Category: Events

EBACE2019 Panel Discusses eVTOL Concepts, UAM Strategy

26 May 2019 || 4 min read

The European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) is an annual gathering of people from every corner of the business aviation world, including business leaders, government officials, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), contractors, and operators. The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the leading association for business aviation in Europe, and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the leading voice for the business...

EBACE2019 Panel Discusses eVTOL Concepts, UAM Strategy

26 May 2019 || 4 min read

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) expert Cyrus Sigari gave a detailed “State of the Union” briefing on the UAM industry as a whole. He later moderated a panel of eVTOL and UAM experts and business leaders at the exhibition on May 23. The discussion featured a wide array of innovators, from aerospace giant Airbus to startups companies like Volocopter. During the panel, Sigari emphasized the complexity that comes with building up an eVTOL solution and bringing it to market. “You have to build at least four different business units at the same time: manufacturing, certification, training and services,” which makes it “way harder” than simply introducing a new traditional airframe solution.

Sigari leads discussion on current and future eVTOL technology. // EBACE

Our ongoing Comprehensive Market Survey currently captures over 80 of these vehicles designed by companies all working to provide a solution for more efficient and effective urban air mobility. Though the same challenges exist – powering the vehicle, abiding by environmental standards and regulations, and integrating with air and ground infrastructure, to name a few – each solution could take a myriad of forms. EHANG and Volocopter, for example, utilize fixed rotor propulsion which have been optimized for shorter trips, while others such as Airbus’ Vahana utilize variable angle rotors in conjunction with a winged lifting surface for greater efficiency during longer intercity connections. Additionally, companies like Airbus and Lilium are pursuing great examples of what Sigari referred to as a “full-stack operator” model, where a single company aims to design, build, and operate their own UAM technology in a vertically integrated fashion. Ultimately, “we want to sell the ride directly to you,” according to Pascal Traverse, general manager for autonomy research at Airbus.

“Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft are a highly anticipated urban mobility solution that can directly complement business aviation.” EBACE

This panel at EBACE2019 was also an opportunity for discussions regarding regulation and infrastructure, what many argue to be the crux of standing up a viable urban air mobility industry. The potential for highly-trafficked, low-altitude airspace in urban areas, combined with the integration of unmanned systems, mandates that this effort be highly collaborative between eVTOL operators, regulatory agencies, and city legislators. Volocopter’s head of business development, Christian Bauer, cited this as why “we always approach cities and regulators first, because we have to start and land somewhere.”

Why its important: These productive international gatherings of the world’s top business aviation professionals serve as an accelerator for an already rapidly-growing urban air mobility industry. The ideas and relationships formed at these discussions around the globe will continue to serve as the foundation necessary to tackle regulatory and infrastructural obstacles.

TransportUP would like to thank the EBAA and NBAA for hosting another successful year of the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition. The content of this article is derivative of a publication first made on May 23, 2019 on the EBACE webpage.

Japan’s Kyushu University Begins Development of eVTOLs and Electric Aircraft

15 May 2019 || 4 min read

Japan’s Kyushu University has officially begun research and development towards electric aircraft and VTOLs. Kyushu’s Center for Electric Propelled Flight was inaugurated in April of 2019, on the university’s Ito Campus. The initial goal for the team is reportedly to send a working prototype craft into the skies within 10 years. The main reason behind Kyushu’s entry into the field...

Japan’s Kyushu University Begins Development of eVTOLs and Electric Aircraft

15 May 2019 || 4 min read

A theoretical render of an electric aircraft, designed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

The main reason behind Kyushu’s entry into the field lies behind environmental factors. As the number of flight will only increase in the future, the plan is to supplement the demand for transport through electric propelled flight, so that carbon dioxide emission can continue to be reduced.

The inaugural opening ceremony for the center

Kyushu University President Kubo delivers greetings for the inaugural opening ceremony for the Advanced Electric Propulsion Vehicle Research Center

According to Kyushu, their main advantage lies in their superconductor technology. Kyushu’s superconductors are capable of emitting zero electrical resistance when brought under a certain temperature, allowing its electric charge to flow freely. While this is normally not possible, Kyushu has developed a means to “reduce resistance with alternating current — whose voltage periodically changes — to a level near zero”.

The tape-cutting ceremony

The main application for this technology is in the size/weight limitations in their theoretical aircraft. Since the inclusion of superconductors can reduce the size of the electric motor by a sizable margin, their aircraft would be able to remain relatively lightweight while still emitting comparable if not higher propulsive force compared to other established eVTOLs.

A view of the interior of part of the Advanced Electric Propulsion Vehicle Research Center

While Kyushu has begun their entry into the UAM market relatively later than other companies and institutions, they are not worried. According to Masataka Iwakuma, head of the Center for Electric Propelled Flight, “We’re going to use Kyushu University’s technological strength to continue to develop a system that won’t lose to anything coming out of Europe or America.”

