While the majority of aerial mobility companies have chosen a VTOL frame for their aircraft design, Metro Hop is working on an eSTOL (electric short takeoff and landing) design that could serve as a practical alternative to eVTOL.

Metro Hop’s STOL aircraft design Photograph: Metro Hop

Metro Hop’s STOL design revolves around a “game-changing international patent pending Active Landing Gear system” that is used to vastly increase the initial acceleration to flight speed on takeoff and quickly decelerate the aircraft on landing. The Active Landing Gear system paired with the large wings of the design would mean that Metro Hop’s aircraft would only need a 25 m (82 ft) rollout rubber runway for operations. Fixed wing take-off and landings require drastically less energy usage versus VTOL, which in turn noticeably decreases energy use for the same journey. While electric VTOL is incredibly innovative, many designs are fairly low range and/or energy inefficient on take-off and landing as a result of the high energy outputs required for vertical flight. Metro Hop even mentions that its short runways could be easily adapted onto large urban rooftops, much like VTOL designs. 

The Metro Hop aircraft will be able to reach a cruising speed of up to 400 km/hr (250 mph) and have a 200 km (125 miles) range with current battery technology. The Northern California based aviation startup considers their STOL aircraft as an alternative, not a replacement, approach for VTOL aerial mobility, given some limitations that fixed wing does create. The developers suggest that STOL runways around 60 m (200 ft) long on top of skyscrapers could enable safe Skyport-style passenger operations with a much lower energy cost than eVTOL vertiports. However, many buildings don’t have rooftops quite that large, making market for both kinds of aircraft. 

Currently, Metro Hop has received grants through the ESA (European Space Agency) BIC Bavaria, and is looking for more investors. 

Metro Hop’s STOL aircraft design Photograph: Metro Hop

Why it’s important: The eSTOL design’s biggest advantage is its energy efficiency over many equivalent eVTOL designs. Although not all rooftops could support the 25 meters required for the Metro Hop eSTOL, many can, giving Metro Hop an obvious use case for middle mile transportation. A Metro Hop eSTOL could affordably transport goods 20x faster than could be done with trucks stuck traffic. Metro Hop intends to initially enter the middle mile cargo transportation industry with a piloted aircraft, and has already received interest from multiple hospitals, which need a wide range of equipment available quickly from warehouses. 

Source // Metro Hop, Inceptive Mind

After committing to launching a commercial eVTOL platform in Singapore within the next two to three years, Volocopter has now announced that advance tickets for their eVTOL flight service, VoloFirst, have officially sold out. The VoloFirst flights, priced at $365 USD per ticket (€300), will consist of a short scenic routes, a 10-15 minute flight “over the Southern waters, offering breathtaking views of the Marina Bay skyline.” The initial VoloFirst flights are expected to commence sometime in 2023. 

The German aviation startup has been doing intensive work in Singapore for some time now, making strides in development and successfully performing several test flights, including a high-profile manned flight in late 2019. While Singapore is relatively untroubled by traffic congestion relative to other major urban centers (which is arguably the biggest driving factor for the rapid growth of the aerial mobility industry), the island-city state holds plenty of potential capital, as well as a strong tech research sector, both factors which seem to be leading Singapore to become a very valuable benefactor for Volocopter. 

Volocopter conceptual design. The company also recently performed a successful manned flight test in late 2019. Photograph: Volocopter

According to Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter, “Singapore is renowned for its leading role in adapting and living new technologies. Our successful cooperation with the Economic Development Board, Ministry of Transport, and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore on our previous flight has shown that there is no better place in Asia to launch our electric air taxi services than in Singapore. The city’s research institutes conducting R&D play an integral part in this. Topics like route validation for autonomous operations, material science, and research regarding battery technology are very important for our long-term business success.”

