Reliable Robotics has completed a series of flight tests in partnership with NASA to aid the FAA in the use of primary surveillance radar (PSR) data.

The tests were conducted on Reliable’s modified Cessna Grand Caravan at Travis Air Force Base and successfully demonstrated an autonomous taxi, takeoff, and landing. Reliable is currently developing an FAA STC for its remote pilot technology on the Caravan, but intends to make it available for other aircraft types in the future.

The tests were intended to demonstrate a high-precision, high-integrity navigation system that enables automatic takeoff and landing. More specifically demonstrating to the FAA their detect and avoid (DAA) capabilities. This technology helps to ensure safe distances between aircraft and minimize the risk of mid-air collisions. Successful demonstration of this software is on of the key hurdles needed to realize fully autonomous/remote pilot operations.

The test conducted with NASA involved feeding live radar data into a NASA facility and subjecting two aircraft to multiple encounter scenarios. These scenarios simulated approaching each other from different angles and speeds, simulating unintended near misses. Throughout the test, data from the FAA and DoD surveillance radar system was collected, alongside high-precision position information gathered onboard the aircraft. This data was subsequently cross-compared to evaluate the effectiveness of radar systems in ensuring separation.

Assuming successful outcomes, the end goal is to publish a formal paper that establishes the suitability of ground surveillance radar equipment as a vital component in solving the detect-and-avoid problem. This research holds promise for further enhancing aviation safety and paving the way for more advanced automation in the skies.

“Everything went the way that we expected,” said Robert Rose, CEO of Reliable Robotics. “There’s still a lot more work that needs to be done, but we were excited to kick this work off.”

Why it matters: Detect and Avoid software and collaboration with the FAA in the development of collision avoidance technologies will be of paramount importance for the long term success of fully autonomous aerial mobility platforms. Reliable’s work and eventual STC for the Cessna Caravan are steps in the right direct towards making remote piloting a reality.

Merlin has achieved first stage of involvement (SOI 1) with the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand and has obtained an approved Plan for Software Aspects of Certification (PSAC).

The Boston-headquartered company is currently developing autonomous fixed-wing aircraft with its commercial offering Merlin Pilot. Merlin is one of the only takeoff to touchdown automation software suites available to retrofit on existing aircraft. The company has been testing its software on a modified Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Alaska, New Zealand, and the Mojave desert.

Merlin intends to pursue a concurrent validation pathway with the FAA under the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between the United States and New Zealand. Following a final, successful evaluation from the CAA, Merlin’s software will be considered DO-178C compliant. The DO-178C, or Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification is the primary document by which global certification authorities approve all commercial software-based aerospace systems.

“We have been working hand-in-hand with the CAA and achieving the SOI 1 regulatory milestone allows us to rapidly, safely, and effectively integrate the Merlin Pilot into our skies, transforming the way goods and people move around the world. SOI 1 is the critical step of this process and we’re proud to be the first to accomplish this stage of certification progress,” said Matthew George, co-founder and CEO, Merlin. “We will continue to undergo rigorous evaluations by the CAA ensuring that we’re following the plans set forth in SOI 1, and we’re excited to responsibly bring the Merlin Pilot to certification. We’re confident that with each SOI we achieve we will set a strong foundation for FAA validation of the CAA’s certification processes, delegations, and organizational approval system.”

Why it matters: Introducing autonomy onto an existing aircraft platforms offer a glimpse into future aerial mobility technology capabilities. Merlin’s certification strategy may have a big pay off and allow it to be one of the first certified DO-178C compliant fully autonmous software suites for aircraft.

Source: Merlin Press Release

Last week, Joby Aviation posted its Q1 earnings showing a strong cash reserve of $978M USD, not including an additional $180M USD from Baillie Gifford, a Scottish investment firm, with offices in New York and London.

These additional funds are expected to be used to accelerate Joby’s early production, enabling the business to capitalize on near-term revenue opportunities without impacting the funds available to carry the company through to type certification of its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

“The decision by Baillie Gifford to invest further in Joby is a testament to their long-term belief in the electrification of transportation and their track record speaks for itself. We couldn’t be more proud to have their support,” said Joby CEO and founder, JoeBen Bevirt.