Why it’s important: Kyushu’s entry into the UAM market is prompted by the continuous increase in carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. Taking heed of the UN International Civil Aviation Organization’s mandate to cut C02 emission to half of 2005 levels by 2050, Kyushu University intends to enter the industry and come out with their own idea of what the next step in transportation should look like. A prototype craft with superconductor technology integrated into the motor could be very influential in how future eVTOL and aircraft are designed in the mass-production stage of the UAM market.

Sources // Kyushu University, The Mainichi

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Uber Elevate Announces Next Summit on June 11th in Washington D.C

04 May 2019 || 3 min read

Uber Elevate has finalized the agenda for its third upcoming Summit in Washington D.C June 11th-12. This is Uber Elevate’s third official yearly conference. The Elevate Summits gather together leaders from across industry, government, policy, and technology for a 2-day event aimed at promoting the future of Urban Air Mobility. Speakers at this year’s Summit will include executives from the Elevate...

Uber Elevate Announces Next Summit on June 11th in Washington D.C

04 May 2019 || 3 min read

Uber Elevate has finalized the agenda for its third upcoming Summit in Washington D.C June 11th-12.

This is Uber Elevate’s third official yearly conference. The Elevate Summits gather together leaders from across industry, government, policy, and technology for a 2-day event aimed at promoting the future of Urban Air Mobility.

Speakers at this year’s Summit will include executives from the Elevate initiative, Key local, state, US, and international policymakers & regulators, Elevate Network partners across vehicle production, real estate, and engineering, investors in the urban aviation ecosystem, and other industry experts. Notable speakers include Dara Khosrowshahi (CEO of Uber) Elaine Chao (Secretary of Transportation for the United States) Jay Merkle (Executive Director at UAS Integration Office of the FAA), Mitch Snyder (CEO of Bell) and many more.

This year’s conference will begin by overviewing the progress made since the original conception of Uber Elevate three years ago and then highlighting this year’s desired achievements. It will outline the specific regulatory path to market for urban air taxis, speak to manufacturing capabilities and certification, and discuss how airspace will be managed. Ultimately, the event aims to encompass every aspect of making urban air taxis a reality from regulation to safety to manufacturing and engineering.

Uber Elevate 2017 in Dallas, when Pipistrel announced its partnership with Uber Elevate

Uber’s aircraft partners currently include Bell, Pipistrel, Boeing, Embraer and more. Elevate has already announced its intended initial launch markets as Dallas and Los Angeles, and will begin demonstrator flights in 2020 and commercial operations in 2023. It also currently evaluating additional launch markets in Australia, Brazil, France, India and Japan.

Watch the Uber Elevate promotional video:

Why it’s important: Every Uber Elevate conferences mark major steps for Urban Air Mobility. Partnered some of the biggest players in the market, as well as many members of the U.S government, Uber Elevate has the plans to begin commercial operations in Dallas and Los Angeles by 2023, and begin demonstrator flights by 2020.

Sources // Uber Elevate

University of Maryland Drone Delivers First Kidney for Transplant

28 April 2019 || 3 min read

University of Maryland Medical Center made history by being the first to employ an unmanned air system to successfully deliver a kidney for transplantation into a patient with kidney failure. One of the newest investigated applications of unmanned air systems is the transportation of organs for transplant procedures. Even in the urban air mobility industry, Beta Technologies has already partnered with...

University of Maryland Drone Delivers First Kidney for Transplant

28 April 2019 || 3 min read

University of Maryland Medical Center made history by being the first to employ an unmanned air system to successfully deliver a kidney for transplantation into a patient with kidney failure.

One of the newest investigated applications of unmanned air systems is the transportation of organs for transplant procedures. Even in the urban air mobility industry, Beta Technologies has already partnered with United Technologies to ultimately carry organs from manufacturing facilities to hospitals with the help of their Ava eVTOL.

This application of UAS technologies has recently received increased attention due to the complex logistics involved in the organ transplant process. The viability of the organ for safe and effective transplant into a patient is extremely time-sensitive, so chartered or commercial flights are often used for transportation. However, the reliability – due to potential delays – as well as lack of point-to-point capabilities of these methods are major flaws for the strict requirements of the organ transplant process. Instead, unmanned air systems are being fitted to preserve organs and carry them directly to their intended destination. The vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) configurations of the vehicles are allowing greater access directly to hospitals and even rural areas which are may currently require longer flights to deliver the organs.

