Eve, the eVTOL project of the EmbraerX urban air mobility initiative, has officially announced a partnership with Ascent, an urban air mobility ecosystem developer, to grow aerial mobility networks in the Asia-Pacific markets.

The EmbraerX ‘Eve’ eVTOL aircraft, which is already being prototyped.

EmbraerX initially announced its unnamed eVTOL project at Uber Elevate 2018, and has since dubbed the aircraft and the program, ‘Eve’. The aircraft’s design is impressive and professional, with 8 vertical lift propellers, 2 pusher propellers, and room for 4 passengers plus a pilot. Dedicated thought was given to the aircraft’s aerodynamic design and cabin, giving it a fixed wing to increase range in forward flight, and an accessible and spacious cabin for passengers.

Ascent meanwhile is a dedicated developer of of aerial mobility technology on the infrastructure and customer side, already offering affordable by-the-seat bookings and operations management for traditional helicopter air taxis. Ascent’s goal is to use new technologies to make cities more connected by moving people seamlessly by air, using ‘helicopters today and eVTOLs in the future’. With a similar business model to BLADE Urban Air Mobility, Ascent recently launched helicopter air taxi services both in Thailand and in the Philippines.

Ascent Founders Darren Tng and Lionel Sinai-Sinelnikoff pose with one of the helicopters in their fleet.

According to a recent press release, the partnership between Ascent and Eve aims the progressive integration of Eve eVTOLs into Ascent’s growing technology platform, which offers air taxi, cargo and air medical services in the Asia-Pacific region. Ascent currently maintains a database of air operator partners that are dedicated to UAM operations throughout Thailand and the Philippines, and is set to expand its presence in the region. Additionally, both EmbraerX and Ascent expect that Eve´s Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM) services will be fully integrated into Ascent technology to ensure secure and scalable operations.

Said Lionel Sinai-Sinelnikoff, Founder & CEO of Ascent, “This partnership with Eve is a leap forward for Ascent toward achieving our ambition to democratize sustainable urban air mobility. Joining forces with Eve, and by extension counting with the active support from the Embraer Group, will enable us to accelerate our development for a larger impact, secure the entry of market-fit all-electric aircraft, and  provide safe and secure operations at scale thanks to urban air traffic management integration”

Said Andre Stein, President & CEO of Eve Urban Air Mobility, “We are pleased to announce this partnership with Ascent as it aligns with our strategy to develop the urban air mobility ecosystem through collaborative efforts and to be a truly global player. Armed with Ascent’s data and platform, we will be well positioned to enter into the Asia Pacific market. On our end, we are committed to supporting Ascent’s growth and its ambition to democratize air mobility.”

Why it’s important: This announcement is yet another representation of the industry’s speedy shift of focus from vehicle creation to commercial operations development. As eVTOL developers the world over are moving closer to certifying their aircraft for commercial flight, some of these companies, such as EmbraerX, are turning to local operators and brokers like BLADE and Ascent to assist in market entry. As the world approaches a full launch of aerial mobility services, keep an eye on these evolving companies as they continue to develop business structures and partnerships that will enable success.

Source // EmbraerX, Ascent

Related: 

• Ascent Urban Air Mobility Announces Launch in Thailand
• Joby Aviation Announces Infrastructure Partnership With Largest Mobility Hub Operator in North America
• BLADE Announces Deal for Operator’s Order of up to 20 BETA EVA’s

Embraer announced the formation of Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions, Inc. (Eve) on October 15th. Eve is an independent company dedicated to accelerating the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem, according to Embraer’s press release.

The announcement characterizes Eve as more than just a eVTOL manufacturer – the company is developing a full portfolio of solutions to enable the UAM market. One component of that development is the progression and certification of the company’s electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL), in addition to the associated services/support network, and the creation of urban air traffic management solutions.

André Stein, former head of strategy for EmbraerX, has been appointed CEO of Eve. The company was incubated for four years within EmbraerX. “We value the vast potential of the UAM market, as it represents a new business segment in which we foresee significant opportunities for Embraer. Innovation and diversification are key pillars of Embraer’s new strategic plan, which will increase revenue and improve profitability over the next few years,” said Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO of Embraer. “That is why I am eager to announce Eve, the first company to graduate from EmbraerX.

EmbraerX has been part of the Uber Elevate Network since its inception in 2017, as part of the company’s initiative to accelerate the UAM revolution, “Eve’s launch is an important next step in commercializing Embraer’s eVTOL designs while building on Embraer’s ability to design, certify, and deliver safe, globally-accepted aircraft. We look forward to our continued partnership to make aerial ridesharing a reality,” said Eric Allison, Head of Uber Elevate.