In addition to the investment from Baillie Gifford, Joby also announced it has nearly completed its first production prototype which will conform to certification standards. On the certification front, Joby also announced it has submitted three more Area Specific Certification Plans (ASCPs) to the FAA, bringing the total to 11 of 13 ASCPs submitted. Two additional ASCPs were accepted by the FAA this quarter.

Commenting on the results, JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO, Joby, said: “Already in 2023 we’ve achieved significant milestones in production, testing and funding and I’m incredibly excited about our progress as we move towards our goal of launching commercial service in 2025. 

A copy of this quarter’s letter to investors can be found here.

Why it matters: With an additional $180M in net proceeds in addition to a strong cash reserve, Joby will likely have enough reserves to execute its flight test program and make it to FAA certification. With the Certification Basis and Means of Compliance phases complete with the FAA, Joby now needs to finalize Certification Plans and execute its flight test campaign before deliveries can begin.

Joby has announced in a press release today it has signed a long-term agreement with Toyota Motor Corporation to supply key powertrain and actuation components for the production of the the company’s eVTOL production model.

The agreement builds on the long-standing partnership between Joby and Toyota, which has seen the two companies collaborate on a wide variety of projects to support the production and assembly of the Joby aircraft, including advising on the design of Joby’s pilot production line in Marina, CA. Toyota is also Joby’s largest external shareholder, having invested around $400 million in Joby.

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, commenting on the agreement, said: “Our partnership with Toyota continues to be an integral part of Joby’s success, from assisting in the design of our pilot production line in Marina, California, to supplying key components for our aircraft.”

“I’m grateful for Toyota’s unwavering dedication to Joby as we work together to deliver a new form of fast, quiet and emissions-free mobility for cities and communities around the world. Their expertise and knowledge has helped put us on track to deliver, at scale, an aircraft that we believe is truly best-in-class.”

The components, designed by Joby and manufactured by Toyota, will be delivered to Joby’s powertrain and electronics manufacturing facility in San Carlos, California, before the finished assemblies are shipped to the company’s pilot production line in Marina for integration. Intended to prove out scalable tooling and processes at low volumes in advance of aircraft production at full scale, Joby’s Marina facilities were designed with Toyota’s help, leveraging decades of experience delivering reliable, high-quality cars at high volume.

Toyota Motor Corporation Connected Company President Keiji Yamamoto added: “We are very pleased to have reached this milestone with our key partner.  Our mutual goal is mass production of eVTOL and helping Joby apply the best practices of the Toyota Production System in meeting high quality, reliability, safety, and strict cost standards.

 “We are excited about the potential for further collaboration as we seek to realize Mobility for All with a seamlessly integrated air-to-ground mobility network.”

Why it matters: Toyota’s manufacturing prowess and technical expertise in powertrain components is a valuable addition to Joby’s technical acumen. Toyota’s $400M USD investment will also help Joby get to certification and commercialization faster than other eVTOL makers, giving it a strong competitive advantage.

Source: Joby Press Release

Related:

• Joby Finalizes Assembly of Company-conforming aircraft (March 2023)
• Joby Completes Second Stage of Certification Process (February 2023)
• Delta and Joby to Partner for Seamless Home-to-Airport Transportation (October 2022)
• Joby Aviation Acquires Uber Elevate, Receives Airworthiness Approval from U.S Military (December 2020)

Specialist consultancy company MGI Engineering has launched its a program to develop and manufacture a cargo eVTOL. MGI CEO and Founder Mike Gascoyne officially unveiled its fully functional technology demonstrator at the eVTOL Insights’ London Conference on Wednesday 19th April 2023.

MGI and Gascoyne are applying Formula 1 development philosophies and mindset to the cargo eVTOL market.

“Lightweight composite structures with a highly-efficient, fast-paced iterative design processes are key elements of the company’s approach to tackling the challenges that the cargo eVTOL industry presents and it aims to provide these consultancy services throughout the cargo eVTOL industry.” the company said in a press release this week.