The University of Maryland recently became the first to ever demonstrate the delivery of an organ using UAS technology, after a successful 3-mile flight to University of Maryland Medical Center, where a woman awaited the replacement kidney. The woman had been on dialysis for the past eight years and was released from the hospital on Tuesday, April 26 after a successful procedure. Check out the footage of the flight and delivery below:

After the successful demonstration, Dr. Joseph Scalea stated that “this new technology has the potential to help widen the donor organ pool and access to transplantation. Delivering an organ from a donor to a patient is a sacred duty with many moving parts. It is critical that we find ways of doing this better.” Dr. Scalea is the assistant professor of surgery at UMSOM, project lead, and one of the surgeons who performed the transplant at UMMC.

Why it’s important: As Dr. Scalea and the University of Maryland Medical Center recently demonstrated, there are widespread applications for unmanned air systems, especially in urban aviation where point-to-point delivery capabilities have the potential to supersede slower, traditional air transportation methods. Additionally, the effort marked a new level of approval from the FAA, as it and Baltimore police also had to sign off on the flight. This could pave the way for similar proof-of-concept demonstrations in the near future.

// This article was first published by AAAS and EurekAlert! //

Flying Cars and the Environment: A Study from University of Michigan

22 April 2019 || 4 min read

The University of Michigan released a study, published in the Nature Communications on April 9th, comparing the efficiency of conventional ground transportation to a theoretical eVTOL aircraft. The study compared the energy consumption of these vehicles in various scenarios, accounting for various numbers of people and distances. The research team found that for the first 40 km (25 mile), eVTOLs...

Flying Cars and the Environment: A Study from University of Michigan

22 April 2019 || 4 min read

The University of Michigan released a study, published in the Nature Communications on April 9th, comparing the efficiency of conventional ground transportation to a theoretical eVTOL aircraft.

The study compared the energy consumption of these vehicles in various scenarios, accounting for various numbers of people and distances. The research team found that for the first 40 km (25 mile), eVTOLs had vastly higher energy consumption, with emission tripling that of an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) and 6 times that of a battery engine vehicle (BEV). However, past that 40 km mark, the energy consumption for eVTOLs fell drastically, with eVTOLs being actually more efficient than ICEVs, and slightly above that of BEVs. This was also under the assumption that eVTOLs would be carrying more passengers compared to ICEVs or BEVs. For the actual emissions per passenger for a trip lasting 100 km (~60 miles), eVTOLs were 52% cleaner than ICEVs and 6% cleaner than BEVs.

graph comparing emissions between eVTOLs and regular transportation

ICEV: Internal combustion engine vehicle; VTOL: Vertical takeoff and landing; BEV: Battery electric vehicle.

The finding that eVTOLs may provide more efficiency than ICEVs and BEVs, combined with the fact that eVTOLs would provide quicker trips and less traffic, has huge implications for the future of the transportation industry. A key fact to consider, according to study co-author Jim Gawron, a graduate student at Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability and its Ross School of Business, is that “You’re able to essentially spread out the emissions more per person… Having multiple passengers also allows you to take more vehicles off the road.”

graph comparing travel times between eVTOLs and cars

“Our model represents general trends in the VTOL space and uses parameters from multiple studies and aircraft designs to specify weight, lift-to-drag ratio and battery-specific energy,” said co-author Noah Furbush

Considering that current transportation is responsible for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S, with 60% of those emissions come from light duty vehicles like passenger cars, it is probable that we see a shift soon to more BEVs and eVTOLs as opposed to the current dominance of ICEVs.

conceptual image of eVTOLs in an urban city

“We did not imagine that flying cars would have any role in a sustainable mobility system,” said study leader Akshat Kasliwal, a graduate student at the University of Michigan’s Center for Sustainable Systems. “We were surprised to see that they do.”

Why it’s important: University of Michigan’s recent study adds support to the benefits that urban air mobility possesses over conventional transportation, and may lead to increased interest from the general public. While purely a theoretical study, the University of Michigan’s findings may hold significance for the companies interested in entering the UAM industry, specifically in how they should decide structuring their approach into not only creating an actual prototype and final product, but also what specific types of services they will provide with the most benefits.

Sources // University of Michigan, Nature Communications

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The EHang 216 Takes Flight in Vienna

08 April 2019 || 4 min read

On April 4th, the EHang 216 made its first successful public test flight in the Generali Arena in Vienna, Austria. The flight lasted only a few minutes, and the drone was restricted to an altitude of about 30 ft. inside the stadium, as the drone was not yet certified to fly in Austrian airspace. However, the Chinese firm EHang remained...

The EHang 216 Takes Flight in Vienna

08 April 2019 || 4 min read

FACC CEO Robert Machtlinger told reporters that the project had already carried out 7,000 flying hours, 2,000 of which have been manned.