Eve’s eVTOL design is “human-centered” and represents an actual, certifiable product development – the first flight of the engineering simulator occurred in June of 2020. and the company is harnessing the expertise of both Embraer and Atech, a subsidiary of the Embraer Group, in providing globally-recognized air traffic management software to create the solutions that will help safely scale the UAM industry going forward.

More information on the company may be found at www.eveairmobility.com.

Why it’s important: Embraer’s formal spinoff of Eve creates a deliberate segmentation of the larger commercial aircraft manufacturer from the aerial mobility offerings of the future. The full stack approach to mobility infrastructure development is a unique approach toward bringing an eVTOL to market, one that requires a greater resource pool and technical, business, and infrastructure know-how. Fortunately, Embraer’s vast experience will aid in deploying this longer term goal of an aerial mobility ecosystem, but partnerships between Eve and companies such as Atech and the Uber Elevate Network will further aid the progression toward initial certification and on-demand commercial deployment of aerial mobility services.

Read the full press release here.

EmbraerX, the advanced technologies division of the Brazilian aerospace company, has recently conducted the first flight of its new eVTOL aircraft design in a simulator. The eVTOL has also undergone wind tunnel testing and flights of a downscaled model, but a release date for the design has not been announced yet.

According to Andre Stein, EmbraerX head of strategy and urban air mobility, the simulators recreated accurate flight control parameters and control laws based off of real world conditions in order to prepare for eventual type certification flight testing. EmbraerX engineers have also already been testing the design’s fifth generation fly-by-wire controls, and the aircraft will initially support piloted operations but will be able to later upgrade to autonomous flight. Stein is confident that with Embraer’s vast experience in the aerospace industry, they will quickly be able to certify a reliable and efficient aircraft design.

“One of the things we have talked about is how to leverage our know-how to develop new aircraft, and [we saw this] when we did the first flight in the E2 because we broke records in expanding the flight envelope,” he said. “A lot of [eVTOL] startups rush to fly something just to have something to show investors.”

Concept model of the EmbraerX eVTOL. Photograph: Embraer

The simulator, located at the company’s headquarters in Sao Jose dos Campos, will be qualified to test the man-machine interfaces of the eVTOL design, using both experienced and inexperienced pilots. Luiz Valentini, engineering manager, said that EmbraerX works on the assumption that the aerial mobility industry will need to rely on pilots with a large variety in background and experience, meaning that the design of a very user-friendly control interface will be crucial for the new aircraft. The simulator will also allow for the preparation for an eventual shift to fully autonomous operations, giving information on detect and avoid systems, and other capabilities necessary for autonomous flight. “We are trying to create a vehicle that we can show will have the flexibility to operate in different airspaces around the world and it gives us the confidence to be able to facilitate autonomous flight capabilities before we fly the aircraft,” says Valentini.

Details on the new aircraft are limited. EmbraerX’s eVTOL will be a four-person all electric aircraft, with eight, fixed propellers attached to two parallel wings for vertical lift, while a pair of ducted fans are attached to the rear of the aircraft for cruise flight.

While a date for the aircraft has not been released yet, EmbraerX has also begun work on the required infrastructure for the design, intending to incorporate studies dedicated to the development of urban air traffic management into a consultation document by the first quarter of 2021, and begin implementation of a fully functional urban air traffic infrastructure system. Stein stresses that Embraer remains focused on supporting the wider “eco-system” for urban air mobility (UAM), including air traffic management and ground infrastructure. “Our goal is to make it [UAM] more accessible and scalable, taking account of both hybrid-electric and electric aircraft,” said David Rottblatt, leader of EmbraerX’s urban air traffic management project.

Photograph: Embraer

Why it’s important: With the right infrastructure in place, EmbraerX sees potential for an aerial mobility market, especially as eVTOL aircraft change the scope of air transportation in and around cities. With extensive experience spanning decades in designing and certifying aircraft, EmbraerX possesses the ability to create a working, reliable eVTOL design, and create the necessary ecosystem for such a design to fly in.
Source // AIN Online

California-based Archer Aviation has debuted its inaugural eVTOL air taxi, the Maker. The Maker is set to begin production in 2022, where United Airlines will be one of their first commercial customers. Revealed at a global livestream from Los Angeles, the Maker serves as Archer’s demonstrator prototype aircraft and will serve as the final testbed before commercial production begins. 

