Results for: jaunt air mobility

BAE Systems and Jaunt Air Mobility Sign MoU on Electric Energy Management Systems for UAM

05 December 2019 || 5 min read

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...

BAE Systems and Jaunt Air Mobility Sign MoU on Electric Energy Management Systems for UAM

05 December 2019 || 5 min read

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

Subscribe to TUP

Listen to the TUP Podcast

Jaunt Air Mobility Named as New Uber Elevate Partner

16 June 2019 || 3 min read

Elusive company Jaunt Air Mobility has been named as a new eVTOL partner for the future Uber Air network. The Jaunt Air Mobility eVTOL has a unique design in that it features only one large single lift rotor, making it a combination between a helicopter and and a small airplane. Jaunt Air Mobility calls this technology ‘ROSA’-an acronym for “Reduced...

Jaunt Air Mobility Named as New Uber Elevate Partner

16 June 2019 || 3 min read

Elusive company Jaunt Air Mobility has been named as a new eVTOL partner for the future Uber Air network.

The Jaunt Air Mobility eVTOL has a unique design in that it features only one large single lift rotor, making it a combination between a helicopter and and a small airplane. Jaunt Air Mobility calls this technology ‘ROSA’-an acronym for “Reduced rotor Operating Speed Aircraft”. This means that the lift rotor, using its length, can also operate to give lift from horizontal flight. Jaunt mentions that specific advantages of its design include a high level of efficiency in hover, quiet flight, and the ability to keep passengers at a level position throughout the entire flight.

From its beginning, Jaunt Air Mobility was focused on becoming a partner for the Uber Air network. The eVTOL, once named the ‘Carter Copter’ was designed specifically to meet Uber’s noise, safety, and performance requirements. Carter Aviation, acquired by Jaunt in early 2019, has been making gyrocopter (airplane/helicopter combination) technology demonstrators since as early as 1994. Learn more about Carter’s Slowed Rotor/Compound technology here.

Said Kaydon Stanzione, founder of Jaunt Air Mobility:
“We are pleased to be working with Uber as they have set the highest standards for safety, performance, and community acceptance which are inherent characteristics of our Jaunt aircraft design.”

Learn more about the Jaunt Air Mobility eVTOL specs here.

Why it’s important: The addition of Jaunt Air Mobility to the Uber Air partner network shows that Uber Elevate is willing to experiment with a wide range of different design types to understand what will work best for urban aviation. While some of the other partner designs feature more new technologies, the Carter Copter features flight-tested, patented technology that may help speed the certification process to flight.

Uber Elevate Sees Potential Partner in Jaunt Air Mobility

19 February 2019 || 4 min read

Kaydon Stanzione, a New Jersey engineer and entrepreneur, and the founder of Jaunt Air Mobility, has been quietly developing his company with little to no media presence. This has been a trend with other rising eVTOL companies such as Beta Technologies, where focus has been placed almost exclusively on development, for a leaner – and possibly quicker – road to...

Uber Elevate Sees Potential Partner in Jaunt Air Mobility

19 February 2019 || 4 min read

For Jaunt Air Mobility, their goal is to “couple the speed, range and efficiency of an airplane with the vertical takeoff and landing capability of a helicopter along with the unparalleled safety of a high inertia rotor.” To do this, Jaunt has already acquired Carter Aviation Technologies, “aerospace research and development firm that developed and demonstrated Slowed-Rotor/Compound (SR/C™) technology”. Carter has been around since its founding in 1994, and has since flown demonstrators such as the Carter Copter and Passenger Air Vehicle (PAV), which can be seen in the video below.

Carter Aviation Technologies, and their new-founded collaboration with Jaunt Air Mobility, has caught the eye of Mark Moore, director of engineering at Uber Elevate. Currently, Uber Elevate has partnered with 5 companies which are all developing their take on fixed-wing electric or hybrid-electric aircraft with distributed propulsion and control systems. Jaunt Air Mobility could be the sixth company to partner with Uber Elevate given if it receives venture capital funding, and would be the first of the partners to incorporate Slowed-Rotor/Compound technology in their design.

