Wing, the UAV aerial delivery company originally founded as a Google X Moonshot project, has recently unveiled a new roll-out model that will allow it to bring delivery services to densely-populated U.S metropolitan areas. Its first customer will be Walgreens.

The new model for providing drone delivery services in the U.S is creating small, easy assembly, drone delivery hubs that can be set up in just a few hours on nearly any small rooftop. This model will eventually allow retailers to set up one of these hub modules for a low cost and low infrastructure footprint. According to a recent press release by Wing, “Aircraft will arrive in small containers that serve as tiny hangars, allowing each store to quickly and easily deploy a small, dedicated fleet from its parking lot, on its roof, or in small spaces adjacent to the building.”

Essentially, this will allow retail and restaurant customers of almost any size to utilize drone delivery services, even in dense urban areas where infrastructure space is limited.

Walgreens has opted to be the first customer for this new delivery hub product. According to Wing, Walgreens team members will process orders and load packages onto the delivery drones, and Wing will oversee operation of the delivery service. The first, co-located operation will be set up at a Dallas-Fort Worth area Walgreens store in its parking lot, serving parts of the city of Frisco and town of Little Elm.

Why it’s important: Wing is a major rising force in the drone delivery industry, having already begun delivery services in Australia, the US, and Finland. In Logan, Australia, users can download the Wing app and order a small selection of goods, including coffee, groceries, sushi, cakes, pet food, and sportswear. Deliveries are generally made in under 10 minutes, and Wing’s record for a delivery is two minutes and 47 seconds from order to arrival. By adding this new type of service, (if regulation goes well as well), Wing will be able to give drone delivery capabilities to nearly every kind of small business.

Wing also recently hit the milestone of completing over 100,000 successful retail drone deliveries after receiving its Part-135 FAA in 2019.

Sources: Wing, The Verge

Related:

• Drone Package Delivery in the US: Google’s Wing is First (May 2019)
• Alphabet’s Wing and FedEx Offer Residential Drone Delivery Service (October 2019)

Airflow, the developer of a new eSTOL (electric short take-off and landing) aircraft, has received a new investor and partner in Plug Power, a leading provider of hydrogen engines and fueling solutions enabling hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Airflow’s eSTOL aircraft featured here plugged into a Plug Power company fueling station.

Airflow is a steadily rising player in the world of eSTOL, which will serve regional mobility purposes such as middle mile transport of both goods and passengers. Airflow’s aircraft in particular will be able to take-off and land within 150 feet, making it excellent for e-commerce distribution as it could even be able to land on some rooftops, and for passenger transportation between major hubs. Notably, Airflow was co-founded by former members of the Airbus Vahana project, and has already received a pre-order for 50 eSTOL aircraft from Alaskan Airline Ravn among several others for a total of $500 million in LOIs (letters of intent), even from major airlines.

Now, Airflow has taken another step in its path to full operations by partnering with and receiving investment from Plug Power, a company dedicated to providing hydrogen fuel cell engines and fueling solutions for both hydrogen-powered vehicles, and now, aircraft. Although Airflow’s eSTOL was originally designed as an all-electric battery powered aircraft, the company is now also working with Plug Power to develop hydrogen-powered version of the aircraft as well. Said Marc Ausman, Co-Founder of Airflow, “Plug Power is a welcome and natural partner in the clean aviation movement. Not only can they produce and supply affordable green hydrogen at scale, but they are at the forefront of supporting the experienced aerospace companies tackling the variety of missions and aircraft classes required to ensure our industry quickly improves its carbon footprint. ”

Ausman added, “We see hydrogen fuel cell technology as a key thrust of our next generation power systems, which along with Sustainable Aviation Fuel-based hybrid systems and advanced battery systems, allow us to provide flexibility to our customers to deliver an aircraft that best meets their individual mission needs and sustainability goals.”

A cargo version of Aifrlow’s eSTOL being unloaded.

Plug Power has already been the maker of many successful hydrogen powered systems for several years. According to a recent press release by the two companies, they will work together to adapt Plug Power’s ProGen-based hydrogen fuel cell stack specifically for aerospace applications. In Airflow’s case, this technology could extend the Airflow eSTO’Ls range to up to 500 miles with a cargo-carrying capacity of 2000 lbs.

Said Plug Power CEO Andy Marsh, “Over the last several years we’ve been increasing our commitment to the aerospace market … we know that ensuring our ProGen solutions meet the ultralightweight and rigorous certification requirements of aviation is essential to our ownership of this opportunity. In order to establish a complete ecosystem for the aviation market and enable a global transportation system powered by green hydrogen, it’s essential that we work with players across aircraft classes who deeply understand the unique applicability of hydrogen in an industry as weight-sensitive as aviation. We see the development and certification of a system for Airflow’s Part 23 aircraft as an ideal entry point into the aerospace market that enables expansion into larger aircraft programs.”