The EHang 216 is completely autonomous, and can fly at up to 80 mph for nearly half an hour. Equipped with two passenger seats, it can carry a total load of up to 570 lb. The 750 lb. drone features 8 sets of rotors, for a total of 16, which currently emit a noise level of 90 decibels, possibly uncomfortable for passengers and onlookers. The firm expresses future intentions to bring down the noise level to at least 75 decibels. A 17 kilowatt battery allows the EHang 216 to travel at consumption levels “comparable to an electric car in an urban environment.”

“Our biggest challenge is not technology, it’s not regulation, it’s people’s mentality,” says EHang’s chief marketing officer Derrick Xiong

EHang, currently partnered with FACC, an Austrian aerospace company owned by Chinese aerospace group AVIC, expresses plans to begin mass-production of the drone soon, with a goal of 300 drones by mid-2021. So far, the company reported that they have already received thousands of offers, with the highest interest coming from China, as well as companies aiming to utilize short-haul services for passengers, industrial equipment and urgent medical deliveries.

“Technically… urban mobility, flying without a pilot is possible, it’s not a dream, it’s existing. What is hindering us to go into larger volumes is regulation,” said FACC Chief Executive Officer Robert Machtlinger.

EHang says it eventually hopes to use to the drone to carry passengers at low altitude over distances of up to 35 kilometers but for now still needs to be cleared for use by aviation authorities. However, both EHang and Austria remain optimistic. Austrian Transport Minister Norbert Hofer, who was present at Thursday’s demonstration, said that “I hope that Austria will be the place where thousands of these drones, of these air taxis will be built and I hope that very soon we will see a lot of these air taxis in the air.”

The EHang model is expected to cost around £170,000 but would not be available for private buyers.

Why it’s important: EHang’s competitors are also working toward offering autonomous flying cars early in the next decade, ranging from aerospace giant Airbus to Uber and AeroMobil. The race to feature the first legally regulated passenger drone has massive implications for who will stand at the forefront of the UAM industry, and what kind of options future consumers will have in regards to urban air transportation. If successfully enacted, the regulations for the EHang 216 could be set the framework for how UAM is regulated across the world in the future.

Sources // EHang, Reuters

Boeing Go-Fly Phase II Winners Announced

04 April 2019 || 4 min read

GoFly is an international competition to design, build, and fly a personal flying device. Grand Sponsor Boeing and Corporate Sponsor Pratt and Whitney have been able to reach a group of highly qualified competitors from across the globe. Thus far in the competition, 3,500 teams from 101 different countries have entered a design to be considered. Ten of those teams...

Boeing Go-Fly Phase II Winners Announced

04 April 2019 || 4 min read

GoFly is an international competition to design, build, and fly a personal flying device.

Grand Sponsor Boeing and Corporate Sponsor Pratt and Whitney have been able to reach a group of highly qualified competitors from across the globe. Thus far in the competition, 3,500 teams from 101 different countries have entered a design to be considered. Ten of those teams were announced as the Phase I winners earlier in 2018, and the designs thoroughly impressed judges with their ingenuity and technical prowess.

GoFly CEO Gwen Lighter explained that “just like there there are many different types of cars available to drive, so too the diversity that we are seeing in the many different types of personal flying solutions that have been submitted will allow the public to be able to choose the best method for whatever they are doing at that particular moment. In that sense, it’s very exciting to see all the different permutations.” While the majority of the UAM industry is focused on multi-passenger transport, the mission for GoFly competitors is to transport just a single person.

Last week, GoFly announced the five winners of Phase II of the competition, each taking home $50,000. Three of the winning teams were from the USA, one from the Netherlands, and one from Russia and Latvia. Check out the vehicles each team designed below:

The FlyKart2 is an “electric, single-seat, VTOL aircraft designed to be inexpensive to build, own, and operate.”

“The Aria is a high-TRL compact rotorcraft designed to minimize noise and maximize efficiency, safety, reliability, and flight experience.”

“The SI is a canard-wing configuration around a person in motorcycle-like orientation powered by two electric motors with ducted rotors.”

“The Airboard 2.0 is a multicopter for human flight.”

“The ERA Aviabike is a tilt-rotor aerial vehicle type that combines the VTOL capabilities of a helicopter with the range and speed of fixed-wing aircraft. ERA Aviabike is a flying bike.”

Phase II of the GoFly competition was the first time physical prototypes were unveiled for each team, and Phase III will require full-scale flying machines. However, phase III is not limited to just the five winners of phase II. Any team, regardless of having won a previous phase, or even entered in a previous round, can still register in the final fly-off competition. The winner will take home a grand prize of $1 million.

Why its important: GoFly has created an arena for some of the brightest aerospace minds to solve a complex transportation problem. The aerospace industry has previously seen these design-build-fly style competitions as a successful platform for crowdsourcing innovative ideas and to jumpstart development at a commercial level. It is a great way for engineers and industry professionals to collaborate and advance technologies in the UAM industry.