In order to meet their deadline of just 3 years, Volocopter intends to build up a team of more than 200 in the coming years, and remains confident that they will be able to reach their goal on schedule. As of now, the biggest obstacle in Volocopter’s path is certification, not only with EASA authorities, but local Singaporean authorities as well before Volocopter will be able to service passengers. However with the relative simplicity of Volocopter’s design, especially in comparison to the designs of other competitors, it could be entirely possible to see eVTOLs ferrying tourists and early adopters alike in 2023. 

Why it’s important: Volocopter’s declaration of getting a commercial aerial mobility platform up and running in three years is an aggressive one, but is far from improbable. Considering both the simplicity of Volocopter’s eVTOL design as well as the expectation that initial flights will resemble tourist rides more than an actual method of commute, Volocopter’s goal is ambitious, but definitely possible. Volocopter’s aggressive approach is also completely understandable. Successfully getting their eVTOL platform up and running would have Volocopter passing one of the biggest milestones in the aerial mobility sector and be years ahead of most competitors. 

Source // New Atlas

Tangram Flex, Inc. has recently been awarded with a contract to support the U.S. Air Force’s Agility Prime initiative. Based in Dayton, Ohio, Tangram Prime will primarily focus on how “flying cars could rewrite how the Air Force and civil society do logistics and transportation.”

The contract will mainly focus on support for lower cost testing, verification, and validation of software components for Agility Prime vehicles. According to Rick Peters, Tangram chief executive, “We are thrilled to continue supporting the Air Force on their most critical initiatives. Our team will continue efforts to commercialize tools for safe, secure, and efficient development and rapid integration of mission-critical capabilities with confidence.”

A conceptual Agility Prime vehicle render.
Photograph: Dayton Daily News

Agility Prime is the USAF’s initiative to develop and promote eVTOL aircraft and the aerial mobility industry, aiding companies in this pursuit. According to Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition,  “Despite COVID-19, we’re still very optimistic about the future, specifically around flying cars and how they might help the military and the world produce better logistics, better medical support and better disaster relief. We really want to be engaged in this emerging market in a very different way.”

Rick Peters, CEO of Tangram Flex.
Photograph: Dayton Daily News

Why it’s important: The U.S. Air Force’s Agility Prime initiative shows a strong commitment to the development of the aerial mobility industry in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. The benefits of being able to obtain contracts across both military and commercial sectors cannot be understated, especially for companies in a small but growing industry such as aerial mobility. 

Source // Dayton Daily News

AMSL Aero has unveiled the latest results of the development in their eVTOL aircraft, a full-scale prototype vehicle called the Vertiia. The Vertiia will be able to fly up to 800 km (500 miles) on hydrogen, and will start out as an air ambulance. Developed in conjunction with the University of Sydney and Mission Systems, AMSL Aero’s Vertiia is a transitioning multirotor eVTOL, with eight large propellers mounted on two wide carbon fiber poles extending from the upper tail and lower front of the fuselage. According to AMSL Aero, the Vertiia is rated to cruise at around 300 km/h (186 mph) and it’ll be piloted on debut, but will have autonomous capabilities built in, ready to come online when such things become legal.

The Vertiia will initially possess a range of around 250 km (155 miles) using battery-powered technology that’ll require long charges between flights. Eventually, AMSL Aero plans on extending the range to 800 km (500 miles) by replacing the batteries with a hydrogen powertrain, which will also enable quicker refueling. 

The Vertiia’s first consumer will be CareFlight, an aeromedical company that looks to use eVTOL as an air ambulance, providing aerial access to remote communities may not have the ability to receive conventional medical aircraft. AMSL Aero plans to have the Vertiia commercially available by 2023. 

AMSL Aero’s Vertiia
Photograph: AMSL Aero

Why it’s important: With the completion of a full-scale prototype, AMSL Aero has reached an important milestone in the development of the Vertiia, and can now begin flight tests in earnest. AMSL Aero has big plans for the Vertiia, aiming for both autonomous capability and hydrogen-powered flight in the future. While implementing these features as well as obtaining certification by 2023 will be no easy task, AMSL Aero’s current progress rate is an encouraging indicator of their future outlook.  