Why it’s important: Although Airflow’s eSTOL originally launched as an all-electric aircraft, the flexible design of its electric power train will allow Airflow to add a hydrogen-powered version of the aircraft to its offerings. In some mission profiles, such as those of a shorter distance, an all-electric solution might make more sense, whereas for longer, regional missions, being able to carry larger weights over greater distances may enable the highest energy efficiency. By creating both types of aircraft, Airflow will be able to serve an even broader market, especially since it has chosen an already-successful hydrogen engine maker and fuel supplier as its main partner.

Source // Airflow, Plug Power

Related:

• Airflow Receives Order for 50 eSTOL Aircraft from Ravn Alaska
• VerdeGo Aero Partners with eSTOL Developer Airflow

CycloTech, the developer a highly unique eVTOL propulsion technology based on marine concepts, has officially announced the first public flight of an aircraft using its systems.

Concept image of an eVTOL fully using CycloTech’s propulsion and control systems.

The unique technology behind CycloTech’s concept has not yet been seen in any other aircraft concept. To both propel itself and control its position in the air, CycloTech propulsors would provide omni-directional thrust from a central fan, rather than only providing thrust in one direction as seen in other kinds of multi-copters. This kind of thrust system would afford an eVTOL aircraft even more precise control, and potentially make for smoother and more efficient rides. In addition, according to the CycloTech team, the rotors of the CycloTech system utilize the efficiency of fixed-wing concepts without depending on an integrated fixed wing.

Example of how CycloTech’s propulsion technology could also be integrated into existing eVTOL concepts to provide more precise control.

For three years, CycloTech has been refining its propulsion technology, and now the company has officially released footage of the system being used in a test flight which took place for a live audience at the DroneX Trade Show in Linz, Austria. Said Cyclotech’s CEO Hans-Georg Kinsky, “This is the moment we have been waiting for a long time. We have proven this technology is usable as a VTOL (vertical take-off and landing)-drive. With this free-flight, we have succeeded in taking an important step towards commercializing this technology.”

CycloTech says that least in part, its technology will be ready for use by commercial applications within two years. It states that it already has about 10 million Euros of investment commitments, and is already talks with drone manufacturers about strategic partnerships.

View the test flight demonstration video below:

Why it’s Important: CycloTech introduces an entirely new type of thrust system to eVTOL flight that could have significant advantages over existing models. Although it being less conventional than other systems may slow its path to certification, CycloTech’s technology could prove to be a highly useful augmentation to existing concepts, and is likely to make its way to providing complete aircraft propulsion as eVTOL aircraft become more prominent.

Source // CycloTech

Related:

• CycloTech’s Air Taxi Concept (July 2020)
• CycloTech Begins Flight Demonstrator Assembly (October 2020)

Moog, the American buyer of the SureFly eVTOL, which was originally in development by electric car maker Workhorse, has now resurfaced the SureFly aircraft by entering it into the U.S Air Force’s Agility Prime initiative.

The original SureFly pictured next to a Workhorse electric pickup truck

The Moog SureFly has been long in development, although not much news has been released about it in recent years. In December of 2019, Workhorse officially announced the sale of the SureFly project to Moog, which had been in development with Workhorse for several years. The prototype itself is impressive, having already undergone many flight tests, with a continuous flight time range of 60 minutes, and a folding rotor design that allows the Surefly to fit into storage spaces as small as a standard pickup truck.

As part of its work with the U.S Air Force, Moog will be installing a hybrid-electric propulsion system in the SureFly S250 rather than the pure-electric system it currently has, in order to increase range, as part of their efforts to explore the potential of hybrid-electric eVTOL systems. Darshan Divakaran, program manager of Agility Prime, said “As full battery electric propulsion systems still have limitations, with the SureFly aircraft, the Air Force will get a more in-depth understanding of hybrid-electric power system technology and Moog’s aircraft control system.”

Testing with the USAF will focus on vehicle aerodynamics, pilot interfaces, system safety, and airworthiness support for unmanned operations. According to Paul Stoelting, director of innovation at Moog, the SureFly could be ideal for missions ranging from battlefield resupply and casualty evacuation to humanitarian disaster response and distributed logistics.

Once the Moog Surefly receives a Military Airworthiness certification, it be able to continue its testing at a local UAS test site.

