Hybrid Think Tank/Foundation FII-I Invests in Lilium
The Future Investment Initiative Institute (FII-I) has chosen to invest in aerospace company Lilium as part of their strategy to “develop and leverage sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional combustion engines in the air travel industry”. According to Richard Attias, CEO of the FII Institute, “Our investment in Lilium is aligned with the FII-Institute’s mission: to support initiatives and projects...

Hybrid Think Tank/Foundation FII-I Invests in Lilium

The Future Investment Initiative Institute (FII-I) has chosen to invest in aerospace company Lilium as part of their strategy to “develop and leverage sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional combustion engines in the air travel industry”.
According to Richard Attias, CEO of the FII Institute, “Our investment in Lilium is aligned with the FII-Institute’s mission: to support initiatives and projects which will have a positive impact on humanity. Our trilogy strategy: Think-Xchange-Act is allowing us to play an active role in the new sustainable economy.”
The FII Institute is a new class of hybrid Think Tank/Foundation that looks to invest directly with deep innovative companies in sustainability and then supporting the growth and impact of those companies. Part of the Institute’s mission is to “support the development of technologies to address the biggest social and environmental challenges.”
According to Alexander Asseily, chief strategy officer of Lilium, “We view the FII Institute as one of the leading global platforms for sustainable impact investments and a strategic partner who can help drive our vision for an open global architecture for carbon neutral air travel.”
Widely regarded as one of the global leaders in the aerial mobility industry, Munich-based Lilium’s eVTOL seven-seater jet recently received the CRI-A01 certification basis last year from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and is currently looking to finalize certification from the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in the United States as well. The Lilium Jet will be the first model to go into serial production with a cruise speed of 175 miles per hour (280 kph) and a range of more than 155 miles (250 km).
Why it’s important: Recently having announced their public listing on NASDAQ through a merger with Qell Acquisition Corp., Lilium remains as one of the pioneers of the aerial mobility industry. With their funds from backers nearing $830 million, Lilium looks to offer a sustainable and less carbon-intensive way for travelers to beat traffic, hop between cities, and connect regional destinations up to 250 km.
Source // Saudi Gazette
Wisk Proceeds with Transport Trial in New Zealand
Wisk, the aerospace company currently developing the eVTOL aircraft called the Cora, has proceeded with a “Transport Trial” to advance autonomous flight in New Zealand. In addition, Wisk will be integrating Insitu Pacific Pty Ltd, an unmanned aerial systems developer and Boeing subsidiary into their program. Integrating Insitu into the Transport Trial will allow Wisk to use Boeing’s expertise and...

Wisk Proceeds with Transport Trial in New Zealand

Wisk, the aerospace company currently developing the eVTOL aircraft called the Cora, has proceeded with a “Transport Trial” to advance autonomous flight in New Zealand. In addition, Wisk will be integrating Insitu Pacific Pty Ltd, an unmanned aerial systems developer and Boeing subsidiary into their program. Integrating Insitu into the Transport Trial will allow Wisk to use Boeing’s expertise and advanced technology to the project, according to Wisk’s press release.
According to Anna Kominik, Asia Pacific Region Director for Wisk, “New Zealand presents a unique opportunity and we are immensely proud to have been recognized by the New Zealand Government as the first airspace integration industry partner. New Zealand’s focus on decarbonizing its economy as part of the electric transport evolution directly aligns with Wisk’s mission to deliver safe, everyday flight for everyone through effective, accessible and sustainable urban air mobility solutions.”
Wisk’s Transport Trial is part of New Zealand’s Airspace Integration Trial Program (AITP), which entails testing and demonstrating the integration of unmanned aircraft into airspace. Along with multiple government agencies and New Zealand’s Airways Corporation, Wisk will be performing flight tests, simulation work, and data analysis. The first phase of the Trial will focus on gathering and analyzing this data in order to support integrating eVTOL aircraft into the airspace system, according to a Wisk representative.
According to Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk, “Wisk has always seen the distinct advantages of New Zealand, including the country’s globally respected Civil Aviation Authority and flexibility for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), These factors, combined with the advantages of testing and operating in a relatively un-congested airspace and the innovative culture of early adoption, makes New Zealand uniquely positioned as a leader for autonomous UAM integration trials.”
“The aim of the Transport Trial, which is part of the New Zealand government’s, broader Airspace Integration Trial Program (AITP), is to safely evaluate, test, and demonstrate the integration of unmanned aircraft into existing airspace,” the representative for Wisk said. “The goal is to provide robust data that can be used by Governments, ANSP, and Civil Aviation Authorities to advance standards globally.”
“We are not providing details on the specifics around this yet,” the representative said. “However, it is important to stress that the Transport Trial is platform agnostic as its goal is to advance autonomous passenger transport in New Zealand – and other jurisdictions – as well as inform/support other trials in the AITP, focused around cargo delivery, agricultural services, and hazard management and monitoring services. This is part of our recognition that the operating ecosystem is as important as a certified aircraft.”
Why it’s important: Wisk presents their latest progress on their development of the Cora in conjunction with the New Zealand government. Thanks to Boeing’s continued firm commitment to the aerial mobility sector. Additionally, with the promising outlook for New Zealand’s lockdown situation, Wisk looks to take full advantage of the potential early return for the Cora.
Source // Aviation Today
Textron Announces Entry into Electric Aviation Market with formation of new Division
Textron has formalized their entry into the electric aircraft market with the creation of their newest division: eAviation. Textron’s eAviation has been announced to be headed by Rob Scholl, a long-time senior executive who was previously the senior VP of Sales and Marketing, who will now serve in a senior VP role that will report directly to the chairman and...