Additionally, since the Jaunt aircraft design combines that of a helicopter and a traditional fixed-wing aircraft, it employs the use of autorotation, which is what makes helicopters safe to fly. The company touts this as an advantage of its aircraft because the air pushing through the large, horizontal rotor ideally produces enough lift to safely land the vehicle. This contrasts other eVTOL designs which would rely on safety mechanisms such as parachutes if the aircraft were to require an rapid-descent landing.

Carter Copter, a Carter Aviation Technologies demonstrator

Why its important: Jaunt Air Mobility’s hybrid design approach includes important safety features of a high inertia rotor which could enable the aircraft to be a widespread commercially viable option. Since Uber Elevate would likely be transporting high volumes of passengers daily, they would need to prove both to the passengers and regulatory agencies that the vehicles they are operating are safe and have reliable safety measures. This, coupled with receiving venture capital funding, could make Jaunt a viable partner for Uber Elevate in the near future.

Source // CleanTechnica, Nicolas Zart

Jaunt Air Mobility eVTOL

20 November 2018 || < 1 min read

Bell Partners with Sumitomo and Japan Airlines for Future of eVTOL

15 February 2020 || 3 min read

Bell, subsidiary of Textron Inc, has partnered with two Japanese companies in the development of eVTOL prototypes for the future. This week the company announced partnerships with both Sumitomo Corp. and Japan Airlines as part of its mobility-as-a-service offerings, or MaaS. Bell is no stranger to the aerial mobility space with its extensive industry partnerships with Uber and its most...

Bell Partners with Sumitomo and Japan Airlines for Future of eVTOL

15 February 2020 || 3 min read

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

Bell Nexus 4EX prototype unveiled at CES

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

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

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

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

Japan Airlines has partnered with Bell to bring eVTOL to the country

Japan Airlines has partnered with Bell for futureneVTOL services.

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

Singapore to Develop Aerial Mobility Service with Airbus

12 February 2020 || 4 min read

Singapore and Airbus have secured a deal to lay the foundations for potential services with both passenger and larger cargo carrying air vehicles throughout Singapore. The island-nation-state’s plan to improve regional connectivity builds on an earlier agreement established in 2016 between Airbus and Singapore’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAS) for proof-of-concept trials of a cargo-carrying Skyways unmanned air system. Under the memorandum of...

Singapore to Develop Aerial Mobility Service with Airbus

12 February 2020 || 4 min read

Under the memorandum of understanding, Airbus and CAAS will develop an unmanned traffic management (UTM) system to support the early phase of the air mobility service. The two will also collaborate on developing a framework for safety and operating standards as well as study issues such as public acceptance. The framework will be based upon many of the learnings that have come out of Airbus’s Skyway program, which studied the ability to pre-program safe aerial routes for autonomous drones to execute short-range parcel deliveries.

According to Jean-Brice Dumont, executive vice president of engineering for Airbus, “Skyways was a laboratory for UAM at a smaller scale. Now we need to go the extra mile, so with this agreement we are doing that. There are still questions of the business case and technology. In terms of business, we can see an appetite in the market, even though it’s a niche right now for more emergency needs where time is of the essence or where its value-added, like shore-to-ship deliveries.”

Volocopter Air Taxi Makes First Urban Manned Flight in Singapore

Technology studies will focus on traffic management as well as “the overall system, guarantees, performance, safety and cost,” says Dumont. “We are flying with a couple of vehicles and in that sense, we are already there. But when you are flying with 20 or 100 vehicles at the same time along given routes then you are defining a system and that’s what we are doing with UTM.” The vehicles that Airbus plans to implement in this program will likely be similar to what has already been developed and tested by the manufacturer. Just last month, the CityAirbus made its first untethered flight in Donauwörth, Germany, and the Vahana wrapped up its flight testing Pendleton Airport in Oregon.

Airbus Vahana amidst a test flight at Pendleton Airport in Oregon, USA. Credit // Airbus

This memorandum of understanding between Singapore and Airbus mirrors a similar agreement between Bell, Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corp. to explore on-demand air mobility services in Japan. The partnership was announced just days prior, and centers on the use of the recently unveiled Nexus 4EX eVTOL, which plans to address air mobility studies as well as the required infrastructure and regulatory environment.