Side view of the Moog SureFly.

Why it’s important: With this latest move, Moog has entered the SureFly back onto the aerial mobility playing field. In addition, it has strategically made the decision to update the SureFly’s original design with a hybrid-electric engine rather than a purely electric one. This will allow the U.S Air Force to investigate the potential and technical attributes of hybrid-electric eVTOL aircraft in additional to pure-electric designs.

Source // eVTOL.com, Moog

Related:

• 2019 Detroit Auto Show to Host Workhorse Group’s Surefly Octocopter Exhibition
• Workhorse Finalizes Sale of SureFly to Moog Inc.

Bristow Group is one of the world’s leading operators of helicopters provided for government and civil organizations worldwide, oil and gas customers needing offshore transportation, and search and rescue aircraft support. Its current fleet includes approximately 240 of the helicopter industry’s most modern aircraft, providing services in areas like Africa, the Americas, Australia, and several countries in Europe.

The Vertical Aerospace VA-X4 (Left) and EmbraerX’s Eve eVTOL (right) featured with Bristow’s signature branding.

Both Vertical Aerospace and EmbraerX have started to see more and more traction within the last year. After unveiling the VA-X4, Vertical Aerospace went public with a $2.2bn merger and formed partnerships with American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Avalan. Meanwhile, EmbraerX’s Eve division with Ascent Air Mobility for operations in the Asia-Pacific Region, and with popular urban air mobility provider BLADE Urban Air Mobility in the U.S, which currently provides urban transportation using helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

Now, both companies have added yet another massive pre-order set and key partner to their growing lists. Bristow Group represents a major segment of vertical air transportation the world over. Bristow has signed an MoU with Vertical Aerospace for up to 50 eVTOL aircraft, and will not only purchase these aircraft from Vertical once available, but also will also aid Vertical with regulatory certification, infrastructure, and environmental requirements for the VA-X4. With EmbraerX, Bristow placed an order for up to 100 eVTOL aircraft, and will assist Embraer with operations development, vertiport design, regulatory development, and even autonomous operations development. According to Bristol, it will use both Vertical and EmbraerX’s new aircraft to expand into new markets for the company, including a focus on commercial air taxi flight operations.

Example of Bristow’s current large helicopter fleet

Said Bristow President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Bradshaw, “Our MOU with Vertical allows us to build upon our leadership position in the vertical transportation market for the past 70+ years and now sets the stage for the disruptive advantages of the VA-X4 with its zero carbon emissions and low operating costs for passenger transport. Our expansion into these new and existing geographic markets with sustainable, innovative and efficient vertical lift and aerial transport services will offer passengers superior regional air mobility solutions” (September 21st, 2021).

He added, “The strategic MOU (with Eve) outlines the continued development of a comprehensive UAM model between Bristow and Eve for an eVTOL that could potentially reshape the market for all electric vertical lift with zero-emissions and lower operating costs. This allows us to expand our expertise to provide sustainable, innovative and efficient vertical lift into new potential end markets” (September 23rd, 2021)

Why it’s important: With this move, Bristow is signaling its intention to transition from traditional helicopters to all-electric eVTOLs. It has demonstrated this commitment by not only placing orders, but also by partnering with Vertical and Embraer for infrastructure and regulatory development. In addition, with this move, the company is announcing its plans to expand from its current operations into the commercial eVTOL air taxi market, thus marking itself as another key company in the playing field of eVTOL air taxi operators.

Source // Bristow Group

Related:

• Vertical Aerospace to go Public with a $2.2b Merger
• Ascent Partners with Embraer for 100 Eve eVTOLs
• EmbraerX’s Eve to Provide BLADE with up to 60 eVTOL Aircraft

With a different kind of air response multicopter, Atlanta-based drone manufacturer Sonin Hybrid has unveiled a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) designed to be used by medical first responders. While many eVTOL companies have been announcing manned aircraft that can act as medical emergency response vehicles, Sonin-Hybrids UAV represents one of the first non-manned solutions, which has its own set of advantages.

“Well before the onset of the pandemic, we decided that police and firefighters needed this technology the most, and immediately set out to build the Recruit.” – Curtis Foster, Founder of Sonin Hybrid

Sonin Hybrid’s ‘Recruit’ can fly for more than three hours, and can reach speeds up to 140 miles per hour, 3 times faster than most commercial drones currently available. There are already smaller drones in use by police, firefighters, and government officials, but these are limited by their slower speeds and smaller battery capacities. A vehicle like the Recruit could make longer range missions possible.