MGI Engineering’s prowess stems from its decades of experience at the pinnacle of motorsport, F1 – a tenure that is reflected through its senior staff and its CEO Mike Gascoyne himself – who has previously worked at McLaren, Tyrrell, Sauber, Renault, Toyota before setting up the Lotus F1 Team through MGI in 2009.

MGI Engineering has been developing cargo eVTOL technologies for the past year, with the aim to provide these services to the wider industry. This effort has culminated in its Mosquito autonomous technology demonstrators for cargo applications. The vehicles are being developed to showcase MGI’s vision, know- how, and approach to the cargo UAV market. Developing ultra-lightweight structural composite designs are a key factor to ensure aerial vehicles can achieve their missions effectively and efficiently. MGI’s solution focuses on a configurable design with two variants of its demonstrator technology; the first is a tilt rotor configuration, with two rotors on each corner capable of tilting from 45 degrees in the forward direction to, 45 degrees rearward. The second features eight rotors with direct drive motors distributed across four wings and all four wings use MGI’s proprietary tilt mechanism that is used to control pitch and roll. This variant is able to take-off vertically and fully transition to winged flight for long distance missions. The modular approach to this vehicle, where wings and rotors can be configured according to the mission profile, allows for scalable common platforms using common battery modules to ensure cost performing kilometre-per-mile solutions for cargo delivery. The vehicle platform concept has also been designed to be scaled-up efficiently to payload capable vehicles carrying up to 500kg. The platform sharing solutions are inspired by Mike’s experience of working with the automotive industry throughout his career.

Mike Gascoyne, CEO of MGI Engineering, said: “We are really proud to announce our cargo eVTOL technology demonstrator programme at this year’s eVTOL Insights’ Conference. We believe that developing sustainable electric aviation vehicles combined with our unique expertise and experience from Formula 1 of lightweight hybrid composite vehicles is the future of the transport industry and will ease the strain on current methods whilst decarbonising multiple sectors. We are very happy to have a fully working demonstrator vehicle that has passed all our tests to date including fully transitioning from vertical to horizontal flight. We’re excited to see where our development journey takes us and look forward to solving the unique and novel challenges the industry presents us with. We also want to invite clients, partners and investors to join our vision to develop highly efficient cargo UAV solutions. MGI Engineering, as a cargo eVTOL consultancy service, understands in order to bring aerial vehicles successfully to market requires a multi-disciplinary team across multiple industries.”

Why it matters: Gascoyne and MGI enter a crowded space of eVTOL makers, but the firm’s techincal prowess on F1 technology could prove useful and help to create a technical advantage over other designs. It is unclear from the press release how fare along their technology demonstrator is with respect to certification or delivery. Expect more news as this program and MGI Engineering develop.

Source: MGI Engineering Press Release

Japanese-based eVTOL maker, SkyDrive, this week announced it has received its first order from a private party of its SD-05 two-seat eVTOL. The SD-05 has already received numerous orders from commercial operators since its unveiling last year, but the first order comes from long-time SkyDrive investor, Kotaro Chiba.

Chiba has invested in SkyDrive since 2018 and is the co-founder and managing director of DRONE FUND. DRONE FUND is a venture capital firm that focuses on drone technology and advanced air mobility (AAM) industry which aims to develop these technologies globally. Chiba is an angel investor with over 60 start-ups as well as 50 venture capital funds experience.

Chiba said “In 2018, I was captivated by SkyDrive’s vision of the future and its innovative aircraft, fueling my dream of flying cars. Upon seeing the company’s first prototype, I was convinced that my dream was finally within reach, and I enthusiastically made the decision to invest in SkyDrive. Driven by my passion for the first flying car of the future, I obtained my private pilot license. Since then, SkyDrive has conducted successful crewed test flights and applied for type certification, further solidifying my confidence in the team’s ability to make the dream a reality. I eagerly anticipate the exciting adventures that lie ahead in the skies with SD-05.”