Textron Announces Entry into Electric Aviation Market with formation of new Division

Textron has formalized their entry into the electric aircraft market with the creation of their newest division: eAviation. Textron’s eAviation has been announced to be headed by Rob Scholl, a long-time senior executive who was previously the senior VP of Sales and Marketing, who will now serve in a senior VP role that will report directly to the chairman and CEO of Textron, Scott Donnelly.
Already well known for producing Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft, eAviation’s role will be a bit of an exploratory one; Scholl’s main role with eAviation was described to be as leveraging the “work across our aerospace and defense businesses to develop new opportunities and take advantage of our fixed-wing and rotorcraft expertise in emerging technologies.” In addition, eAviation under Scholl will also include assembling enterprise talent from throughout Textron, networking to create external partnerships, and ultimately to create a path for further development and application of electric aircraft and related mobility technologies in the global market.

The Bell Nexus, an electric air taxi set to be manufactured by Bell, a subsidiary of Textron. Photograph: Bell Flight
As for eAviation’s stance on aerial mobility, Donelly for now intends to take a cautious approach to the industry, citing concerns with the state of domestic regulations in regards to aerial mobility. “I do think we have to be cautious here in terms of not getting too far out front of a regulatory environment that’s very uncertain to allow that business model to be successful.”
However, Bell Aircraft, a subsidiary of Textron, has been doing work with both manned and unmanned electric aircraft for some time now, most recently with their Nexus air taxi and Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) designs. Bell also established an office on Textron Aviation’s Wichita campus, showing that Textron does hold some interest in establishing a presence in this sector of the market.
Why it’s important: Textron’s move to the electric aviation market will mean several possibilities, from the electrification of some of their most popular Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft to a potential move into the aerial mobility market. In regards to aerial mobility, while they remain cautious for now, a favorable change in the regulatory state for aerial mobility could see Textron making their move into the quickly growing sector.
Source // AIN
Horizon Aircraft Advocates for Stricter Safety Standards Passenger eVTOLs
Aerospace engineering company Horizon Aircraft is advocating that the safety bar for all eVTOL passenger aircraft, most commonly seen in the aerial mobility industry, should always be equal to if not higher than those in the commercial aviation industry. The company mentions that the global spotlight on the first air taxis will be intense to the point that any accidents...

Horizon Aircraft Advocates for Stricter Safety Standards Passenger eVTOLs

Aerospace engineering company Horizon Aircraft is advocating that the safety bar for all eVTOL passenger aircraft, most commonly seen in the aerial mobility industry, should always be equal to if not higher than those in the commercial aviation industry. The company mentions that the global spotlight on the first air taxis will be intense to the point that any accidents from safety risks would set the aerial mobility industry back multiple years in terms of public confidence and regulatory approval, and thus eVTOL operations must be incredibly safe to be successful.
“There is much debate around the safety requirements of eVTOL aircraft, with some commentators for example, saying they should be twice as safe as driving a car, or have safety records on a par with helicopters,” says Horizon CEO Brandon Robinson, “The safety bar must be set much higher so that potential passengers, regulators, and other stakeholders have the highest possible levels of confidence in the first eVTOL aircraft. This is essential to the sector reaching its full potential.”
At the current state of safety regulations in the aerial mobility industry, Horizon believes that most eVTOL aircraft developers looking to become commercially operational will fail to secure insurance at an affordable price, as they will be unable to meet the safety requirements of the insurers. The company also warns it will be difficult for eVTOL manufacturers and operators to secure insurance because there is currently a general lack of competition in the aviation insurance market.
This belief in increased safety regulatory compliance is reflected in the safety and operational capability of Horizon’s own aircraft, the Cavorite X5, which is described by Horizon as a normal aircraft with the additional capability of eVTOL flight. According to the company, the Cavorite X5 flies 98% of its mission in a configuration exactly like a traditional fixed-wing aircraft, meaning the pipeline to certification and high safety ratings will be much smoother.
Why it’s important: The risk of safety-related accidents is a pressing concern for the aerial mobility industry, which will depend heavily on public confidence in order to succeed. An increase in safety standards for eVTOL aircraft development may set back several eVTOL developers, but reduce the risk of passenger injuries and/or fatalities, which may be a worthwhile tradeoff to attain public confidence.
Source // ITS International
U.S. Congress Introduces Legislation to Support Aerial Mobility Infrastructure
The United States House and Senate have introduced legislation looking to advance the development of aerial mobility, notably with bipartisan support. Under the name of “Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act,” the proposed bills call on U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to “establish an inter-agency working group to coordinate efforts to develop a complete AAM ecosystem to support...