Unlike its smaller cousins, the Recruit makes extended missions possible by using a patent-pending hybrid system that uses both a small gasoline-powered generator and a large lithium-ion battery. Sonin Hybrid also credits the aircraft’s extended range capabilities to its ultra-leightweight carbon fiber body. Said Curtis Foster, Founder of Sonin Hybrid, “While we were in the process of finalizing the design of our hybrid power system for drones, we realized that we could get the most range by designing our own airframe. There were plenty of commercial drones out there, but very few were specifically manufactured for first responders.”

Sonin-Hybrid’s UAV can also be used for long-range police missions.

Currently, the company is in the process of launching beta programs with several police and fire departments across the U.S.

Why it’s important: Sonin-Hybrid’s UAV represents a unique market segment in aerial mobility. It is one of the only unmanned aircraft on the market that features a hybrid power system, meaning that, although larger than many battery-powered drones, this aircraft can stay aloft for hours at a time. When combined with powerful cameras, this technology could make an immense difference when saving lives during natural disasters or medical emergencies, and could also be used for surveying, security, and a wide range of other applications.

Source // Interesting Engineering, Sonin Hybrid

After beginning to develop their urban vertiport concept in collaboration with Volocopter in 2018, the UK-based architecture firm Small has grown its initiative into Urban Airport Ltd, which has now partnered with Hyundai to bring 65 of their urban vertiport-hubs to 65 locations worldwide.

Concept of Urban-Air Port’s compact urban vertiport, built to increase seamless transitions between eVTOL trips and ground-based ridesharing. This concept images features Hyundai’s eVTOL concept on its landing pad.

Over the past year, Urban-Air Port has steadily increasing its involvement with Hyundai, the auto-maker whose plans for urban aerial mobility are certain and soon to be forth-coming. Urban Airport originally announced its partnership with Hyundai in August of 2020, and as Hyundai’s plans for global urban aerial mobility have grown, the two have intensified their partnership. In January of these year, the two announced definite plans to construct a vertiport in the U.K; and this latest announcement  officializes plans to build 65 of those Vertiports across the globe.

The Urban-Air Port features a very unique design in that it is both compact and modular, making it “the smallest airport in the world”, with options for retail spaces and wholly integrated parking spaces for rideshare vehicles that will transport passengers to their final destinations.

Potential for a retail or lobby waiting space for passengers traveling by eVTOL. Looking out the window, one of Hyundai’s eVTOL concepts can be seen on the launch pad ready to raised for launch.

Said Ricky Sandhu, founder and executive chairman of Urban-Air Port, “We know that a future with electric flying vehicles and drones in cities is going to be a reality soon, but it can’t happen if we don’t have the infrastructure on the ground and in the air to make it happen. Urban-Air Port will change the way we travel forever – unlocking clean urban air transport for everyone, improving connectivity in congested cities, cutting pollution, and boosting productivity.”

Why it’s important: Urban-Air port’s vertiport is particularly significant due to its modularity, size, and ease of assembly. The unit itself can be assembled and disassembled with relative convenience, making it easy to create or change locations per shifting/growing demand. It’s also particularly compact, meaning it could fit many different options of flat spaces. Overall, the design of the Urban-Airport should be cost-effective to build, and doesn’t make too much of an infrastructure footprint, together meaning that a great number of these vertiports could be built throughout a single city.

Related:

• Hyundai Partners Reveals Air Taxi Concept (January 2020)
• Hyundai is Committed to Transporting Passengers via Flying Car (June 2021)
• UK Architecture Firm Unveils Vertiport Design (November 2018)
• Hyundai Further Invests in Aerial Mobility Infrastructure, Partners with Urban-Air Port Ltd (August 2020)

Source // Urban Air-Port, DroneDj

Skycharge, an organization founded by Green Motion and electric aircraft maker Pipistrel, has just become the world’s first OEM-independent electric airplane charger to be approved by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Pipistrel’s all-electric ‘Velis Electro’ aircraft using a Skycharge charge port to fill its batteries

Pipistrel and Green Motion officially began their partnership last year, when they announced that they would collaborate to create a charging system infrastructure for electric aircraft. At the time, they explained that their new charging endeavor would create a “universal, future-proof, environmentally friendly, ‘turnkey’” charging technology for electric airplanes, in accordance with local regulations.

Now, the the two companies have continued to make good on their commitment by becoming the world’s first OEM independent company to make an aircraft charger that is approved by EASA. The Skycharge unit is built on Eaton’s proprietary DC charging technology, bringing unrivalled conversion efficiency (higher than 96%), footprint, and power density charging infrastructure to electric planes and eventually eVTOL aircraft. The charger is available either as a fixed version on a stand or with wheels for mobility. The mobile version can charge both electric planes as well as electric cars using various adapters. The unit can even be easily be connected to existing CEE sockets, reducing installation costs and complications.