Why it’s important: Top urban air vehicle manufacturers are beginning to seek opportunities around the globe to stand up small-scale implementations of their technologies in a realistic environment. These applications and opportunities are signaling the increased readiness of the vehicles to be tested in a realistic environment in which the services can eventually be scaled to fulfill commercial passenger transportation needs. Incremental steps in these introductory applications are the key to proving the safety of the technology and garnering the required public acceptance in order to eventually make aerial mobility widespread.

Source // Aviation Week

What new Breeze Airlines has to do with Aerial Mobility

11 February 2020 || 5 min read

What could today’s air carriers tell us about future aerial mobility operations? Recently founded Breeze airways serves as a case study for the operational framework that aerial mobility operations intend on capitalizing upon in order to connect the most people through disruptive transportation methods. David Neeleman, who founded JetBlue over 20 years ago, announced plans to start Breeze airlines, his...

What new Breeze Airlines has to do with Aerial Mobility

11 February 2020 || 5 min read

David Neeleman, who founded JetBlue over 20 years ago, announced plans to start Breeze airlines, his fifth airline startup, earlier this week. Neeleman has previously launched Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue and Azul. Breeze will be a Utah-based carrier, and Neeleman has stated that his flights intend to serve underserved and unappreciated city pairs using primarily A220 and E195 aircraft.

According to The Chicago Tribune, Neeleman’s approach is to “prioritize a customer-centric system by taking methods from Uber and Amazon and launching an app-based toolkit that would allow passengers to find tickets, change or update travel plans, and add other travel necessities such as car rentals and accommodations”.

Image // USA Today

This approach, and the larger approach from Breeze to operate underserved city pairs with more efficient commercial-sized aircraft, reflect the general sentiment of the economics of the aerial mobility industry – create a point to point nodal network of operations, in lieu of a hub and spoke model – to realize the largest benefits for reduction of connecting flights (in airline speak) or additional car or bike/scooter trips (in aerial mobility speak).

While this comparison is far from direct, it helps to emphasize the high level direction of the commercial airline industry, and underscore the acknowledgment of executive leadership in commercial aviation operations to start to shift their mindsets.

Neeleman also commented on the ease and customer experience with aptly named Breeze: “The goal is to have our customers … never having to speak with anybody, if they don’t want to,” Neeleman said. “Add a car, add a hotel, cancel a flight, make changes, it will all be there at your fingertips. Completely hassle-free flying.” This sort of approach is exactly that of BLADE UAM and other on-demand aerial mobility companies that intend on users being able to book an entire trip through an app in a matter of minutes.

Regarding flight operations, Breeze Aviation is also shifting towards aircraft that perform exceptionally well on a nodal, small to medium size passenger base route: 30 Embraer 195 aircraft from Azul are leased that are expected to start flights in May, and Neeleman has ordered 60 new Airbus 220-300 aircraft that are expected to start flights in April 2021, company officials said.

The Airbus A220, currently being operated by Delta Airlines in The States, is performing exceptionally well on medium-haul routes, leveraging recent avionics, propulsion, and customer and cabin experience technologies that gain widespread passenger approval. The E195, part of the Embraer E-Jets family, is a top performer on routes that are slightly shorter than that of the A220.

According to Neeleman, Breeze could earn more than $1 million in tax rebates on plans to make over $3 million in capital investments and hire about 370 employees.

Why it’s important: While Breeze Airways is a new short to medium haul airline, the goals that Neeleman has emphasized with regards to customer experience in booking through travel lifecycle, paired with the focus on nodal transport networks and newer, fuel efficient commercial aircraft represent a paradigm shift that many larger carriers will inevitably adopt over the coming years. The airline industry is a difficult one to navigate – and Breeze’s pathway towards profitability will likely serve as a good barometer for larger cultural shifts in the aviation industry in years to come. Aerial mobility has already adopted (and may be argued is a pioneer of) the approach that Breeze Airways is taking towards transportation.