U.S. Congress Introduces Legislation to Support Aerial Mobility Infrastructure

The United States House and Senate have introduced legislation looking to advance the development of aerial mobility, notably with bipartisan support. Under the name of “Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act,” the proposed bills call on U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to “establish an inter-agency working group to coordinate efforts to develop a complete AAM ecosystem to support widespread operations of new eVTOL aircraft”, or in other words, federal support for the development of an aerial mobility infrastructure system.
The U.S. House bill, H.R. 1339, was referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation on February 26th, 2021, by Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas), and was co-sponsored by Garret Graves (R-Louisiana). In the Senate, S.516 was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on March 1st, 2021, backed by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona).
According to Sen. Moran, “American aviation is entering a new era of innovation and growth, and industry leaders should have a seat at the table as the federal government creates programs to advance the development of this technology and sets safety and operation standards.”

According to Sen. Moran (R-Kansas), “American aviation is entering a new era of innovation and growth, and industry leaders should have a seat at the table as the federal government creates programs to advance the development of this technology and sets safety and operation standards.” Photograph: Hyundai
The proposed inter-agency working group would include representatives from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), NASA, and U.S. Depts. of Defense, Energy, Commerce, and Homeland Security. Additionally, eVTOL aircraft manufacturers would be invited to participate, as well as pilot training and ground handling organizations, aircraft operators, aircraft maintenance providers, pilot and ATC unions, state, local, and tribal agencies, first responders, environmental groups and energy companies.
If enacted, the working group would be established within 120 days from the date of enactment, and ready to start deliberations 60 days afterwards. The group’s main tasks would be to provide a review and examination of all the factors — such as safety and security involved with air traffic management concepts involving AAM, federal policies that can be leveraged to advance AAM and necessary infrastructure to support the development of AAM, and benefits associated with such development — required to support aerial mobility development and to report on proposals within 180 days after the completion of this work, implying a rough estimated timeline that extends to the fourth quarter of 2022.
The legislation has received support from several key aviation industry groups, including the NBAA, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Aerospace Industries Association, the Vertical Flight Society, Helicopter Association International, American Association of Airport Executives, and Airports Council International.
According to GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce, “The Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act goes well beyond the good work the FAA is doing to certify and build the operational regulatory framework to introduce electric aircraft into the National Airspace System,” Bunce said, adding such inter-agency and industry coordination would “help realize the enormous potential and broad societal benefits of this rapidly developing and transformative aviation sector.”
“On-demand AAM provides a path for the U.S. to maintain its position as the world leader in civil aviation, and there are significant opportunities for general aviation and our highly skilled workforce, which is why we support this important legislation,” added NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen.
Why it’s important: This legislation displays the rising popularity of aerial mobility, with bills being introduced in both House and Senate with bipartisan support. If enacted, aerial mobility development in the domestic market would be greatly accelerated, as federal support would allow for easier paths into installing aerial mobility infrastructure and services within the United States.
Source // AIN Online
LiquidPiston Awarded Air Force Contract for Development of Hybrid-Electric Solution
LiquidPiston Inc., a company that develops advanced rotary internal combustion engines, has been awarded a Phase I STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) contract from the USAF’s Agility Prime initiative. The contract will award $150,000 USD to LiquidPiston, who will be adapting their next-gen rotary diesel engine, X-Engine, for use with a hybrid-electric propulsion system in the Air Force’s UAS and...

LiquidPiston Awarded Air Force Contract for Development of Hybrid-Electric Solution

LiquidPiston Inc., a company that develops advanced rotary internal combustion engines, has been awarded a Phase I STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) contract from the USAF’s Agility Prime initiative. The contract will award $150,000 USD to LiquidPiston, who will be adapting their next-gen rotary diesel engine, X-Engine, for use with a hybrid-electric propulsion system in the Air Force’s UAS and ORBs, a sub-classification of aerial mobility vehicles defined by the USAF as a vertical take-off and landing aircraft that features an electric power source and distributed electric propulsion, or an eVTOL.
“Our work with the Air Force demonstrates the versatility and utility of our X-Engine across the Department of Defense including our ongoing work with the US Army,” said Alec Shkolnik, CEO and co-founder of LiquidPiston. “Today’s solutions for power and energy are held back by a lack of technological innovation; gasoline engines are inefficient, diesel engines are big and heavy, and while the world wants to go electric, batteries lack significantly compared to the energy density of fuel. The X-Engine solves these challenges, and with this contract, we look forward to showcasing the value a hybrid-electric configuration can bring to unmanned flight.”
LiquidPiston, Inc. focuses on development of compact, quiet, fuel efficient, low vibration, multi fuel capable combustion engines that are scalable from one horsepower to over 1,000. The company’s patented High Efficiency Hybrid Cycle (HEHC), an improved thermodynamic cycle, and unique engine architecture are the driving forces behind LiquidPiston’s highly optimized X-Engines.
The X-Engine is a lightweight rotary engine capable of running on JP-8, jet fuel, diesel and other heavy fuels. The X-Engine has only two primary moving parts – a shaft and rotor – resulting in compact size and low-vibration operation. The highly modular design of the engine along with its lightweight high-speed alternators allows for simple scalability and integration into electric vehicles. For comparison, the X-Engine is 30% more fuel efficient and 5-10 times lighter than a diesel engine, and 2-4 times more fuel efficient than a small turbine.