Source // New Atlas

Caravella Aerospace is in the process of developing a 2-seater partially electric roadable aircraft, the CaravellAir. (A “roadable aircraft” is a combination vehicle that combines an aircraft’s ability of flight with the on-road driving capabilities of an automobile.) According to Joe Caravella Jr, owner of Caravella Aerospace, “The CaravellAir integrates car, plane, and motorcycle components into one vehicle that can drive or fly on demand.” 

Located in Sherman Oaks, California, Caravella Aerospace has developed a one-seater prototype of the CaravellAir that has been street legal for over 8 years, and road tested for over 3000 miles from San Diego to San Francisco. For its powertrain, the CaravellAir prototype has a propeller drive system that is connected to a motorcycle engine that can push the fuselage above 80 mph (129 kph) on an active runway testing back to 2015. The fuselage itself (coupled with mock-up flight surfaces) is flight ready, and has successfully demonstrated real-world road operations up to 70 mph (113 kph). Caravella Aerospace is currently working on development of the CaravellAir flight surfaces.

Caravella Aerospace has developed a proof-of concept version of the CaravellAir that has been street legal for over 8 years, and road tested for over 3000 miles from San Diego to San Francisco. Photograph: Caravella Aerospace

Recently, Caravella Aerospace presented its proof-of-concept prototype at the SAE 2020 AeroTech Digital Summit in June of 2020. Joe Caravella Jr. described the CaravellAir prototype as “a proof-of-concept and stepping stone to a future 2-seat certified, partially-electric vehicle.” 

Model rendition of the CaravellAir
Photograph: Caravella Aerospace

Why it’s important: While the CaravellAir is still in the early proof-of-concept stage, its folding wing design is quite sound, and has even been flight proven on aircraft such as the Terrafugia Transition. In addition, the CaravellaAir has showed impressive progress in roadworthiness certification, something which many other roadable aircraft concepts have not yet achieved. If CaravellAir successfully finishes development through flight testing, certification, and production, the result will be an affordable, efficient aircraft that will add greatly to the growing market for privately owned roadable aircraft. 

Source // Caravella Aerospace

According to Pegasus Universal Aerospace CEO, Robbie Irons, the company’s debut of its vertical takeoff and landing business jet has received a very positive response from the global market, receiving interest from corporate, medical evacuation, search and rescue, and other market sectors. Inquiries have come from countries and clients around the world to use the Pegasus Vertical Business Jet (VBJ) for purposes such as business transport, border control, policing, oil and gas and cargo applications, amongst others. As of now, Pegasus will focus primarily on the corporate applications for the VBJ, with its main goal being to achieve FAA/EASA certification.

The Pegasus VBJ. Photograph: Pegasus Universal Aerospace

The VBJ is currently in the concept validation and prototype build phase, with simulation results being validated through scale model testing. According to Irons, the scale model prototype has “achieved perfect stability and gave Pegasus confidence that with a custom controller and the increase in power to weight ratio when scaling the aircraft up to quarter scale, stability will be achieved successfully”. If funding and development milestones are reached without issue, Pegasus expects the VBJ to attain certification by 2025/2027. “Our biggest focus at this moment in time is to secure our strategic funding partner for Pegasus by the end of 2020 as it will ultimately determine the pace at which the VBJ development programme moves forward,” Irons stated.

The design of the VBJ is complex, and for that reason Pegasus is working with several OEMs including Epsilon Engineering to aid with the development process. “The Pegasus VBJ provides a hybrid propulsion solution and although we address all the performance capabilities of the eVTOL sector, we provide substantially more,” said Irons, “The VBJ falls into the VTOL segment with a maximum takeoff weight of 5700 kg (Part 23 & Part 29 certification), serving longer range needs, offering more passengers onboard, single pilot operation with dual pilot capability, higher airspeeds, and higher altitudes with multiple enhanced safety and redundancy measures in accessing heliports, helipads and conventional runways.”