Wisk’s Newest Details on the Cora Air Taxi

09 February 2020 || 3 min read

After recently announcing plans to conduct flight trials in New Zealand, the aspiring air taxi company Wisk has released details regarding the Cora, its autonomous electric air taxi vehicle. The Cora is a two-seat autonomous aircraft powered by twelve boom-mounted independent lifting propellers enabling vertical flight. Designed to be autonomous from the start, Wisk CEO Gary Gysin emphasized the focus...

Wisk’s Newest Details on the Cora Air Taxi

09 February 2020 || 3 min read

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

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

The Cora air taxi

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

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

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

Source // Aviation Week

Wisk and New Zealand Government Partner for Autonomous Air Taxi Trials

04 February 2020 || 3 min read

The Cora eVTOL has been under development for almost ten years, and this week, aspiring air taxi operator Wisk signed an MoU with the New Zealand government in to conduct flight trials in Canterbury. The flight will represent the world’s first full airspace integration trial of an autonomous eVTOL. Cora was developed by aerospace company Kittyhawk, which gave form to Wisk...

Wisk and New Zealand Government Partner for Autonomous Air Taxi Trials

04 February 2020 || 3 min read

Cora was developed by aerospace company Kittyhawk, which gave form to Wisk soon after forming a partnership with both Boeing and Air New Zealand. Ever since Wisk’s creation in 2019, the company has been working tirelessly to make its air taxi vision a reality, starting with New Zealand.

The Wisk Cora on the ground, making its many propellors visible.

The New Zealand Government announced in October of 2019 that it would establish an industry-wide Airspace Integration Trial program to safely test and demonstrate unmanned aircraft. Wisk, based in the United States and New Zealand, is the first company to join this program.

Said New Zealand’s Minister of Research Science and Innovation Hon. Dr. Megan Woods, “This trial is the first of its kind and Wisk’s innovative technology and commitment to New Zealand make them an ideal partner for advancing the future of travel in New Zealand and the world.”

Wisk CEO commented: “We are delighted to now have a signed agreement with the New Zealand Government, which will propel Cora’s entry to the air taxi market. We see this agreement as a sign of confidence in our product and abilities to develop and deliver a safe and reliable air taxi service, starting in New Zealand.”

The Airspace Integration Trial program is being centrally managed by New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Innovative Partnerships team, working alongside the Civil Aviation Authority, the Ministry of Transport and other key stakeholders to support industry partners to take their technology from testing to in-service operations.

Why it’s important: With this upcoming cutting-edge integration trail, Wisk puts itself forward as one of the world’s top budding eVTOL air taxi providers. By being first in New Zealand, Wisk will soon have a chance to fully develop and test an every-day urban air taxi network. Originally backed by Larry Page, Cora has come far since its inception.

Enabling a Safe, Secure and Inclusive Sky with Aerial Mobility

02 February 2020 || 4 min read

Public and regulatory preparedness for aerial mobility are two of the top priorities for seamlessly integrating the rapidly developing technology in to the current global infrastructure. Following the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao shared some thoughts about how the United States—specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation— is...

Enabling a Safe, Secure and Inclusive Sky with Aerial Mobility

02 February 2020 || 4 min read

“First, as with every other mode of transportation, safety is our Number One priority. UAM aircraft, and the infrastructure that supports these novel operations, will require a level of safety commensurate with the complexity of any operation that engages in passenger carriage for hire. So the commercial availability of UAM technology in the United States will depend upon companies developing robust, reliable, and technically capable designs that have been shown to be compliant with the applicable airworthiness and safety regulations.

“As you know, Urban Air Mobility vehicles are not helicopters or scaled-up drones. They are complex systems involving infrastructure, new systems and new aircraft. A segregated approach to airspace integration may work for initial, low-volume operations resembling existing helicopter corridors in large urban areas. But a long-term solution that accommodates hundreds- if not thousands- of these air vehicles operating simultaneously over urban landscapes is a complex challenge. It will involve advanced concepts in Air Traffic Management Systems and Trajectory Based Operations, to name a few.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao

“The Department’s FAA will be working with state and local governments and stakeholders over the next two years to define the requirements for these unique types of operations. Let me note that, consistent with this Administration’s approach to new technologies, the FAA has shifted from prescriptive rules to performance-based regulations. This approach will ensure that, as UAM technology and operations evolve, federal regulations will strengthen safety but be agile enough to grow with the technology. The Department will continue to work with industry stakeholders to identify the challenges, gaps, and opportunities associated with UAM.