LiquidPiston’s X-Engine, coupled with a generator, will be configured to charge UAS and ORB battery technology and keep it charged during flight, greatly extending the overall range of a vehicle powered by an electric propulsion system.
Photograph: LiquidPiston
LiquidPiston’s X-Engine, coupled with a generator, will be configured to charge UAS and ORB battery technology and keep it charged during flight, markedly extending the overall range of a vehicle powered by an electric propulsion system. Alternatively, the X-Engine can also be configured in parallel with an electric drivetrain, producing thrust or lift directly. These capabilities allow the X-Engine to address one of the most major issues regarding electric vehicles, the limited energy density of current battery technology. With this hybrid approach, the USAF looks to improve the performance capabilities of their drones and ORBs.
Why it’s important: One of the major issues facing aerial mobility aircraft (as well as other electric vehicles) is the limitations of current battery technology, which severely limits the travel range when compared to non-electric vehicles. One of the most prevalent solutions is to implement a hybrid approach, which greatly increases the range while keeping some of the benefits of electric propulsion. LiquidPiston’s contract with the USAF shows the USAF’s resolve to promote early working models of UAS and aerial mobility vehicles to accelerate the commercial industry.
Source // The Argus-Press
Falck Partners with Kitty Hawk for Development of eVTOLs in EMS
Falck has announced a collaboration with Silicon Valley’s Kitty Hawk, a company known for its advanced eVTOL aircraft. The emergency response and healthcare company partnered with Kitty Hawk to establish a joint innovation platform involving Project Heaviside, Kitty Hawk’s latest eVTOL aircraft, to be used in EMS operations. The partnership builds on Falck’s previous drone initiative, Vertical, which focuses on...

Falck Partners with Kitty Hawk for Development of eVTOLs in EMS

Falck has announced a collaboration with Silicon Valley’s Kitty Hawk, a company known for its advanced eVTOL aircraft. The emergency response and healthcare company partnered with Kitty Hawk to establish a joint innovation platform involving Project Heaviside, Kitty Hawk’s latest eVTOL aircraft, to be used in EMS operations.
The partnership builds on Falck’s previous drone initiative, Vertical, which focuses on assessing the feasibility of drone technology in the prehospital and ambulance services of the future. Now with Project Heaviside, Falck aims to test and evaluate new technologies on a larger scale, making emergency healthcare more accessible and affordable. Project Heaviside is notable even among other eVTOL competitors for its noise level; the aircraft is exceptionally quiet while remaining fast and maneuverable. Project Heaviside has undergone 13 prototype designs and over 700 test flights since its launch. With this partnership, Kitty Hawk will also provide their engineering team with decades of experience in commercial aviation, aerospace, automotive engineering, flight testing, and industrial design.
“The agreement with Kitty Hawk takes us to the next level in our commitment to integrate eVTOL aircraft into our ambulance operations. Kitty Hawk brings the technology, while we at Falck contribute with our ambulance service area as a use case. This combination gives us the best conditions to investigate how we can jointly unleash the potential of new technology and develop the ambulance-borne health solutions which are likely to set the standard in the near future,” said Jakob Riis, CEO of Falck.
According to Sebastian Thrun, Co Founder and CEO of Kitty Hawk, “We are excited to be working with Falck to collaborate on bringing our Heaviside aircraft for emergency services, first in Denmark and then to other areas. Falck is an innovative leader in the area and this agreement marks a first and important step in making eVTOL available to more people.”
Falck expects to introduce Heaviside in a close collaboration with customers in Denmark and Europe, followed later on by those in the United States.
Why it’s important: This new partnership will integrate Kitty Hawk’s Heaviside into Falck’s Emergency Medical Services, which will give Heaviside an opportunity for real-world use, and help decrease Falck’s overall emergency response time. A successful application of the Heaviside within Falck’s program will help enable a successful commercial future for Heaviside, as well as eVTOL as a whole.
Source // PR Newswire
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Surf Air Mobility to Acquire Ampaire
Surf Air Mobility, a new developmental department of regional air mobility provider Surf Air, has now acquired aviation hybrid-electric power train developer Ampaire shortly after the company set a record for the longest route to date with an electric aircraft. With this acquisition, Surf Air Mobility, formed in 2020, looks to improve “affordability, accessibility, and environmental footprint of regional travel”. Surf...