Source // GoFlyPrize.com

Aviation Week Network’s UAM Conference on April 9-10

01 April 2019 || 3 min read

“Is Urban Air Transport the answer to the problem of dense urban spaces and congested transportation systems in the world’s major cities?” Aviation Week Network intends to answer that question and other UAM-related topics through their Urban Air Mobility Conference next week in the Georgia World Congress Center at Atlanta. Featuring over a hundred companies and various individuals, as well as...

Aviation Week Network’s UAM Conference on April 9-10

01 April 2019 || 3 min read

“Is Urban Air Transport the answer to the problem of dense urban spaces and congested transportation systems in the world’s major cities?”

Aviation Week Network intends to answer that question and other UAM-related topics through their Urban Air Mobility Conference next week in the Georgia World Congress Center at Atlanta. Featuring over a hundred companies and various individuals, as well as associations such as the FAA and NASA, this conference represents a prime opportunity for manufacturers, regulators, disruptors, technology innovators, municipal leaders, and the infrastructure and investment community to gather together to discuss commercialized urban aviation and developments in the UAM community.

The main topics in the agenda will include:

UAM Market Forecast
The Airframers/Competition in the UAM industry
UAS Traffic Management: Adaptation and Integration
Reimagining the Future of Transportation with Personal Flight
Regulations for UAM: Compliance, Quality, and Safety for the Global UAM Market
Public Private Partnerships in UAM
Electric Distributed Propulsion: Progress, Power and Reliability
UAM Supply Chain in 2023
Barriers: Noise – Emissions – Public Perception of UAM
Infrastructure: Vertiports in Cities and Airports
Investment in Start-ups and Infrastructure

To learn more about each of these events, take a look at Aviation Week Network’s official conference agenda.

In addition to taking a look at the various sectors and developments in the UAM industry, startups will also be given an opportunity to pitch their best ideas to potential investors at the UAM Innovation Pitch Session.

The conference is produced by Aviation Week Network and supported by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). It takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9 and 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10.

A representation of all the companies and associations attending the conference.

Why it’s important: This conference gives the opportunity for those participating or interested in the UAM community and market to take a look at the various innovations developed among those in the community, learn more about issues and barriers to developing the UAM industry, and provides a spotlight on the UAM industry for companies and individuals alike to gain and provide insight.

Source // Aviation Week Network UAM

Astro Aerospace undertakes NASA UAM Grand Challenge

27 March 2019 || 2 min read

Astro Aerospace has been accepted to participate in the NASA Urban Air Mobility Grand Challenge. Astro Aerospace is most known for their development of the Elroy, an autonomous 2-person eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) passenger drone. The Elroy is designed with densely populated areas in mind, and is considered environmentally friendly with zero emissions and low noise. After successfully...

Astro Aerospace undertakes NASA UAM Grand Challenge

27 March 2019 || 2 min read

Astro Aerospace has been accepted to participate in the NASA Urban Air Mobility Grand Challenge.

From NASA’s website: “The vision to revolutionize mobility within metropolitan areas is one of the most exciting frontiers in modern aviation. NASA remains committed to supporting accessible air transport systems for passengers and cargo by working with the UAM community to identify and address the key challenges ahead.”

Astro Aerospace is most known for their development of the Elroy, an autonomous 2-person eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) passenger drone. The Elroy is designed with densely populated areas in mind, and is considered environmentally friendly with zero emissions and low noise. After successfully completing flight trials with the Elroy in late 2018, Astro Aerospace is ready to take on the NASA UAM Grand Challenge.

The Elroy, an autonomous eVTOL passenger drone capable of seating two.

The Grand Challenge itself will be a series of tests, of which the first (GC-1) will begin in 2020. According to NASA’s own website, the first challenge that Astro Aerospace and others in the UAM community accepted will be to “promote public confidence in UAM safety and facilitate community-wide learning while capturing the public’s imagination.”

Why it’s important: Astro Aerospace’s entry into the NASA UAM Grand Challenge, along with those of all other participants, is just one step in NASA’s goal “to ‘raise the water level’ for the entire UAM community”. The Grand Challenge itself is an important channel to raise awareness and support for developing a widespread UAM ecosystem and market. Astro Aerospace’s and others’ designs in the Grand Challenge will help provide the innovation and competition necessary to create a stir in the UAM industry.

Sources // Globe Newswire, NASA, Astro Aerospace

Test Ride EHang’s Autonomous Air Vehicle This April

14 March 2019 || 4 min read

The Chinese Original Equipment Manufacturer, EHang, is one of the many companies progressing the urban air mobility industry as the idea of autonomous air taxis approaches reality. However, “innovation requires acceptance”. That is why EHang has joined a strategic partnership with FACC, the Austrian aviation company, and ProSiebenSat.1 PULS 4. ProSiebenSat.1 PULS 4 is a company with a mission to promote...