François Randin, Founder and CEO of Green Motion, which is now part of Eaton, said: “Skycharge is the result of the partnership between Pipistrel and Green Motion – two companies with revolutionary ideas and cutting-edge solutions. By putting our world-class engineering teams together to shape and define the future of electric planes, we seek to deliver the best flying experience and significantly reduce the cost of flying, as well as air and noise pollution.”

Why it Matters: Skycharge’s Electric airplane charger solution has exciting potential for all electric vehicles of the future, both aerial and ground-based. Unlike many existing electric vehicle chargers, the Skycharge unit can be mobile, and is adaptable to any CEE socket, meaning its infrastructure is flexible to be reconfigured or put in nearly any location as necessary. In addition, the unit is designed to be able to charge both multiple types of electric aircraft (including eVTOLs) as well as electric ground vehicles. The universal compatibility of the Sky Charge unit may enable a future where eVTOL vertiports can also serve as charging units for electric ground vehicles, furthering the seamless world of combined electric aerial and ground mobility that many eVTOL companies, like Joby, envision.

Joby’s electric air taxi, which has recently swept the market through multiple large fundraising rounds, a successful IPO, and an acquisition of Uber Elevate amongst others, has now announced that they have become the first company to fly an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft as part of NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Campaign.

Joby’s full-scale, all-electric prototype preparing for flight above the company’s Electric Flight Base in California.

The NASA Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Campaign, which began as the ‘UAM Grand Challenge‘ was designed a few years ago to challenge the top growing companies in vertical urban flight through tests in performance that could set standards for the emerging industry as a whole.

Recently, Joby became the first company to actually fly its aircraft as part of the challenge, which is also designed to establish public confidence in these electric aircraft by putting them through multiple flight test scenarios. As part of the two-week test campaign at Joby’s Electric Flight Base near Big Sur, California, NASA and Joby will join forces to study the acoustic signature of the all-electric Joby aircraft, which the company intends to operate as part of a commercial passenger service beginning in 2024.

In the coming tests, NASA engineers will deploy their Mobile Acoustics Facility and more than 50 pressure ground-plate microphones in a grid array that allows for multi-directional measurement of the Joby aircraft’s sound emissions. Using this data, NASA and Joby will generate noise hemispheres for the aircraft that capture the intensity and the character of the sound emitted in comparison to helicopters, drones, and other aircraft. These readings, in combination with the noise profile of urban communities, can be used to verify how well proposed aircraft operations would blend into existing background noise.

Said Davis Hackenberg, NASA AAM mission integration manager, “NASA is proud to continue our relationship with Joby by gathering highly valuable aircraft safety and noise data that will contribute towards an aviation future that includes Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations. Data from industry leaders like Joby is critical for NASA’s research activities and future standardization of emerging aircraft configurations.”

Said JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, “From day one, we prioritized building an aircraft that not only has an extremely low noise profile, but blends seamlessly into the natural environment. We have always believed that a minimal acoustic footprint is key to making aviation a convenient part of everyday movement without compromising quality of life, and we’re excited to fly with NASA, our long-time partners in electric flight, to demonstrate the acoustic profile of our aircraft.”

Why it’s important: The beginning of flight tests signals that NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility campaign is moving forward as planned several years ago. Along the way, NASA has worked closely with Joby and other eVTOL companies to prepare them for these tests. Joby has already designed its aircraft with ultra-low noise emissions, and through the campaign’s flight tests, the company will get a chance to officialize and publicize the degree to which their electric air taxis can blend into urban background noise.

XPeng, the electric car maker that recently expanded its vision to electric air vehicles, has announced that its new aircraft, the Voyager X2, has begun to conduct flight tests in both high altitude and extreme environments.

In July of this year , XPeng officially released the first footage of their compact two-seater electric air vehicle in flight. The aircraft features a very sleek design with hard edges, a silver exterior, and gull wing doors that are reminiscent of the DMC Delorean or even Tesla’s Cybertruck.

The current version of the Voyager X2 is its fifth generation, growing more and more advanced and it approaches the market.

According to a report from CnEVPost, XPeng told the public on the 29th of August that its Voyager X2 had been undergoing flying tests in extreme environments. These reportedly these include flights at high altitudes over cities like Xining, Yushu, and Northwest China’s Qinghai province. XPeng has stated the Voyager X2 has an autopilot function that can operate an automatic flight according to a predetermined altitude, speed, and flight time along a planned route.