The interior of the VBJ.
Photograph: Pegasus Universal Aerospace

Why it’s important: Despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the aviation industry, Pegasus has been able to remain firmly on track and is negotiating with many high-level investors and OEMs to support and participate in the development aircraft, largely thanks to the global interest in its unique Vertical Business Jet (VBJ) design.

Source // defenceWeb

Klein Vision’s Aircar (V5) has safely completed flight tests, performing two 1500’ AGL flights, or two full airport patterns, including two takeoffs and landings at Piestany airport in Slovakia. Designed by Professor Stefan Klein, the AirCar is a two-seater roadable aircraft designed for both personal and commercial use. 

The Klein Vision AirCar (wings extended)
Photograph: Klein Vision

The AirCar weighs in at 1,100 kg, and can carry a payload of about 200 kg during flight. Powered by a BMW 1.6L engine, the AirCar has an estimated power output of 140 HP. The roadable aircraft can switch from road to flight mode in under 3 minutes, and is expected to have a travel range of 1,000 km with fuel consumption at 18 liters per hour during flight. For flight, the AirCar will need to use a runway of at least 300m, and will have a cruise speed of 200 km/h once in the air. 

The final version of the AirCar is expected to have 2 seater, 3 seater, and 4 seater designs, as well as a twin-engine design and an amphibious design. 

According to Klein Vision founder and CEO, Professor Stefan Klein, “The key flight parameters confirmed all theoretical concepts and calculations that the development of the AirCar was based on. Following the completion of all required flight tests in compliance with EASA regulations, we will deliver a model with a certified ADEPT, 300HP engine within the next 6 next months. The good news is, we already have a buyer.”

Klein Vision co-founder, investor, and pilot Anton Zajac added that “With AirCar you will arrive at your destination without the hassle of getting a ride to airport and passing through commercial security, you can drive your AirCar to the golf course, the office, the mall or your hotel and park it in a normal parking space.”

Visit Klein Vision’s website here

The Klein Vision AirCar (wings retracted)
Photograph: Klein Vision

Why it’s important: A roadable aircraft is a difficult vehicle to produce, as companies must factor in the requirements of both a car and an aircraft into a single design, which lends itself to trade-offs that may compromise performance in one mode of operation or the other. However, this successful flight test shows that Klein Vision’s AirCar may be capable of bridging the gap between flight and ground transportation.

Source // Klein Vision – PR Newswire

Uber Technologies and South Korean telecommunications company SK Telecom have agreed to form a joint venture for a specialized mobility business that will be spun off from SK Telecom. The new business will both support current on-demand ground transportation operations in tandem with planning future aerial mobility services. SK Telecom stated that its board had approved the creation of this new business, tentatively named “T Map Mobility”, and Uber has agreed to invest over $100 million into the joint venture. 

SK Telecom CEO Park Jung-ho stated that his company’s goal with T Map Mobility is to “usher in a new era of future mobility technologies, including flying vehicles.” T Map is South Korea’s largest mobility platform with around 13 million monthly active users, and the company plans to use data from these operations to help design aerial mobility infrastructure. 

Rendering of the EmbraerX eVTOL, a partner to the Uber Elevate project

SK Telecom stated that T Map Mobility would leverage 5G, artificial intelligence and T Map capabilities to offer optimal route planning, 3-D high definition mapping for high-altitude geographic features, and intelligent air traffic control systems for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. SK Telecom is a member of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Team Korea, a public-private consultative body launched in June to commercialize drone taxis by 2025.

Why it’s important: Leveraging South Korea’s most popular mobility platform, this joint venture between SK Telecom and Uber will accelerate the development of ride share services in South Korea on the ground to eventually transition to the air. By combining these businesses, the venture will provide an “all-in-one” mobility service that will utilizing existing ground transportation networks to grow into eventual aerial mobility services. By establishing this partnership, SK Telecom, Uber, and South Korea are laying down groundwork for air mobility in a major and systemic way. 

Source // Aju Business Daily