Test Ride EHang’s Autonomous Air Vehicle This April

14 March 2019 || 4 min read

ProSiebenSat.1 PULS 4 is a company with a mission to promote the mobility systems of the future. Through a media platform, they have cultivated an ecosystem to address the “future of mobility issues” and have organized a festival around this same idea. “The 4GAMECHANGERS Festival 2019 represents the starting gun for a broad media treatment in information, discussion, and docutainment formats on several broadcasters and on partner media.” At the Festival from April 9-11, attendees will have the chance to take a ride in EHang’s autonomous air vehicle for the first time.

EHang Partners with FACC for manufacturing

EHang’s partnership with composites manufacturer FACC will optimize the EHang 184 for production.

ProSiebanSat, FACC, and EHANG plan to take their autonomous air vehicle (AAV) to series production in Austria. Within the partnership, EHang is the “inventor and expert for all questions having to do with autonomous flying, especially with respect to connectivity and software solutions”, according to a recent press release. The triad’s goal is to advance and accelerate the future of air urban air mobility, and they “view the project as a chance for Austria and Europe as a whole to position themselves as pioneers”. By expediting the creation of a test area and coordinating with politicians and aviation authorities, the group hopes to tackle the challenge of regulation.

For technical specifications on EHang’s AAV, visit the Hangar.

While the regulatory hurdles are high, ProSiebenSat.1 PULS 4 has created www.urban-air-mobility.io as a platform to increase the accessibility and public exposure of these challenges, as well as the progress that is being made to address them. Also, EHang CEO Mr. Huazhi HU states that “given stable 5G infrastructures, autonomous flying will soon be reality, offering customers a new dimension of convenience.” Interestingly, it is likely that autonomous flying vehicles will be in service even before commercialized autonomous cars due to the simplicity of aerial transit route design.

Why it’s important: EHang, FACC, and ProSiebenSat.1 PULS 4 have detailed a plan to produce their AAV in Austria, while also encouraging other urban air mobility companies by providing a path for regulation and public acceptance. Additionally, the GAMECHANGERS Festival will provide the first public opportunity to ride in an autonomous air vehicle slated for commercialization. These milestones mark great advancement in the urban aviation industry as a whole.

TransportUP Partners with Experimental Aircraft Association to Host Urban Air Mobility Showcase at AirVenture 2019

27 February 2019 || 5 min read

CUTTING-EDGE INNOVATION AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2019’s NEW URBAN AIR MOBILITY SHOWCASE …………………………… TransportUP – The Latest News for Urban Aviation sponsors venue, programs EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (February 27, 2019) — EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, long known for showcasing the latest flight technology, welcomes cutting edge innovation to this year’s event with...

TransportUP Partners with Experimental Aircraft Association to Host Urban Air Mobility Showcase at AirVenture 2019

27 February 2019 || 5 min read

CUTTING-EDGE INNOVATION AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2019’s NEW URBAN AIR MOBILITY SHOWCASE

……………………………

TransportUP – The Latest News for Urban Aviation sponsors venue, programs

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (February 27, 2019) — EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, long known for showcasing the latest flight technology, welcomes cutting edge innovation to this year’s event with the addition of the Urban Air Mobility Showcase as part of the “World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.” The showcase is part of Aviation Gateway Park at the 67th annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention, to be held July 22-28 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.

Sponsored by TransportUP – The Latest News for Urban Aviation, EAA’s Urban Air Mobility Showcase will highlight autonomous air vehicles, hover bikes, personal air vehicles and leader VTOLs (Vertical Takeoff and Landing vehicles). There are also scheduled speakers, forums, and an executive roundtable that brings industry leaders together to discuss the rapid evolution of this technology.

“The world of flight is continually advancing and Oshkosh has been the site where innovations have been showcased for a half-century,” said Dave Chaimson, EAA’s vice president of marketing and business development. “Urban air mobility and the next wave of experimental aircraft are moving forward at a breathtaking rate, with ideas, investments and possibilities emerging that will change the way we transport ourselves. TransportUP’s support allows EAA to bring these technologies and concepts to the worldwide audience that attends AirVenture each year.”

The Urban Air Mobility Showcase is one of the four featured areas at EAA’s Aviation Gateway Park, which also encompasses the Aviation Innovation Showcase, the Education and Career Center, and the Park’s forum pavilion. The focus throughout Aviation Gateway Park is on innovation and possibilities within the world of flight.

“Oshkosh has long been synonymous with showcasing innovation and progress in aviation,” said Naish Gaubatz, Editor of TransportUP. “It’s the perfect place to introduce the exciting breakthroughs in Urban Air Mobility that are on the horizon, and given TransportUP’s close connection to this community, AirVenture is an ideal location for the support and showcase of this technology from new and existing aviation partners.”