“Let me add one more thought to this discussion. To be fully deployed, UAM technology must first win the public’s trust and acceptance. UAM systems will be flying directly over– and landing near– neighborhoods and workplaces. So it is imperative that the public’s legitimate concerns about safety, security, noise and privacy be addressed. I challenge the UAM industry to step up, and educate communities about the benefits of this new technology and win their trust. It is critical to ensuring that UAM technology reaches its full potential.”

Why it’s important: These vehicles have the potential to create new mobility options for millions and change how people travel to and around cities, as well as to and from rural areas. This potential has stimulated billions of dollars of investment in UAM technology, as well as first-of-its-kind roundtable discussions with urban air mobility leaders and advocates, as took place at CES 2020.

Source // U.S. Department of Transportation

Bell’s Smart City Showcases Urban Air Mobility Operations and Logistics

29 January 2020 || 4 min read

At the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) show in Las Vegas in early January, Bell demonstrated a model-sized cityscape with scale flying versions of its Nexus passenger air taxi and Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) operating with Bell’s AerOS urban air mobility operating system. Calling it a “smart city ecosystem,” Bell president and CEO Mitch Snyder explained, “This year, we’re demonstrating what...

Bell’s Smart City Showcases Urban Air Mobility Operations and Logistics

29 January 2020 || 4 min read

Bell Unveils All-Electric Nexus 4EX at CES 2020

Calling it a “smart city ecosystem,” Bell president and CEO Mitch Snyder explained, “This year, we’re demonstrating what governing, operating, working, and living in a smart city will look like.”

Bell’s service is powered by Bell AerOS, a proprietary system running on Microsoft Azure created to manage fleet information, observe aircraft health, and manage throughput of goods, products and predictive data and maintenance. This digital infrastructure is prevalent in Bell’s Smart City vision at the show and serves the company’s goal of providing Mobility as a Service (MaaS).

Bell has also settled on a smaller version of its Nexus passenger vehicle, with four rotors instead of the six previously shown at CES 2019. The aircraft features Bell’s signature powered-lift concept with four tilting ducted fans that can be configured as hybrid-electric or all-electric. Bell believes this design unlocks the key for all electric technology, but the vehicle will remain “propulsion agnostic” depending on customer needs.

Bell's APT 70 (left) and APT 20 (right) eVTOL prototypes

Bell’s APT70 (left) and APT20 (right). // AIN Online

At CES, the smart city demo included tablet stations where visitors could interact with AerOS, choosing departure and destination, and then watching in real-time how the flying models interacted. The AerOS software constantly assesses demand across the scale-size city and deploys vehicles accordingly, while also taking into account problems that inevitably come up during passenger and cargo flying operations, such as weather events that might require all vehicles to land immediately. AerOS uses goal-seeking optimization algorithms and artificial intelligence to anticipate passenger behavior and desires as determined from the booking engine and the vehicle’s needs for battery recharging to meet the flight schedule. “We are working on modeling simulation tools now. We need to do better than have a good model, but we have tools in-process to refine and update that without an army of PhD data scientists. This solves the digital backbone need of aerial mobility.”

Why it’s important: In a world where nearly 70 percent of the population will be living in urban areas by 2050 and cities are outgrowing their current transportations systems, the need for urban mobility solutions has never been greater. Fortunately, the transportation industry has reached an inflection point, and many of the world’s top minds are working toward solutions for the optimal smart city design. Bell is bringing a clear mission of finding solutions to the infrastructure challenges of tomorrow’s transportation networks.

Sources // AINonline; Bell

Hybridization: A Key to Failing Early, and Aerial Mobility Success

27 January 2020 || 3 min read

Hybridization of aerial mobility solutions is crucial to quick progress in the industry and piloting solutions that allow designers to fail “early and often” in the implementation of eVTOL systems. When “fail” is used, it’s not in the sense of a technical shortcoming or mechanical failure, but rather in the sense that the operational platforms and the logistical challenges that...