Tomohiro Fukuzawa, Founder & CEO of SkyDrive Inc., said “Since we unveiled the design of our SD-05 in September 2022, we have received numerous inquiries, not only from companies but also from private individuals. As we aim to create a future where everyone has access to eVTOLs as their daily transportation, we understand that it is important that we have an option for individuals to own their aircraft. We received inquiries from Mr. Chiba more than once and we are truly grateful that he confirmed the pre-order as the first individual owner right after we decided to receive pre-orders from individuals. We will develop fully automated aircraft in the future and further promote the realization of a society where everyone utilizes the sky for daily transportation.”

SkyDrive did not disclose the terms of the new personal-use preorder agreements, including whether or not they are backed by a down payment. The company has also not revealed the purchase price for the SD-05 vehicle, which it aims to start delivering in 2025.

Why it matters: Owner-operator arrangements for eVTOL aircraft offer private owners access to aerial mobility and true freedom to travel with fewer limitations than those placed on commercial operators. With deliveries starting in 2025, SkyDrive continues to be one of the leading eVTOL makers to market and has built a strong order book and recently secured an additional round of Series C funding.

Source: SkyDrive Press Release

Volocopter has announced this week the opening of its production facilities in Bruchsal, Germany. The facility includes final assembly lines and area on the airfield to conduct flight tests and pre-delivery quality checks. Volocopter stated in a press release that they have obtained regulatory approvals to produce up to 50 VoloCity aircraft each year.

Volocopter has held a production certificate with EASA since 2021 and the approvals cover the entire VoloCity production process including manufacture of carbon fiber components, assembly of the electric propulsion unit, and final assembly.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on 4 April 2023 at the Bruchsal facility. The event also featured a crewed flight of the Volocopter 2X. Key guests included Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister of Digital Affairs and Transport; Mr. Winfried Kretschmann, Minister of the State of Baden-Württemberg; Dr. Anna Christmann, Federal Government Coordinator for German Aerospace Policy; and upward of 70 business and political representatives.

“Right here is where the aircraft that will change how humanity moves about cities will take off and make its way across the world. This region is known for transforming mobility – the bicycle, the car, and soon Volocopter, too. Electric air taxis and Volocopter in particular is a technology made in Germany that will make the world a more sustainable place,” said Dirk Hoke, CEO of Volocopter.

“Germany is already a world leader in the development of air taxis, thanks in part to Volocopter’s great pioneering spirit. I would like to support and build on this leading role by creating a framework that enables innovation and progress. We are working with key industry players on a strategy for air taxi operations here in Germany, in which all technical and legal issues are addressed without delay. We are doing this so that the first drones carrying people and goods can take off very soon,” said Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister of Digital and Transport.

Volocopter will spend the next month fully ramping up operations at the new production facility and expects to start offering commercial flight services in 2024.

Why it matters: Volocopter is advancing ahead of the competition with full scale assembly lines and production certificates to manufacture its Volocity eVTOL. While a long road is ahead for full vehicle certification and entry into service, Volocopter has made significant progress and appears on track for commercial operations next year.

Source: VoloCopter Press Release

Archer has completed another round of wind tunnel testing at the RUAG Large Subsonic Wind Tunnel in Emmen, Switzerland. The six-week campaign collected data to validate Midnight’s aerodynamic models, load predictions, performance, stability/control characteristics.

The data will be used to validate against full-scale results in Archer’s upcoming flight test program of its ‘Midnight’ eVTOL. DeHarde, a German based model creator, built a 27.6% scale of Midnight for the wind tunnel testing.

The purpose of this test campaign was to develop a comprehensive dataset to validate Archer’s engineering design tools and to confirm the aerodynamic predictions of the Midnight eVTOL. Overall, 878 measurement sweeps were made by varying model angle of attack and sideslip and capturing force and moment trends for over 400 different model configurations. These model changes included varying control surface deflections, adjusting forward boom tilt angles, and stepping through an airframe component build-up. This build-up started with a bare wing/fuselage and then successively added booms, landing gear, tail, and stopped lifter propellers. This build-up approach allowed Archer to investigate and clearly understand the incremental effects of each airframe component.