Complete schedules of forums and activities, as well as participating companies, will be announced as they are finalized.

About TransportUP

TransportUP is committed to sharing the progress of the democratization of aviation and the advancement of urban air mobility with the world. Through events, partnerships with industry stakeholders, and internal research and analysis, TransportUP serves as one of the only syndicates for information in existence for Urban Air Mobility, and is fostering the ideal environment for knowledge sharing. TransportUP hosts an Urban Aviation Podcast and Urban Aviation Newsletter that overview the latest progress in the UAM industry and document the most important developments for the disruptive industry of urban aviation. Learn more about TransportUP at www.transportup.com or visit on Facebook and Instagram.

About EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is “The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration” and EAA’s yearly membership convention. Additional EAA AirVenture information, including advance ticket and camping purchase, is available online at www.eaa.org/airventure. EAA members receive lowest prices on admission rates. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or visit www.eaa.org. Immediate news is available at www.twitter.com/EAA.

This Year’s Top Urban Air Mobility Highlights

13 January 2019 || 2 min read

2018 (and even early 2019) has been a big year for urban air mobility, with companies the world over preparing for impending launches of their passenger drones and air taxis. Here’s the past year’s biggest highlights: You can read more about the above-featured stories here: ...

UAM Aircraft Prototypes On Display at CES

05 January 2019 || 4 min read

From January 8-11, Las Vegas, Nevada will host the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show, known as the “global stage for innovation”. According to the Consumer Technology Association – the owner and producer of the trade show – “CES is the world’s gathering place for all those who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground...

UAM Aircraft Prototypes On Display at CES

05 January 2019 || 4 min read

Doug Newcomb, Senior Industry Analyst of Mobility at Wards Intelligence, will moderate a conference addressing several companies that are building flying cars for both commercial and leisure purposes. Massimo Martinotti, Head of Mobility Solutions at Italdesign, and Jeff Warra Sr., Automotive Technology Specialist at Spirent Communications, will discuss where is this industry headed, which players are taking us there and what’s the vision for this near-future mode of transportation.

Here are a few of the prototypes that will be showcased at CES this year:

Visit The Hangar to read more about the Cartivator Skydrive’s technical specifications.

The Cartivator SkyDrive is being developed in Toyota, Japan, with a business base in Tokyo. The group is volunteer-oriented, utilizing donated equipment to pull together their flying car concept design, and have set their sights on using one to light the flame at the opening of the Olympic games in Tokyo in 2020. A scaled-down replica of Skydrive, “Toyota’s flying car”, is to be shown at CES.

The Cartivator group highlights that “our team consists of people with diverse professional backgrounds and is working hard every weekend towards developing the flying car.”

“We aim to build a prototype, establish theory of flight control, as well as form alliances with major corporations to make mass production of the flying car a reality.”

Next Future Transportation has not yet displayed their eVTOL prototype – CES 2019 will be the first public look.

Next Future Transportation (NFT) co-founders are husband and wife, Guy and Maki Kaplinsky. The team is currently developing a multi-modal electric zero emission and advance hybrid system eVTOL capable of piloted or autonomous flight. The passenger flying car, with two or four seats, can carry passengers directly from their starting point to their destination (door-to-door). Their vision will be on display at the show, with a media session on Sunday.

“We believe we have a winning design that will enable us to make the Model T of flying cars — a low-cost production model,” Guy Kaplinsky told AFP News in a Silicon Valley office park where a prototype model was being assembled.

Kaplinsky then explained, “we learned from Tesla that Elon Musk spent too much time on the production side. [Instead] we are spending our time on the technology side and will partner with companies on assembly.”

For more information about the company or prototype, see our previous article: Next Future Transportation Inc. Sets Sights on Affordable Door-To-Door eVTOL

Why its important: CES 2019 will provide these emerging UAM companies immense visibility and further ignite discussion regarding the urban aviation industry. CES is the trade show of the year for a look into the world’s most cutting edge and innovative technologies to come.

Discussing the Future of Flight: The Lindbergh Innovation Forum

27 December 2018 || 3 min read

The Lindbergh Foundation, created in 1977 by Charles Lindbergh, General James Doolittle, Sir Edmund Hillary, and other friends of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, is continuing to provoke discussions on the future of flight and the innovations of the next 20 years of aerospace. The Foundation hosted a 2018 Lindbergh Innovation Form at EAA AirVenture which brought leaders from across...

Discussing the Future of Flight: The Lindbergh Innovation Forum

27 December 2018 || 3 min read

The Foundation hosted a 2018 Lindbergh Innovation Form at EAA AirVenture which brought leaders from across specialities in aerospace to discuss the most important trends of the industry, and where the biggest changes were to come to fruition.