Currently, the X2 can operate for up to 35 minutes and is designed to fly at altitudes of under 1,000 meters (3,280 feet). At top speed, this vehicle reaches around 130 km/hr (81 mph). The current model can carry two passengers under its maximum load around 440 pounds.

The X2 itself is created by Xpeng Huitian, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Xpeng Motors. Unlike many other eVTOL developers, the company seeks not just to make a shared electric air taxi, but a more personal ‘flying car’ that can be used by individuals for their own travel needs. Notably, XPeng is also one of the world’s first auto manufacturers to branch out to making aerial vehicles, the ranks of which include of General Motors and Hyundai, who have both released concept vehicles as well.

Why it’s important: While other auto companies like General Motors and Hyundai have released concepts for aerial passenger vehicles, XPeng is the first to release footage of an aircraft in flight. Unlike the other two companies, XPeng is also making a vehicle that’s more in the style of a ‘flying car’, a personal use aircraft for 1 to 2 passengers for short trips. With its high degree of recent success in electric auto, XPeng may soon become another leader as a maker of urban aircraft, sharing this market segment with companies like EHang and Volocopter.

Source // XPeng, Electric, CnEVPost

Bell / Textron have been in the vertical lift industry for decades, designing high tech helicopters for both military and civilian applications. Now, after setting its sights on urban civilian air taxis, the company has added a focus on high-speed, longer distance VTOLs as well.

In May of 2021, TransportUP reported that the United States Air Force had granted Bell a $950,000 grant for high speed VTOL research. At the time, the company had filed several drawings for what the configuration might look like. Those original iterations showed a T-tail aircraft with mounted jet engines (similar to many private jet configurations), adding large tilt rotors at the ends of the wings that could provided both vertical lift for takeoff and landing, and additional thrust in forward flight.

Now, Bell has released a more officialized version of its design, including renderings of what the aircraft will look like:

A close up of Bell’s High Speed VTOL concept (HSVTOL) in forward flight mode, with the main vertical lift and forward thrust blades (on the wing tips) folded inward for jet-powered, high speed flight.

This design fits in with the initially released drawings, signaling Bell’s commitment to the folding rotor design that makes the aircraft aerodynamic for high speed flight.

Said Jason Hurst, Vice President of Innovation at Bell, ““Bell’s HSVTOL technology is a step change improvement in rotorcraft capabilities. Our technology investments have reduced risk and prepared us for rapid development of HSVTOL in a digital engineering environment, leveraging experience from a robust past of technology exploration and close partnerships with the Department of Defense and Research Laboratories.” As a reminder, Bell is also responsible for the design of the famous and widely used V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor VTOL aircraft.

Notably, Bell is not the only company to recently release an HSTOL design. Joining the industry is another US-based company called Advanced Tactics Inc, which has partnered with Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Co. (Rotor X) to release what it calls Barracuda HSVTOL. According to the two companies, the planned aircraft will cruise three times faster than the current USAF rescue helicopter HH-60 Pavehawk and will have four times the range. The Barracuda features a swinging-arm rotor design that will allow four large propellers to provide both vertical lift and high-speed forward thrust:

AT/Rotor X Barracuda High-Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL) aircraft.

Why it’s important: Although Bell had previously focused its VTOL innovation efforts on its upcoming Bell Nexus Air Taxi, the company appears to also be branching out to other advanced VTOL offerings as well, offering a holistic picture of the various types of markets for new vertical lift aircraft. The fact that other companies such as Advanced Tactics and Rotor X are also developing HSTOLs indicates that there are many high-potential applications for these kinds of aircraft, which could include regional transportation for both military and civilians, commercial shipping distribution networks, disaster relief, maritime patrol, and more.

Transcend Air, maker of the Vy400 tilt-wing VTOL aircraft, has selected GE Aviation for its turboshaft engine and Kaman Aerospace for its manufacturing partner.

Rendering of the Transcend Air Vy400 in horizontal flight mode.

Transcend Air’s V400 is a powerful trans-city VTOL aircraft that’s been in development by the Boston-based company for several years. Unlike many other VTOL concepts in development, the Vy400 will be a hybrid-electric aircraft rather than an all-electric aircraft. According to the company’s team, this will give the Vy400 a much longer range, allowing for intercity travel as an offered service. Planned initial routes for the Vy400 include NYC to Boston, Los Angeles to San Francisco, and Montreal to Toronto. All these flights will be offered at ‘Jet Speeds’, meaning each can be made in under an hour at cruise speeds of 410 miles per hour.