The results further reinforce confidence in the capability and performance of the Midnight design. For example, cruise drag predictions trend extremely well with test data, which in turn further validates the confidence in Midnight’s range. The measured stability characteristics reinforce that the V-tail, flaperons and ruddervators are correctly sized and that they have adequate aerodynamic control power, while also confirming that control surface hinge moments meet requirements and that our actuators are properly sized. Testing for simulated ice accretion has given the team a good understanding of the speed additives necessary to protect the aircraft from performance degradations that we would expect to see during an inadvertent icing encounter.

The company has also completed series of wind tunnel testing at Politecnico di Milan, University of Florida, and University of Notre Dame.

Why it matters: Wind tunnel testing represents a significant risk-reduction and validation milestone for Archer. With the tests, Archer can nearly replicate real-life flight conditions and validate various components in the design/configuration of Midnight. This data will tremendously in finalizing the flight test configuration and contribute to the timely entry to service of Archer’s Midnight eVTOL.

Source // Archer Aviation

Related:

• United Airlines Completes $10M Pre-Payment for 100 Archer eVTOL Aircraft (August 2022)
• Archer Unveils its Production Aircraft, Midnight (November 2022)
• Archer Achieves Forward Flight Transition with Maker (December 2022)

Beta Technologies announced recently that they will enhance their focus on the development and certification of a conventional configuration electric aircraft. Beta is labeling the configuration as an eCTOL aircraft (electric conventional takeoff/landing).

The company has been flight testing a conventional fixed-wing version of its eVTOL prototype, which will now become the company’s certification candidate. The aircraft, called CX300, will generate lift from its wings rather than lifting propellers and has already generated orders from the cargo, medical, and defense sectors.

“We continue to progress our ALIA eVTOL design through certification, in harmony with the eCTOL program,” BETA Technologies Founder and CEO Kyle Clark said. “The two aircraft are common in their design, allowing us to economize validation of our high-performance solutions. With the eCTOL aircraft launch, we have further de-risked our path to commercialization and concurrently provide lower cost, more utility, and optionality to operators. This has given us the confidence to industrialize and invest heavily in production at scale over the last year.”

Beta intends to have the CX300 fully certified and ready for delivery by 2025. The company will continue development and certification efforts of its ALIA-250 eVTOL which will be closely based on the design of the CX300.

The company states that manufacturing will begin at the new South Burlington production facility this summer.

Why it matters: Amid regulatory churn and uncertainty over the future market demand and infrastructure required to support the eVTOL space, manufacturers like Beta are taking a middle ground on the innovation curve. By maintaining a conventional fixed wing configuration, operators can take fully advantage of the cost savings from the implantation of an electric aircraft for commercialization, while developers still pursue eVTOL models simultaneously. With planned certification only two years away, Beta has provided itself with a new road to market entry.

Source // Beta Technologies

Related:

Sikorsky has announced plans to build a full scale, autonomous, hybrid-electric technology demonstrator to research commercial and military eVTOL missions. The prototype is dubbed under the program name HEX and will feature a gross weight of more than 7,000 pounds. The uncrewed aircraft will act as a test bed for evaluation of eVTOL aircraft design and propulsion systems. The project also will partner with GE Aerospace and its CT7 turboshaft engine with 1MW-class generator currently under production for the US Army and NASA.

“As Sikorsky celebrates 100 years of flight innovations, it’s fitting to highlight our continued commitment to safe and sustainable transformative flight,” said Paul Lemmo, Sikorsky president. “Sikorsky’s HEX aircraft will provide critical insights into the possibilities of electric systems in VTOL aircraft. Ultimately, we want to show the potential of large, advanced air mobility vehicles to perform utility missions for the U.S. military and transport passengers between cities.”

“Bringing innovative technology is a top priority for GE Aerospace,” said Amy Gowder, President and CEO of Defense & Systems at GE Aerospace. “We are committed to developing hybrid electric propulsion systems that save fuel and optimize performance for the military and commercial applications. We are thrilled to build off our existing work with NASA and the Army to offer to power Sikorsky’s HEX aircraft and bolster the future of flight.”