Building on the success of the 2018 iteration, the Lindbergh Foundation is hosting another Lindbergh Innovation forum on January 9th, 2019 at the AIAA SciTech Form in San Diego, CA.

The Lindbergh Innovation Forum will host attendees from Boeing, NASA, Aerion Supersonic, AirMap, GoFly and Ampaire. Erik Lindbergh, President of VerdeGo Aero and grandson of Charles Lindbergh, will host the event. Some topics of the event will include unmanned air traffic management, the path to high performance electric aircraft, personal flying devices, and more.

The following speakers have been confirmed at the event:

Mike Hinderberger; SVP, Aircraft Development; Aerion Corporation
Dr. John Langford; Chairman and CEO, Aurora Flight Sciences and President, AIAA
Gwen Lighter; CEO and Founder, GoFly
Ben Marcus; Co-Founder and Chairman; AirMap
Kevin Noertker; Co-Founder and CEO; Ampaire, Inc.
John Petersen; Chairman, The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation
Dr. Edgar Waggoner; Director, Integrated Aviation Systems Program; Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate; NASA

Why it’s important: The Lindbergh Innovation Forum will continue to incite important discussions regarding the future of flight and the emergence of new segments of the aerospace industry. Hosting these talks early, and often, will help the industry learn in a communal frame as opposed to a competitive one, which will ultimately provide for more significant, and prompt, progression of technology, regulations, and general public awareness and acceptance,

2019 Detroit Auto Show to Host Workhorse Group’s Surefly Octocopter Exhibition

22 December 2018 || 3 min read

The 2019 Detroit Auto Show, also known as the North American International Auto Show, provides a global stage for companies on the cutting edge of industry-shaping technology to debut brand-defining vehicles. It is one of the largest auto shows in the United States. The Workhorse Group tweeted on Tuesday December 18 to “get ready, Michigan because we’re bringing the #SureFly...

2019 Detroit Auto Show to Host Workhorse Group’s Surefly Octocopter Exhibition

22 December 2018 || 3 min read

The Workhorse Group tweeted on Tuesday December 18 to “get ready, Michigan because we’re bringing the #SureFly to ⁦@NAIASDetroit⁩ January 14th-17th!” On those dates, the Automobili-D show will gather over 200 companies showcasing innovations on topics such as urban mobility, smart cities, building a mobility workforce, and autonomous technologies. From the NAIAS website, “Detroit is where future mobility innovations meet the pavement” – or in Surefly’s case, the skies.

Surefly’s 4 arms and 8 contra rotating props allow maximum airflow and lift, achieving a top speed of 80 miles per hour.

Workhorse articulates the Ohio-based technology company to be “focused on changing the way the world works by providing sustainable and cost-effective transportation solutions. As an original equipment manufacturer, Workhorse designs and builds high performance battery-electric vehicles, including trucks, aircraft and drones.”

Given the Group’s strong rising presence in the automotive industry with the N-GEN and E-100 Vans, and W-15 Pickup, it is no surprise to see the team exhibiting their technology at the Detroit Auto Show in January of 2019. The Workhorse Group’s two-seat hybrid eVTOL octocopter is designed to be capable of passenger and cargo transit, as well as other applications such as first/emergency responders, military, agriculture, and more.

Safety is a top priority for Workhorse. Surefly is designed with a fully redundant system, a battery backup system that allows for 10 minutes of extended flight time, and a ballistic parachute located in the center of the arms for emergency landings.

To learn more about the specifications and features of the Workhorse Surefly, have a look at our Surefly Vehicle Page.

Why it’s important: This is an opportunity for Workhorse to showcase the Surefly’s technology and capability on a global stage. There is great potential to raise public awareness of the Urban Aviation industry and even increase consumer reservations for the Surefly.

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Uber Elevate has finalized the agenda for its third upcoming Summit in Washington D.C June 11th-12.

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University of Maryland Medical Center made history by being the first to employ an unmanned air system to successfully deliver a kidney for transplantation into a patient with kidney failure.

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GoFly is an international competition to design, build, and fly a personal flying device.

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UAM Market Forecast

The Airframers/Competition in the UAM industry

UAS Traffic Management: Adaptation and Integration

Reimagining the Future of Transportation with Personal Flight

Regulations for UAM: Compliance, Quality, and Safety for the Global UAM Market

Public Private Partnerships in UAM

Electric Distributed Propulsion: Progress, Power and Reliability

UAM Supply Chain in 2023

Barriers: Noise – Emissions – Public Perception of UAM

Infrastructure: Vertiports in Cities and Airports

Investment in Start-ups and Infrastructure

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Astro Aerospace has been accepted to participate in the NASA Urban Air Mobility Grand Challenge.

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CUTTING-EDGE INNOVATION AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2019’s NEW URBAN AIR MOBILITY SHOWCASE

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