Surf Air Mobility to Acquire Ampaire

Surf Air Mobility, a new developmental department of regional air mobility provider Surf Air, has now acquired aviation hybrid-electric power train developer Ampaire shortly after the company set a record for the longest route to date with an electric aircraft. With this acquisition, Surf Air Mobility, formed in 2020, looks to improve “affordability, accessibility, and environmental footprint of regional travel”.
Surf Air Mobility was recently formed after Surf Air, a short-haul flight service provider, acquired Blackbird, an aviation marketplace that provides passengers the option of chartering private flights. Soon after being formed, Surf Air Mobility acquired a $200 million USD investment from Global Emerging Markets Group in order to go public. Now, Surf Air Mobility looks to provide an (eventually electric) alternative to driving or flying on commercial airlines for trips of 50-500 miles.
According to Surf Air Mobility co-founder and CEO Sudhin Shahani, “We see the near-term opportunity to transform existing turboprop aircraft across the entire industry as the first step to ultimately extend to fully electric aviation across all trip lengths.”

The Ampaire Electric EEL prototype, capable of flying up over 300 statute miles
Before the acquisition, Ampaire was working on developing hybrid-electric power trains for 9-19 seat piston and turboprop aircraft, currently possessing two propulsion testbeds from a modified Cessna 337 Skymaster. Additionally, Ampaire is now developing a megawatt-class, hybrid-electric propulsion conversion for the 19-seat twin-turboprop de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter.
According to Ampaire co-founder and CEO Kevin Noertker, “The same building blocks of the electrified power train from the Twin Otter can be applied to other turboprops in the Part 23 category, for example the Cessna Caravan. We’ll continue working on both.”
With the reduced direct operating costs of hybrid-electric aircraft, Surf Air Mobility will be “able to create a new kind of point-to-point network that opens up previously untenable markets with more direct connections,” says President Fred Reid. “With half of all U.S. flights 500 mi. or less, hybrid-electric technology will have an immediate and broad-reaching impact.”
Why it’s important: Surf Air Mobility’s acquisition of Ampaire will align Ampaire closer with aircraft operators to streamline development and deployment of their electric aircraft. According to the company, it will also enable Ampaire to address a wider range of aircraft for upgrade.
Source // Aviation Week Network
LinkedIn and Zynga Founders Close To Merging SPAC With Joby Aviation
LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman and Zynga founder Mark Pincus are nearing a deal that would merge their blank check company with Joby Aviation, a move that would value Joby Aviation at $5.7 billion USD. Reinvent Technology Partners, Hoffman and Pincus’ special purpose acquisition company which recently raised $690 million USD in a public listing in 2020, is now finalizing financing...

LinkedIn and Zynga Founders Close To Merging SPAC With Joby Aviation

LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman and Zynga founder Mark Pincus are nearing a deal that would merge their blank check company with Joby Aviation, a move that would value Joby Aviation at $5.7 billion USD. Reinvent Technology Partners, Hoffman and Pincus’ special purpose acquisition company which recently raised $690 million USD in a public listing in 2020, is now finalizing financing for this deal, and an official agreement could be released later this month. A successful merger would provide Joby Aviation with a listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
The success of this deal depends on when Reinvent Technology Partners can raise additional funding from institutional and private investors, according to a source for the Financial Times. The source continued that while close, the deal could still fall through if Hoffman and Pincus cannot obtain additional funding.
Founded in 2009, Joby Aviation is an aerial mobility company based in Santa Cruz, and has made waves recently with their acquisition of Uber Elevate in late 2020. Their prototype has currently undertaken more than 600 successful flights, received airworthiness certification from the U.S. military, and looks to obtain FAA certification by 2023 to begin commercial operations by 2024.
While Joby Aviation remained secretive for much of its existence, the company is now leading the market for eVTOL aircraft in the United States. Uber Elevate was the world’s largest focused effort to make eVTOL available commercially, bringing together stakeholders in local and state governments, and real estate and technology companies around the world. In addition, airworthiness certification from the U.S military gives Joby access to both direct and indirect funding, allow it to even more greatly prove safety during service for military operations, and help it bridge the gap into FAA certification for commercial operations. With these moves, Joby places itself at the front of the market for eVTOL within the U.S, and among the top companies in the world globally, a strong indicator that this deal has high potential to go through.
Why it’s important: Joby Aviation has raised $803 million USD to date, and can be considered one of the top candidates to go public in 2021, along with German aviation startup Lilium. While the first to do so was Archer with their astonishing $3.8 billion USD public listing as well as a $1 billion USD deal with United Airlines, a successful merger with Reinvent may launch Joby Aviation back to the top.
Source // Financial Times
Airspeeder MK3: World’s First Electric Flying Racing Car
Alauda has unveiled the Airspeeder MK3, a full-sized remotely-operated electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle designed for racing. The first of its kind, the MK3 is set to be showcased in an upcoming racing series that will serve as a technical test-bed and “feeder series” to the manned series in 2022. Currently, a full grid of MK3 models are...