The Sikorsky Innovations prototyping group will head up the HEX project under the direction of Igor Cherepinsky. Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy system will control flight aboard the HEX aircraft. Developed and tested extensively over the past decade, the software, hardware and sensors that comprise the MATRIX system have demonstrated high flight reliability in low-altitude and obstacle-rich scenarios. During the U.S. Army’s Project Convergence 2022 exercise, a MATRIX-controlled Black Hawk helicopter without pilots or crew on board demonstrated optionally piloted resupply missions.

Why it matters: Lockheed Martin owned Sikorsky Helicopters is one of the pillars of the helicopter manufacturing industry and their technical expertise on hovercraft will be invaluable for producing an eVTOL prototype. By partnering with GE Aerospace, Sikorsky also gains a reputable partner for its propulsion platform. Expect to see more news as the HEX technology demonstrator is built up and test flown.

Australian based AMSL Aero announced in a press release this week that it has completed first flight of its Vertiia eVTOL aircraft.

The Vertiia completed its tethered hover by remote control near Wellington in the Central West of the state in accordance with Civil Aviation Safety Authority regulations.

The maiden test flight is a significant milestone for the AMSL Aero, which expects its electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft to ultimately be competitive with a helicopter of equivalent performance and payload.

The company says the zero emissions Vertiia can carry four passengers and a pilot, with a cruising speed of 300kmph and a range of 1,000 kilometres, three times the range of any eVTOL craft anywhere in the world.

AMSL is headquartered in Sydney and has planned to manufacture Vertii across NSW and the greater Sydney area with suppliers in Victoria and South Australia.

“The Vertiia prototype flew better than we expected. It was remarkably smooth and a delight to fly,” Andrew Moore, CEO of AMSL Aero, said.

Following on the success of first flight, Vertiia will continue to undergo developmental testing followed by a series of tests to begin CASA certification. The company also plans to debut the prototype at the Avalon International Airshow in Victoria later next month.

Co-founder Siobhan Lyndon, a tech industry veteran who spent more than a decade at Google at various operations around the world, said Vertiia would enable greater access to medical services for vulnerable remote, rural and regional communities, offering new models of care through rapid and low-cost connectivity.

“Vertiia is not only safe and quiet, but it was also developed for the harsh long-distance conditions in Australia. If it can work in Australia, it can work anywhere,” she said.

Why it matters: One of the few Australian-based eVTOL makers, AMSL Aero has been relatively quiet since it announced its full scale prototype, Vertiia, in 2020. A successful first flight allows ASML to continue flight tests and move towards commercialization of the eVTOL. ASML Aero hopes to begin deliveries as early as 2026 and would be one of the first to achieve CASA certification.

EHang has reached another milestone in development of its EH216 eVTOL announcing this week they have completed a fully autonomous flight with passengers on board.

The flight was conducted along Tanoura Beach in Oita, Japan under the approval of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism of Japan. Onboard were two passengers and no pilot as the EH216 completed a short, autonomous flight profile.

Sato Kiichiro, Mayor of Oita, Oita Prefecture, Japan, attended the event and delivered a speech saying, “Last July, EH216 completed its Japan’s first point-to-point trial flight in Oita, receiving overwhelming responses. Today, EH216 takes on the challenge of passenger-carrying flight here, and I am very pleased to witness this moment. I hope that today’s passenger-carrying flight test will accelerate autonomous aerial vehicles to take a further step toward practical use cases, so that this industry full of opportunities could be in full swing.”

Xin Fang, Chief Operating Officer of EHang, stated, “Over the past two years, EH216 has achieved one milestone after another in Japan with several rounds of demo and trial flights. This year brought passengers the possibility of riding in the air with this cutting-edge product and technology. All these milestones are inextricably linked to the support and trust of MLIT of Japan, local government departments, and our partners. EHang has also demonstrated the reliability of our AAV products. We will continue working with our partners to promote safe, autonomous, and eco-friendly UAM solutions in Japan so as to benefit more people worldwide with our passenger-grade AAVs.”