Hybridization: A Key to Failing Early, and Aerial Mobility Success

27 January 2020 || 3 min read

When “fail” is used, it’s not in the sense of a technical shortcoming or mechanical failure, but rather in the sense that the operational platforms and the logistical challenges that must be met to scale commercial air taxi operations to hundreds of thousands. This approach to scaling the customer experience and the supporting infrastructure in eVTOL operations is an easily overlooked task – but will play a large role in the longer term success of aerial mobility applications.

Questions such as “how do I board” or “how is this different than an airplane” must be addressed (and are currently the content of a number of surveys) but on an even larger scope the general customer funnel from knowledge of eVTOLs as a form of transportation to customer acquisition and re-activation needs to be understood through acquired data of consumer trends. Companies such as Uber are at a great advantage in this regard, already being the owners of a massive pool of rider data, as are customers who have large airline or corporate aviation fleets and the experience to understand how to custom tailor routing and operational profiles to maximize efficiency and filled seats.

This same trade study is ongoing in aerial mobility, with one important caveat: the ability to fail is impeded by the requirements of inducing a possible failure mode of an airspace management and integration platform for thousands of flights per day in a specific urban environment, just as the requirements of “testing” operations with an eVTOL landing every minute at a vertiport, performing a quick turn during which passengers and a fresh battery are loaded, and then turning around for a brand new flight with a to be determined destination are virtually impossible to simulate.

What then, if any, conclusions can be drawn today from the aerial mobility industry’s past progress? Hybridization of propulsion, of flight crew integration, airspace integration, and infrastructure use are key to enabling early failures and sorting out problems today that will increase in scope and scale of required investment for resolution in the future.

Why it’s important: At the highest level, using hybridized solutions to aerial mobility applications will allow greater technology maturity than would targeting a fully developed system. If this approach is adopted, such as use of cargo drones, optionally piloted PAV’s, or multi-purpose heli/vertiports, a larger amount of discovery of problems at scale will occur which enable resolution of key eVTOL integration question earlier than they would be reached with a fully developed system.

The 10 Year Prospectus on Aerial Mobility: Research & Markets’ New Study

26 January 2020 || 5 min read

The “Global Electric VTOL (eVTOL) Aircraft Market: Focus on Technology, Components, Operations, Energy Source, Infrastructure, Applications, and End User – Analysis and Forecast, 2025-2035” report was released on Friday by Research and Markets, a report that projects the market to grow at a significant CAGR of 13.75% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2035. The report argues that the North America region is expected...

The 10 Year Prospectus on Aerial Mobility: Research & Markets’ New Study

26 January 2020 || 5 min read

The report argues that the North America region is expected to dominate the global eVTOL aircraft market in 2025, whereas Asia-Pacific is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period.

Additionally, the report indicates that from 2025, the market is expected to begin particularly in the megacities, including the U.S., Germany, France, Singapore, Dubai, and others, since the systems are under testing at various locations, which is surprising and a confirmation of previously known calculations on the economy of scale of aerial mobility applications.

The report hypothesizes that the U.S. is one of the most prominent countries with a potential for the growth of the global eVTOL aircraft market. In 2025, the U.S. is expected to dominate the global eVTOL aircraft market, acquiring the maximum market share, globally. However, the geographical analysis of this market unveils an immense potential for its growth in the Asia-Pacific region as well.

Additionally, R&M continues to expound on why China is expected to acquire the largest market share, and Singapore is expected to witness the highest growth rate in this region during the period 2025-2035. Similarly, the Europe market is also likely to witness numerous growth opportunities during the forecast period.

Scope of the Report

The eVTOL aircraft market research provides a detailed perspective regarding the applications of the technology, its value, and estimation, among others. The purpose of this market analysis is to examine the eVTOL aircraft outlook in terms of factors driving the market, trends, technological developments, and funding scenario, among others.

The report further takes into consideration the market dynamics and the competitive landscape, along with the detailed financial and product contribution of the key players operating in the market. The eVTOL aircraft market report is a compilation of different segments including market breakdown by technology, energy source, application, end-user, component, infrastructure, and region.