The Maker is a two-seater autonomous fixed-wing eVTOL aircraft that can reach speeds of up to 150 mph, powered by 12 total rotors — 6 larger tilt rotors for lift on takeoff and thrust in forward flight, and 6 smaller rotors that are only used during VTOL flight, all attached to struts along the aircraft’s 40-foot wingspan. According to Archer, the Maker’s full-electric motors mean that the aircraft is 100 times quieter than a conventional helicopter. In addition, the aircraft weighs in at 3300 lbs, powered by 6 independant battery packs totaling 75 kWh. With a range of 60 cruising miles, the Maker is expected to serve as an air taxi that provides shuttle service between airports such as Manhattan and JFK in just 10-20 minutes. 

Photograph: Archer Aviation

“Maker’s unveil has been years in the making and marks a pivotal juncture for the eVTOL industry and future of transportation,” said Brett Adcock, co-founder and co-CEO of Archer. “Every day at Archer, we’re working to build the future, and we have never felt closer than we did introducing the world to Maker.”

According to Archer, the Maker’s distributed electric propulsion system provides additional degrees of safety through redundancy, able to suffer one complete battery failure or two rotor failures and still be able to land. The aircraft also only uses 30% of its battery capacity per trip and can rapidly recharge between trips in 10 minutes. At peak efficiency, Archer estimates that each Maker will be able to complete up to 40 flights per day. While full autonomy is still in the works, Archer plans to install both a full-scale autonomous control system connected to a 13-inch touchscreen display as well as the option for a manual control system in the final version of the aircraft, which will also have space for a pilot and 4 passengers. 

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The first set of flight tests are expected to be completed sometime in the fourth quarter of this year, with manufacturing of the final aircraft to commence in 2022. United Airlines will be one of the first customers, with plans to buy up to  $1 billion worth of the upcoming eVTOLs as a way to diminish its carbon footprint.

“Archer has a big, bold company vision and our approach to this milestone moment had to match that,” said Louise Bristow, who leads Marketing and Communications for Archer and assembled the creative team. “We wanted to deliver an experience that went beyond the conventions of normal product launches and to bring together a unique group of partners to create something truly immersive for our audience.”

Photograph: Archer Aviation

Why it’s important: Archer adds on to their increasing momentum with the reveal of the Maker. With their recent merger with Atlas Crest Investment Corporation as well as United Airlines’ large-scale order, Archer Aviation is in an excellent financial standing in preparation for their expected commercial launch in 2024. 

Source // GlobalNewswire

Alauda Aeronautics has completed its first flight of its EXA purpose-built racing eVTOL vehicle. In the summer of 2019 entrepreneur Matthew Pearson stated his ambition to create the world’s first racing series for electric flying cars. His mission was informed by the role racing historically played in accelerating the development of both ground and air mobility.

Today, Pearson and his team proudly echo the legacies of automotive and aviation pioneers like Enzo Ferrari, Karl Benz, John Alcock and Arthur Brown in making history through the first flights of a full-scale electric flying racing car, the remotely-piloted Alauda Mk3.

These historic first flights have taken place at undisclosed test locations in the deserts of South Australia under the observation of Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Throughout the development process, the Alauda team has worked with the regulator to ensure compliance to all required procedures while developing robust safety protocols. The successful execution of these flights means that uncrewed electric flying car Grand Prixs will take place in 2021 at three soon-to-be-revealed international locations.

These races will see elite pilots drawn from aviation, motorsport and eSports backgrounds to remotely pilot the world’s only racing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) craft. These pilots will remotely control their Speeders in races across electronically governed, Augmented Reality enabled sky-tracks. Audiences will watch via digital streams that show the full dynamic potential of vehicles that have greater thrust-to-weight ratio than a F15 fighter jet.

These races will rapidly hasten the arrival of eVTOL advanced air mobility craft. This technology, predicted by Morgan Stanley to be worth $1.5 trillion by 2040 is already finding potent applications in air logistics and remote medical care and has the potential to liberate cities from congestion though clean-air passenger applications like air taxis.

“EXA delivers on the promise of a future first shown in science fiction. We are proud to introduce a sport that redefines what humans and machines can achieve together. These historic first flights are just the start and we are all excited to begin a momentous new chapter in motorsport’s rich legacy.” – Matthew Pearson, Founder, Airspeeder and Alauda Aeronautics.

Alauda Aeronautics will continue to design, test, and build the racing vehicle which participate in Airspeeder racing events. Airspeeder EXA Series, previously mentioned, will begin races as early as this year, with crewed races coming in 2022.