Why it matters: EHang has a strong relationship with Japan’s aviation regulatory agency and other industry groups in the area. Last year, the company completed several demonstration flights in the region and the continues to parter with stakeholders in Japan on highlighting the business case and opportunities for the Japanese UAM industry.

Joby this week announced it has completed the second of five stages required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to certify its eVTOL aircraft for commercial passenger use.

In the second stage of the type certification process, a company identifies the ways in which it will demonstrate it has met the regulatory intent of the safety rules (“Means of Compliance”) that were defined during the first stage of the process (“Certification Basis”).

Joby in a press release this week claimed it is the first eVTOL company to reach this milestone, having also been the first eVTOL company to complete stage one and have its Certification Basis published in the Federal Register.

“Certification is an integral part of everything that an aerospace company does and with the achievement of this critical milestone, we’re now able to confidently focus our efforts on closing the remaining certification plans and completing the testing required to certify our aircraft,” said Didier Papadopoulos, Head of Aircraft OEM at Joby.

“We’re grateful for the FAA’s dedication to the safe introduction of eVTOL technology and their commitment to supporting continued US leadership in this sector,” he added.

Joby has also already made substantial progress in the third stage of the certification process (“Certification Plans”), with four area-specific certification plans (ASCPs) submitted to the FAA as of November and the company’s first equipment-level qualification test plan submitted to the FAA, enabling for-credit qualification testing to proceed. Progress also continues in stage four (“Testing and Analysis”) and stage five (“Show and Verify”).

It is typical for a small portion of the Means of Compliance to remain open to allow for further collaboration on minor design changes and improvements that may occur later in the certification process. With 94% of our Means of Compliance now accepted by the FAA, Joby considers the second stage essentially complete.

Why it matters: Achieving this goal moves Joby one step closer to its target of launching commercial passenger service by 2025. With the certification basis and means of compliance under its belt, Joby is well positioned to demonstrate airworthiness of its eVTOL aircraft ahead of others in the aerial mobility space. This advantage allows Joby the unique opportunity to be one of the first to commercialize its eVTOL aircraft upon certification.

AIR and the International SeaKeepers Society have partnered on the use of eVTOL technologies for marine applications. AIR is an Israeli eVTOL maker with a focus on owner-operator aerial mobility. The company launched the AIR ONE at the Kentucky Derby last May and has already accumulated 300 pre-orders. The production model is capable of carrying two passengers or a 250kg payload at speeds up to 155 miles per hour.

AIR is bringing on SeaKeepers as an official brand ambassador and will play a significant role in expanding and enabling the commercialization of AIR ONE with a focus on the yachting community. Incorporating the AIR ONE on yachting expeditions simplifies near-shore commutes on and off the yacht by eliminating the need to carry aviation fuel and a variety of spare parts, removing the obstacle of requiring a professional pilot, and allowing for charging using onboard generators.

“As AIR enters the next stages of growth, we are excited to deliver the value of personal electric flight to additional industries and communities,” said Rani Plaut, CEO and co-founder of AIR. “In addition to helping improve yacht logistics, this partnership enables yachters to add an extra layer of sky-high adventure to sea excursions and is a significant step in our mission to advance air mobility adoption around the world.”

“The eVTOL is a natural addition to yachting missions,” said Jay Wade, Chairman of SeaKeepers. “AIR ONE specifically is a no-brainer for yachters looking for an environmentally friendly, easy-to-integrate flight option to elevate their yacht experience, literally and figuratively.”

AIR has already completed hover and forward flight tests of its AIR ONE prototype and is planning to start deliveries in late 2024.

Why it matters: Business aviation has many synergies with the yachting community and this partnership between an eVTOL maker and a marine non-profit is the first of its kind. With the implementation of electric, emission free travel with the use of eVTOLs, yacht owners will be able to complete sea to land missions with new capabilities and without the limitations of conventional helicopters.