Market Segmentation

The eVTOL aircraft market (on the basis of component) is further segmented into sensors, airframes, camera, radar, LIDAR, battery, motor, INS/IMU, and GPS/GNSS. The airframes component is expected to dominate the global eVTOL aircraft market in 2025 and is anticipated to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period (2025-2035).
The eVTOL aircraft market segmentation (on the basis of technology) has been done into rotorcraft, vectored thrust, lift+cruise, and hoverbikes. The rotorcraft is expected to dominate the global eVTOL aircraft market in 2025 and is anticipated to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Moreover, there are other segments in the global eVTOL aircraft market which includes energy source, end-user, application, and infrastructure.
The eVTOL aircraft market segmentation by region is segregated into four major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Rest-of-the-World (RoW). Data for each of these regions is provided by technology and by application.

Additionally, the report highlighted a select consortium of high-performing aerial mobility companies, a shortlist of the aerial mobility industry:
The key market players in the global eVTOL aircraft market include Airbus, Airspace Experience Technologies, Aurora Flight Sciences, Bell Helicopter, The Boeing Company, EHANG, Embraer, Karem Aircraft, Kitty Hawk, Lilium, Neva Aerospace, Opener, Pipistrel, Volocopter, and Workhorse Group.

Why it’s important: This report showcases the global reach of the aerial mobility industry and also highlights some of the key trends that are already taking hold in terms of geographical development of industry and the pain points that are encountered on local and large scales. While this report makes a number of assertions that indicate a very rapid growth of the market, TransportUP encourages cross-referencing information and assumptions incorporated in any prospectus to the greatest degree possible.

FAA Comments on the Integration of Urban Air Mobility

24 January 2020 || 4 min read

On January 13, The Transportation Research Board hosted a panel discussion with senior transportation officials to talk about automation technology in the transportation space. Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) joined two deputy assistant Transportation secretaries to talk about various new technologies and the rulemaking processes governing them. The panelists discussed automated driving...

FAA Comments on the Integration of Urban Air Mobility

24 January 2020 || 4 min read

At the gathering, Jay Merkle, the Executive Director of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office, spoke to the panel regarding the future of aerial mobility, as well as what is happening in the present day:

“As I mentioned, these are aircraft that fill that void from 30 miles to 300 miles, between the small drones and the commercial aircraft we know today. And probably the biggest question I get on this is, is this real? Are they really happening? Yes, this is more than just hype. This is more than just promotional videos. We have at least six aircraft well along in their type certification, which is the first step in introducing the new aircraft into operation. We are beginning to work on integrating them operationally, so the pilot requirements, the airline operating requirements, and then were also beginning to work on the air space integration as well.”

“The biggest lesson learned out of all of this work has not been the underlying technology, but it’s really been how do we engage the public and help them embrace these very innovative technologies?”

“To that end, we are continuing and starting to work on community engagement. This will be a particularly new challenge for us … these urban air mobility vehicles tend to be electric driven and have tremendous power requirements for recharging. There are problems that I should say, there are needs to solve certain problems, associated with getting people to and from these aircraft. The best example is they want to use space on top of existing buildings, as landing areas. And most elevators don’t go to the roof. So they will have to redesign elevators to get passengers up to those areas. And to get them up there safely, and without interrupting other activities. So this is a brief overview of all of the very exciting and innovative things that are going on in aviation today. And I think it matches well with what we’re seeing emerge in the surface transportation areas, and the other areas of research.”

Why it’s important: In order to expand the scope of current regulations and infrastructural development, the Transportation Research Board is looking to the experience and knowledge the FAA has already begun to gather regarding the emerging aerial mobility sector. Regulators are making available ample resources to aerial mobility vehicle manufacturers and operators, which has led – and will continue to lead – to the growth of the industry and increased public awareness.

Source // C-SPAN

EHang Publishes White Paper on the Future of Urban Air Mobility

15 January 2020 || 5 min read

EHang’s newest White Paper explores urban air Mobility vehicle and infrastructure design, applications of technology, the current regulatory landscape, and the path towards commercialization. EHang (Nasdaq: EH), one of the world’s leading autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) technology companies, has published its first white paper on the future of transportation and Urban Air Mobility (UAM). The white paper explores UAM’s potential...