Why it matters: By creating the world’s first racing series for electric flying cars, Alauda Aeronautics takes a leadership position in this generation’s defining mobility revolution. It does this by providing a place and a space to rapidly accelerate the development of the key safety, performance and dynamics technologies that will underpin the growth of eVTOL transportation.

Source: Alauda Aeronautics Press Release

Since the beginning of the recent coronavirus resurgence in China’s Guangdong Province, EHang has leveraged its autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) technology by dispatching a flight operations team and multiple AAVs for COVID-19 relief and control efforts in Guangzhou City.

Beginning June 4th, EHang has successively deployed the passenger-grade AAV EHang 216, EHang 216L (logistics model), EHang Falcon B series and Falcon B (logistics) for epidemic prevention and control efforts.

The EHang passenger AAV (autonomous aerial vehicle), 216 model, is the baseline configuration for many of the current COVID-19 relief efforts ongoing. Image // EHang

With the technical advantages of autonomous flight as well as capabilities for rapid response and cluster management, the EHang 216 and EHang 216L AAVs created emergency air transportation routes across the Pearl River in Guangzhou, completing multiple contactless relief and support tasks in the quarantine and containment zones. Tasks covered aerial logistics, emergency transportation, aerial inspections and broadcasting, transporting necessary daily household supplies to residents in the quarantine zones, and implementing urban air mobility (UAM) systems in emergency transportation scenarios.

EHang has been actively involved with epidemic relief and support for 11 days, and the designated flight operations team is reportedly maintaining its station near the quarantine and containment zones to continue with household and emergency supply air transport to reduce risks of front-line staff contacting the virus, and further support the coronavirus control and prevention mission in Guangdong Province with improved efficiency.

Watch a video of the EHang supporting relief efforts: https://www.ehang.com/video/show/392.html

Why it’s important: While Asia responded favorably to early onset of COVID-19, many regions recently experienced increased infection counts. EHang is effectively leveraging its capabilities for urgent medical passenger and cargo transportation with their fleet of aircraft, in a situation that closely reflects the current use cases of aerial mobility vehicles for limited passenger transport and more widely implemented cargo transport. EHang is currently using both their cargo transport aircraft and the 216 AAV for COVID relief efforts in Guangdong.

uAvionix has conducted a milestone technology demonstration flight at the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NP UAS TS) in Grand Forks, North Dakota.  The 40-mile demonstration flight, witnessed by the NP UAS TS leadership team, combined the Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) flight control capabilities of the new uAvionix George autopilot with the latest iteration of SkyLine, uAvionix’s purpose-built managed C2 infrastructure using three terrestrial skyStation Ground Radio Systems (GRS).

Credit // uAvionix

The demonstration flight featured the custom uAvionix internal test eVTOL platform autonomously flown by the George autopilot, recently announced in April 2021.  George is a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) compliant autopilot leveraging the world-class Cube core from CubePilot – combining the innovation of open-source autopilot excellence with Design Assurance Level (DAL) C hardware and safety and sensor monitoring for customers seeking Type Certification (TC) and safety case evidence for high-risk operations such as Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS).

In addition to hardening open-source hardware, George sets out to simplify the integration and compatibility complexities that come with enterprise autopilots and flight avionics. With the entire uAvionix product lineup at George’s disposal, including Low-SWaP Certified Transponders, purpose-built C2 Radios, ADS-B Detect and Avoid solutions, the soon-to-be certified truFYX GPS, and not to mention support for hundreds of third-party components.

uAvionix’s most recent North Dakota flight demonstration differed from its previous flights, as it was the first public demonstration of three SkyStation terrestrial ground radio locations managed by SkyLine, uAvionix’s purpose-built command and control network for UAS, which powered the fully autonomous 40-mile Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight.

Each ground radio was monitored and coordinated through the uAvionix cloud-based SkyLine managed C2 service. SkyLine monitors the connectivity, signal strength, and quality from microLink, our redundant Airborne Radio System onboard the eVTOL, to manage make-before-break seamless transitions between ground radio locations. Engineers onsite, along with dozens around the world, watched as the SkyLine system determined which of the three ground stations provided the most robust connection completely autonomously and independent of the pilot in command. 

Why it’s important: uAvionix sees SkyLine as a key component to the future of BVLOS flight for UAS. SkyLine doesn’t rely on consumer-grade networks but rather is its own purpose-built airborne network, partitioned to provide not just quality of service, but integrity of service. With a dense ground network of skyStations and SkyLine managing the network integrity and aircraft, the possibilities are limitless for safe, trusted, large-scale fleet management, including package delivery, inspections, Urban Air Mobility, and more.

Source // uAvionix press release