Airspeeder MK3: World’s First Electric Flying Racing Car

Alauda has unveiled the Airspeeder MK3, a full-sized remotely-operated electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle designed for racing. The first of its kind, the MK3 is set to be showcased in an upcoming racing series that will serve as a technical test-bed and “feeder series” to the manned series in 2022. Currently, a full grid of MK3 models are being manufactured at Airspeeder and Alauda’s HQ in Adelaide, South Australia, and over 10 models will be provided to teams in 2021.
Final pre-season tests will be conducted behind closed doors in Australia before the start of an international racing calendar, where the initial MK3 races will provide crucial data on vehicle dynamics, performance, safety, and powertrain technology that will aid in the development of the Airspeeder MK4, the manned version. The MK3 will be operated remotely from the ground for all flights.
The MK3 is capable of reaching speeds in excess of 120 kph (75 mph) in flight, and features LiDAR and Radar collision avoidance systems that create a ‘virtual forcefield’ around the craft. Safety features also include a carbon fiber frame and fuselage designed for maneuverability, performance, and efficiency. According to Alauda, “The powertrain represents a significant upgrade on the Mk2 proof of concept vehicle, with power increased by 95% with only a 50% increase in weight.” The MK3 possesses a 96 kW electric powertrain that gives the MK3 a thrust to weight ratio above two, and the entire vehicle only weighs 100 kg (220 lb) unmanned.
The MK3 is laid out in an ‘octocopter X formation’, which according to Alauda, will provide significant advantages to a pilot when the MK4 is released. When racing, a pilot in the MK series speeder will be able to make the same sharp “hairpin style” turns as a Formula 1 car on top of being able to move in the vertical direction. Furthermore, Alauda’s engineers have developed a ‘slide and lock’ battery system facilitating rapid removal and insertion of batteries, allowing for rapid pit stops.
Why it’s important: As well as being the first vehicle of its kind, the MK3 speeder, the first aerial mobility vehicle designed for racing purposes, shows the overall growth of the aerial mobility industry. The industry continues to improve, not only in transportation but in the development of other related sectors as well.
Source // Alauda Press Release
Hyundai and Urban Air Port to Build eVTOL Hub in UK
The British government has granted approval for Hyundai and Urban-Air Port to build the world’s first eVTOL hub in Coventry. Set to debut later this year, this facility will serve as a port for eVTOL aircraft and autonomous delivery drones. Hyundai and Urban-Air Port also intend to use this opportunity to display the full potential of aerial mobility in the...

Hyundai and Urban Air Port to Build eVTOL Hub in UK

The British government has granted approval for Hyundai and Urban-Air Port to build the world’s first eVTOL hub in Coventry. Set to debut later this year, this facility will serve as a port for eVTOL aircraft and autonomous delivery drones. Hyundai and Urban-Air Port also intend to use this opportunity to display the full potential of aerial mobility in the UK and worldwide. The Air-One hub will be a temporary airport in the Coventry city center, and will hold live demonstrations intended to showcase the utility of eVTOLs and drones for the purpose of aerial mobility, including but not limited to transportation, autonomous logistics, and disaster emergency response.
By November 2021, the Air-One hub will be up and running, partially due to a £1.2 million (about $1.65 million) grant from UK Research and Innovation’s Future Flight Challenge. According to the official press release, the Air-One hub will take up less space and resources compared to the average helipad or airport. The Air-One hub is zero-emissions, and will have the capability to operate completely off the grid.
Urban-Air Port also intends to develop 200 more urban airports globally within the next five years. According to Urban-Air Port founder Ricky Sandhu, “Cars need roads. Trains need rails. Planes need airports. eVTOLs will need Urban Air Ports. Over a hundred years ago, the world’s first commercial flight took off, creating the modern connected world. Urban-Air Port will improve connectivity across our cities, boost productivity and help the UK to take the lead in a whole new clean global economy.”
Why it’s important: The approval to build this temporary hub in the UK represents a huge step for the industry. Successful demonstrations at the Air-One hub could help improve optics for sustainable aerial mobility as well as accelerate the development of aerial mobility infrastructure worldwide.
Source // Robb Report
The Y6SPlus: An eVTOL that can travel from lower Manhattan to JFK in 8 minutes
Autonomous Flight, an aerospace startup from the United Kingdom, released a redesigned version of a six seater eVTOL that will be used in flights starting 2022. The redesigned Y6SPlus updated the initial two seat Y6S with a larger cabin and all-electric design. The Y6SPlus will also have a range of 80 nautical miles, and cruise speed of 125 mph. The...