EHang Publishes White Paper on the Future of Urban Air Mobility

15 January 2020 || 5 min read

EHang’s newest White Paper explores urban air Mobility vehicle and infrastructure design, applications of technology, the current regulatory landscape, and the path towards commercialization.

The EHang 216 AAV, which has already undergone many test flights and is nearly ready for commercial launch.

EHang (Nasdaq: EH), one of the world’s leading autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) technology companies, has published its first white paper on the future of transportation and Urban Air Mobility (UAM). The white paper explores UAM’s potential to transform transportation globally with insights into vehicle design, an overview of potential applications and the current regulatory landscape, and recommendations for how to optimize UAM’s path towards commercialization.

“UAM and the widespread use of passenger and cargo AAVs will transform how people and goods move around urban areas,” said Mr. Huazhi Hu, the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of EHang. “The successful deployment of AAVs will help cities improve efficiency, enhance safety, cut costs, and become more environmentally sustainable.”

A clip from EHang’s first U.S trial flight in North Carolina.

EHang’s key points from the white paper include:

UAM will be safer, more effective, and more immediately deployable if it structurally resembles an on-demand bus system with centralized oversight and set point-to-point routes rather than a taxi system with diffuse routes.

The success of UAM will depend on commercial operations that are centrally managed. This is a different model from the traditional airline industry in which hundreds of airlines globally compete with each other, leading to smaller margins.

Key characteristics of a successful UAM system include: autonomous services (i.e. pilotless passenger and cargo transportation); point-to-point, straight-line, fixed air routes; a centralized command-and-control platform that manages all AAV flights within a certain area; a shared economy (i.e. no individual ownership of AAVs); and a reliance on green energy.

In order to ensure that safety remains the top priority for vehicle design, AAVs need to include: power source redundancy (e.g. by having multiple motors and propellers); completely autonomous operations; back-up / duplicate flight control, communications, and navigation systems.

Based on EHang’s modeling for future commercial operations, a straight-line trip on an AAV could be cheaper for the user than a current New York City taxi ride covering the same distance, all while still being profitable to the operator. Furthermore, the model used is highly conservative since it does not capture the efficiency gains of future economies of scale, improved battery technologies, etc.

While the AAV conversation has mostly focused on urban spaces, there are broad non-urban applications for services currently being provided by helicopters, including in search and rescue, emergency medical services, offshore operations, oil and gas, firefighting, forestry, power-line repair and surveys, agriculture and pest control, media, aerial photography, and law enforcement.

The successful development of a UAM ecosystem will require deep collaboration between UAM vehicle providers, UAM network operators, infrastructure developers, telecommunication network partners, city, regional and national governments, etc.

Read the full white paper from EHang here.

EHang has already commercialized its passenger-grade AAVs, having delivered 38 units to customers as of December 5, 2019, and is actively working to make UAM an everyday reality in cities worldwide. 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’s important: With the new white paper, EHang has joined the likes of Uber Elevate, Volocopter, and Airbus on outlining its vision for the future of aerial mobility through white paper. The Chinese company has certainly earned credibility recently, having recently opened on the NASDAQ with a $662 million valuation, and completing its first trial flight in the U.S in North Carolina. With the publishing of this white paper along with its other recent successes, EHang marks its place among the top aerial mobility companies worldwide.

Other recent news about EHang:

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

Share this:

Share this:

Elusive company Jaunt Air Mobility has been named as a new eVTOL partner for the future Uber Air network.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Quick Summary

Stage of Development

Technical Details

Our Take on Jaunt Air Mobility

References

The Latest News from TransportUP

Auterion and Quantum-Systems Partner on VTOL sUAS

Connected Kerb Wins Sustainability Award for EV Charging Infrastructure

Bell Partners with Sumitomo and Japan Airlines for Future of eVTOL

Singapore to Develop Aerial Mobility Service with Airbus

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

EHang’s newest White Paper explores urban air Mobility vehicle and infrastructure design, applications of technology, the current regulatory landscape, and the path towards commercialization.

Share this:

Share this: