aircraft will also be equipped with automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) In and Out, as well as communicate with the unmanned aircraft system traffic management network and MightyFly’s own 24/7 control center. The MightyFly MF-100 has received a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the FAA, and test flights are being performed in California. The company aims to achieve FAA Part 135 certification, and airworthiness certifications in other markets, like Australia and Asia.

Why it’s important: To quote At One Ventures Managing Partner Tom Chi, “MightyFly is creating a capability that is well positioned to disrupt the landscape of expedited logistics. Compared to existing alternatives, it is faster, lower-cost, and requires no airport infrastructure, all while being carbon neutral. It could also potentially be a leapfrog technology for rural and lesser developed regions of the world. At One Ventures is incredibly excited to be supporting this team in their mission.”

Source // MightyFly press release

Luminar, a publicly traded ($LAZR) LIDAR firm, has entered into a partnership with Airbus to bring the technology to the aerospace and aerial mobility industries. The firm has built a reputation for itself developing sensors and other components for autonomous vehicles, but now looks to explore potential markets in the aerospace industry.

LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing method which uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges. The technology is being developed in the automotive industry to realize autonomous driving capabilities, but LIDAR can be found in smaller forms, like the iPhone 12. With its partnership with Luminar, Airbus hopes to explore opportunities to input 3D mapping capabilities into a helicopter or fixed wing aircraft’s avionics to detect and avoid potential obstructions.

The partnership will implement Luminar’s LIDAR technology on exisiting flight test programs at Airbus under the UpNext subsidiary and Flight Lab. Engineers from both companies will work together to “enhance sensing, perception, and system-level capabilities to ultimately enable safe, autonomous flight,” the companies said.

Luminar is publicly traded with a valuation of $2.9B as of last year with initial investments exceeding $170M by the likes of Peter Thiel and Volvo.

Why it matters: If successful, LIDAR has the potential to be a key technology which would enable safe, autonomous flight in future eVTOL platforms. The ability to remove a pilot from the eVTOL environment drastically reduces operating costs and can all but eliminate human error cases of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). Airbus is no stranger to the aerial mobility space either. It has previously funded projects like Vahana and CityAirbus and will be able to leverage its engineering prowess with Luminar’s technological capabilities. Expect to see the two companies working together in Airbus’ upcoming flight tests as LIDAR technologies make a bigger impact on aerospace and aerial mobility.