After successfully iterating many prototypes of the aircraft, Transcend Air is now ready to move toward the manufacturing stage, with a planned commercial launch in 2025. To this end, it has selected General Electric to supply its engine, and Kaman Aerospace to build the aircraft itself. According to a recent press release, GE will work with Transcend Air to create a modified version of its CT7-8 turboprop engine, upon which the aircraft will be certified with the FAA. Kaman Aerospace meanwhile will be the prime manufacturer of the aircraft with over 70 years of experience as a supplier of complex aircraft structures and sub-assemblies.

Said Gregory Bruell, Co-Founder and CEO of Transcend Air: “Because of the Vy’s high speed, we can complete many more passenger trips per aircraft. The combination of that with VTOL is key to our revolutionary economics, and Kaman will be key to us scaling up production to meet the huge demand that our mass market fares will drive.”

Said General Electric Vice President of GE Rotorcraft Engines Harry Nahatis: “We immediately recognized the Vy 400’s disruptive potential in both civil and military rotorcraft applications, and we are excited to contribute our own world-class engines and technical expertise in helping to ensure the Vy’s success.”

Why it’s important: Transcend Air’s Vy400 represents a unique market segment for the upcoming aerial mobility industry by providing higher speed, longer distance travel. Unlike many existing VTOL concepts, Transcend Air is aiming to supplement regional travel rather than providing shorter intra-city options. Although this is fairly unique, the company is signaling that it’s moving forward toward certification and operation by selecting two long time experts in high-volume aircraft manufacturing and subcomponents.

The agreement between Lilium and Azul, a major Brazilian airline, includes pre-orders for 220 of Lilium’s eVTOL jets. Together, the two companies will build an exclusive eVTOL network in Brazil, with a service launch planned for 2025.

Rendering of Lilium’s 7-seater jet in the skies above Rio De Janeiro.

More than just a purchase of aircraft, this agreement represents a strategic alliance between Azul and Lilium to fully build out an eVTOL transportation network in Brazil. Together, the two companies will build a co-branded transportation system, which will provide efficient, eco-friendly, and cost-effective air travel to the 100 million air passengers that travel within the country yearly. Although the Lilium Jet was developed in Germany, the company’s goal has always been to provide its highly innovative air transportation all parts of the world. Currently, Brazil’s market represents one of the world’s largest for civilian air transport and helicopter transport, which Lilium and Azul hope to augment and possibly eventually completely replace with Lilium’s all-electric vertical aircraft.

Accroding to a recent press release from Lilium, Azul would expect to operate and maintain the Lilium Jet fleet, while Lilium would provide an aircraft health monitoring platform, replacement batteries and other custom spare parts. Azul also expects to support Lilium with the necessary regulatory approval processes in Brazil for certification of the Lilium Jet and any other required regulatory approvals.

The 7-seater Lilium Jet can cruise at speeds of 175 mph, with a range of up to 155 miles. Unlike any other eVTOL concept, the aircraft uses 36 rotating miniature jet engines, that allow to take off vertically and travel on a fixed wing in forward flight. A full-scale prototype of the aircraft has already been built and flight tested. Watch a tour of the aircraft’s interior below:

Said Daniel Wiegand, Co-Founder and CEO of Lilium: “Azul has brought convenient and affordable air travel to underserved markets across the Americas and this makes them an ideal partner for Lilium. We’re excited to work with Azul’s seasoned team to deploy a co-branded eVTOL network in Brazil.”

Said John Rodgerson, CEO of Azul, “Azul is the largest domestic airline in Brazil in terms of cities served and daily departures. Our brand presence, our unique route network, and our powerful loyalty program give us the tools to create the markets and demand for the Lilium Jet network in Brazil. Since Azul’s founding 13 years ago, the Brazilian aviation market has doubled with Azul capturing almost 60% of the growth. We know how to create and grow new markets, and once again we see huge market opportunity by bringing the Lilium Jet to Brazil”

Why it’s important: With Lilium already making partnerships to enter markets within the U.S and Europe, and other eVTOL companies making deals with large airlines such as Virgin and United Airlines, this announcement from Lilium enters it onto the stage for partnerships and integrations for regional air travel with the world’s largest airlines. As eVTOL companies evolve, we will likely expect to see a combination of major airline partnerships with eVTOL companies making their own networks, which together will begin to form the overall eVTOL global ecosystem within different countries and cities.