The Y6SPlus: An eVTOL that can travel from lower Manhattan to JFK in 8 minutes

Autonomous Flight, an aerospace startup from the United Kingdom, released a redesigned version of a six seater eVTOL that will be used in flights starting 2022. The redesigned Y6SPlus updated the initial two seat Y6S with a larger cabin and all-electric design. The Y6SPlus will also have a range of 80 nautical miles, and cruise speed of 125 mph.
The Y6SPlus will feature a “Y” configuration, which is expected to save weight and reduce complexity of the overall design. It will have 6 total rotors, two sets of dual rotors on the canard and one set on the tail. It will also be completely powered by lithium-ion batteries. Initially, the Y6SPlus will utilize a pilot, but Autonomous Flight plans on eventually making it fully autonomous. The Y6SPlus was designed with air-taxi services in mind, but will be available for other applications in the future. For safety, the Y6SPlus will have ballistic recovery chutes installed, and the fuselage will be built from composites, with an integrated crash cell to protect the cabin.
TransportUP previously overviewed the original Y6 prototype in 2019, when the aircraft was slated to make its first flight manned test flight by the end of 2020. By now those dates have been overcome by events, but the first unmanned test flight was in fact completed in Q4 of 2019. The company has not advertised a date for the first test flight of this new Y6S prototype. The performance figures shared by Autonomous Flight reflect reasonable standards/assumptions of today’s out of the box performance numbers with existing technologies. Autonomous has attracted a reasonable amount of media attention with their concept and this reveal of their “concept 2.0” seems to present a workable concept.
Why it’s important: The redesign of the Y6SPlus displays Autonomous Flight’s ongoing interest in the aerial mobility sector. With an increased cabin size and all-electric power design, the Y6SPlus could prove to a powerful competitor in the aerial mobility market.
Source // Robb Report
Jaunt Air Mobility Announces Partnership with Walle
Jaunt Air Mobility and Walle announced that they have formed a partnership to provide advanced aerial mobility transit services in Italy. Furthermore, Walle plans to implement and operate this service by 2026, focusing on routes within 50 km. “Walle is a perfect strategic partner; our mission at Jaunt is to produce the safest and most efficient eVTOL on the market...

Jaunt Air Mobility Announces Partnership with Walle

Jaunt Air Mobility and Walle announced that they have formed a partnership to provide advanced aerial mobility transit services in Italy. Furthermore, Walle plans to implement and operate this service by 2026, focusing on routes within 50 km.
“Walle is a perfect strategic partner; our mission at Jaunt is to produce the safest and most efficient eVTOL on the market and work with operators around the world,” says Martin Peryea, CEO of Jaunt Air Mobility. “We feel confident in our ability to commercialize our aircraft by 2026. The unique configuration of combining a fixed-wing airplane and single slow-rotor technology gives us revolutionary performance and the highest level of safety amongst all the eVTOL contenders.”
Currently, Walle is working with the regulatory authorities and mapping out its first key routes for their aerial mobility service, including a route from Milan Airport to the city center of Milan, as well as one connecting the Port of Naples to Capri’s Island. Walle will also intends on providing their services for the Milano Cortina XXV Winter Olympics in 2026.
“Our goal is to change the future of mobility,” says Domenico Gagliardi, founder and CEO of Walle. “Italy, as in much of Europe, is challenged by the time it takes to travel from outside a city to an urban center, often costing two or more hours one way, and the problem is only growing. ‘Going Vertical’, – to the sky is the obvious answer. We believe the Jaunt Journey by Jaunt Air Mobility offers a solution that meets with our core values of providing a safe, comfortable, and ultra-quiet ride for passengers.”
“We see business travelers and tourists utilizing our services. Our focus is entirely on the customer experience and, we believe safety will be a key in the adoption of this form of transit. Because Jaunt offers patented safety features and the ability to meet commercial, regulatory requirements, success is just around the corner,” stated Marco Pugliese, COO at Walle.
Why it’s important: Walle Mobility is the first Italian startup focused on the aerial mobility market. By partnering with Jaunt Air Mobility, both companies gain a competitive advantage in their respective markets.
Source // Jaunt Air Mobility and Walle Mobility Press Release
Hatzolah Air to Receive 4 CityHawk Aircraft from Urban Aeronautics for EMS Services
Urban Aeronautics has reached an agreement with Hatzolah Air to provide four CityHawk VTOL aircraft for EMS applications. Additionally, Hatzolah Air will serve as Urban Aeronautics’ official sales representative and distribution channel to other EMS and rescue organizations worldwide. This agreement builds upon the MOU that the two companies reached in August of 2020, in order to develop, produce, and...