Source // Lilium

Related:

• United Airlines Orders $1B in Archer Vehicles
• Virgin Atlantic, Brazil’s Azul Airlines Lay out plans for eVTOL Aircraft Purchases
• BLADE Announces Deal for Operator’s Order of up to 20 BETA EVA’s

Joby Aviation, an upcoming leader in the world of electric aerial mobility, has successfully completed a 150-mile continuous flight on a single charge.

The flight was completed at Joby’s Electric Flight Base in Big Sur, CA earlier this month as part of the company’s ongoing flight test campaign. The aircraft, piloted from the ground by Joby’s Chief Test Pilot, Justin Paines, took off vertically before transitioning to forward flight.

The 154-mile flight, which took place over 11 laps of a predefined circuit, took 1 hour and 17 minutes to complete, setting a record for the world’s longest eVTOL test flight. Even more notably, the flight was performed with the company’s full-sized prototype, meaning that the aircraft that completed this flight will eventually be the same aircraft utilized by fare-paying passengers.

Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt commented, “We’ve achieved something that many thought impossible with today’s battery technology. By doing so we’ve taken the first step towards making convenient, emissions-free air travel between places like San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, Houston and Austin, or Los Angeles and San Diego an everyday reality.”

Additionally, as Joby gears up its aircraft, it is also preparing for its full entry into commercial service as an official air transport provider. The company has recently begun the Part FAA Part 135 air carrier certification process, entering the first stage by submitting airline operating manuals. Once that documentation is approved, the FAA will visit Joby locations to observe training sessions and witness flight operations before issuing its final approval.

Achieving the Part 135 certification, which Joby expects to do by 2022, will legally allow Joby to operate its new aircraft as air taxi in communities and cities throughout the United States. Alongside a Type Certificate and Production Certificate, this is one of three regulatory approvals critical to the planned launch of Joby’s all-electric aerial ridesharing service in 2024.

Why it’s important: As 2021 progresses, top companies like Joby are taking greater and greater strides towards commercial certification and passenger operations launch. Many companies, including Joby, predict that their aircraft will enter commercial service by 2024, and, according to Joby, they are on track to meet that deadline. Other companies to watch for taking these steps include Vertical Aerospace, Beta Technologies, Wisk, Volocopter, Lilium, and EHang.

Source // Joby Aviation

Related:

• Joby’s New Board of Directors and SPAC Offering Details
• Joby Aviation Announces Infrastructure Partnership With Largest Mobility Hub Operator in North America
• Joby Aviation Acquires Uber Elevate, Receives Airworthiness Approval from U.S Military

The X2, developed by a department of electric car company XPeng motors, has officially taken to the skies. The aircraft is designed for private ownership and personal use (similar to a traditional car) rather than only as a shared air taxi.

XPeng X2 on Display at Taobao Maker Festival 2021

XPeng motors has a vision of the future where auto manufacturers slowly transition from making internal combustion cars to electric cars and eventually all the way to electric flying cars. Notably, American companies like GM and Goodyear have taken a similar approach, designing concepts for both electric aircraft and their components.

Founded in 2014, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer XPeng went public on the New York Stock Exchange last summer, raising $1.5 billion. It’s P7 long range sedan and G3 electric SUV have proven its ability to create successful electric vehicles, and the company signaling an emphatic vision for the future by releasing the concept for the X2 so soon after its automobile offerings.

The X2 is an especially sleek looking aircraft, whose lines echo the appearance of Tesla’s Cybertruck or the DMC Delorean. This design gives more of a car feel than an aircraft aesthetic, making the vehicle more approachable and inviting to those who are new to the idea of personal flight. The interior is especially user experience oriented, showing off a control panel and dashboard that look very similar to many electric ground-based cars on the market today.

Passenger/Pilot experience of the XPeng X2

The X2 will be able to carry two passengers with semi-autonomous and fully autonomous capabilities, will have a range of about 50 miles per charge at speeds up to 80mph, and will even be able to fit inside a single traditional parking space. The aircraft follows the X1, a single-passenger prototype that has already taken over 10,000 test flights.

Watch an announcement video of the X2 posted by XPeng Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng:

Why it’s important: As the world of eVTOL aircraft grows, so do the different kinds of companies developing air vehicles, and the various market segments for electric aircraft become more clear. While companies like Joby Aviation, Beta Technologies, Vertical Aerospace, and Volocopter are focusing more on shared air taxi approaches, companies like XPeng and India’s ePlane may focus on privately-owned, smaller capacity aircraft. Also important to note is that successful car companies (especially in EVs) like XPeng and GM are starting to develop aerial mobility departments, which may mean that an increasing number of car companies in the world will start using their long-time manufacturing and safety development expertise to make eVTOL aircraft.