Hatzolah Air to Receive 4 CityHawk Aircraft from Urban Aeronautics for EMS Services

Urban Aeronautics has reached an agreement with Hatzolah Air to provide four CityHawk VTOL aircraft for EMS applications. Additionally, Hatzolah Air will serve as Urban Aeronautics’ official sales representative and distribution channel to other EMS and rescue organizations worldwide. This agreement builds upon the MOU that the two companies reached in August of 2020, in order to develop, produce, and market the CityHawk aircraft for EMS applications.
The CityHawk’s design is well-suited for EMS services and aerial mobility, both of which prefer small, lightweight, VTOL vehicles. The CityHawk is a twin-engine VTOL aircraft that utilizes jet propulsion and features Urban Aeronautics’ internal rotor Fancraft technology which implementes powerful ducted fans and possesses superior control, stability, speed, safety, noise reduction, and sustainability. One of the main advantages that the CityHawk will hold over conventional EMS aircraft such as rescue helicopters is the size; the CityHawk is comparable in size but can hold 20% to 30% more in the cabin, and lower noise pollution. Urban Aeronautics plans to finish the development of the CityHawk, achieve FAA certification for EMS use, and be ready for commercial production within three to five years.
The CityHawk currently incorporates two SAFRAN Arriel 2N helicopter engines, 2 x 985 SHP. The 2N features a new axial compressor, a new HP compressor diffuser, new HP turbine blade material, and a dual-channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control linked to a modernized fuel system.
Hatzolah Air is a 501c3 Disaster Response Organization that assists with urgent and emergent calls for help for patients and those in need. Currently, Hatzolah Air utilizes fixed-wing aircraft for Hatzolah’s urgent and emergent missions. Urban Aeronautics’ engineers will be working closely with Hatzolah’s experts to tailor the CityHawk flying ambulance for Hatzolah’s operations, where it will accommodate a pilot, as well as a patient, companion, two EMS personnel, and will include a complete suite of onboard life support equipment.
Why it’s important: Urban Aeronautics has had a long track record of successful VTOL development, starting with the Cormorant. This agreement allows Urban Aeronautics to gain a foothold in the EMS service industry, and hopefully display the full potential of the CityHawk once finished.
Source // Green Car Congress
2021 Expected to Bring New Wave of eVTOL Aircraft
With the sudden unexpected onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of the aerial mobility sector was very much in question during early mid-2020. According to a recent article from AIN Online, with the start of a new year, while the general fallout from the pandemic did hinder some progress from smaller aerial mobility companies, several notable aerial mobility firms...

2021 Expected to Bring New Wave of eVTOL Aircraft

With the sudden unexpected onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of the aerial mobility sector was very much in question during early mid-2020. According to a recent article from AIN Online, with the start of a new year, while the general fallout from the pandemic did hinder some progress from smaller aerial mobility companies, several notable aerial mobility firms such as Volocopter, Lilium, and Joby Aviation continued to forge ahead.
The start of a new year could see several companies pull ahead from the rest, as the consensus among independent observers seems to be that no more than a dozen or so of these new aircraft will see the commercial light of day. As the pandemic dies down during the course of this year, there will also be more scrutiny as to whether many of these aircraft developers will meet the timelines proposed when first introducing their aircraft; the earliest dates for commercial release is near the end of 2023, just 24 months away.

Joby Aviation acquired Uber Elevate near the end of 2020, as one of the major events of the aerial mobility industry
2021 will also likely clarify the regulatory outlook for these new aerial mobility aircraft, giving developers a clearer path to type certification. As 2020 closed, there were reasons for optimism that leading regulators FAA and EASA were edging closer to defining safety means of compliance to cover new architectures and propulsion systems. While the consensus for approval of operation for these new aircraft are not yet resolved, optimism is high.
The continued development of the aerial mobility industry also saw a slight shift in focus away from solely focusing on urban air mobility models, as several companies began looking at a broader range of applications that may be easier to implement in the short-term, such as operations in less densely populated areas for emergency medical support or freight deliveries. These applications also seem to favor fixed-wing designs using conventional or hybrid propulsion for which the technology risks of getting to market are lower. It also saw the more inclusive designation advanced air mobility increasingly vie for favor with the more specific urban air mobility.

Lilium stays as one of the most promising aerial mobility companies to enter 2021.
Another trend to be alert to is more of the long-anticipated consolidation involving start-ups either being acquired by larger entities with deeper pockets or disappearing after running out of financial runway. 2020 began with Japanese carmaker Toyota spending $394 million to partially acquire Joby Aviation as part of a $590 million Series C funding round. No sooner had that happened than Korean rival Hyundai announced it had allocated $1.5 billion to buy a place in the eVTOL stakes with a direct investment in a new aircraft program. This trend seems likely to continue.

Hyundai joins in the race to develop the aerial mobility sector, and looks to only improve in 2021.
Why it’s important: 2020 brought many changes to the aerial mobility industry, and 2021 looks to be similar. With the COVID pandemic as well as the general growth of the aerial mobility industry, we are quickly seeing how the aerial mobility industry develops, as well as which companies look to be the most promising.
Source // AIN Online
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