Category: Operators

USAF Agility Prime Solicitation Kicks Off Tomorrow

24 February 2020 || 4 min read

The United States Air Force plans to release a solicitation for its Agility Prime program: an exchange of government resources in exchange for knowledge transfer, aerial demonstration flights, and potential buyouts of various aerial mobility companies that elect to participate. The Agility Prime program is the flagship eVTOL program for the USAF, as an increasing number of military organizations across...

USAF Agility Prime Solicitation Kicks Off Tomorrow

24 February 2020 || 4 min read

The Agility Prime program is the flagship eVTOL program for the USAF, as an increasing number of military organizations across the world become more and more interested in applications of aerial mobility technology as supplemental (and eventually in replacement of) current mobility offerings for both manned and unmanned missions.

USAF Acquisition Chief, Dr. Will Roper, told reporters of the Prime Project: “It’s going to be a challenge-based acquisition plan, so we’ll have different durations of flight and payloads that have to be carried. And if you pass the hurdle then you’ll move further down the wickets of getting safety certified by the Air Force and moving on to a procurement contract.”

Dr. Roper also added that the intent of the project was to identify candidates that can conduct repeatable and regular flights of their eVTOL designs “in 2020” meaning that companies searching for seed funding, or that were earlier on the in preliminary design phases wouldn’t be ideally suited for Agility Prime.

Avionics International reports on the specific requirements the USAF has established for participating aircraft: “Aircraft applying to participate must make their first full-scale flight prior to December 17, 2020, and be capable of carrying 3-8 personnel greater than 100 miles at speeds exceeding 100 mph, with an endurance over 60 minutes — capabilities that very few currently-flying eVTOLs claim to have.”

Additionally, Agility Prime serves as an early certification pathway for many aerial mobility companies, which could potentially aid in speeding the certification process for civilian flight operations – a commonly cited hurdle in successful deployment of commercial air taxi operations. Economic validations will be conducted on the following five topics (and these criteria will be evaluated against the claim of aerial mobility becoming a more efficient means of transport than any existing medium today)”

Lower maintenance cost due to simplified mechanical design
Improved safety and declining personnel demands, using autonomy
Affordable quantity, based on potential mass production
Improved acoustics, employing distributed propulsion
Greater flexibility and reduced infrastructure needs, with runway independence

Why it’s important: The Agility Prime program represents a large commitment from the USAF to be at the forefront of aerial mobility technology, while also serving as a method of benefit for existing eVTOL manufacturers. The offering of test ranges and Air Force certification processes represents one fo the largest tangible commitments by a large government agency to advance the aerial mobility industry to date. While the USAF’s funding is unconfirmed, reports from various independent news outlets state that the USAF has achieved the necessary funding to commence its solicitation.

Volocopter Extends Series C funding to €87 million with DB Schenker’s Investment

23 February 2020 || 3 min read

Volocopter and DB Schenker announced an investment by the global logistics service provider into the aerial mobility startup as Volocopter extends its Series C funding to now a total of €87 million. Volocopter’s Series C funding now includes DB Schenker, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group, MS&AD Ventures, and TransLink Capital (Japan Airlines and Sompo Japan Insurance), Lukasz Gadowski and btov also...

Volocopter Extends Series C funding to €87 million with DB Schenker’s Investment

23 February 2020 || 3 min read

Volocopter’s Series C funding now includes DB Schenker, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group, MS&AD Ventures, and TransLink Capital (Japan Airlines and Sompo Japan Insurance), Lukasz Gadowski and btov also invested. The funding is most likely aimed at the certification for Volocopter’s project: VoloCity, as well as funding a second-generation VoloDrone and hiring more industry experts. As of now, Volocopter’s total funding is at €122 million.

VoloCity is Volocopter’s autonomous electrical VTOL aircraft project where they plan to offer air taxi services across metropolitan areas across the world. Recently, Volocopter completed a public flight over the Marina Bay Reservoir in Singapore. “We are convinced that the Volocopter technology has the potential to bring transport logistics to the next dimension for our customers”, says Jochen Thewes, CEO of DB Schenker. “DB Schenker has already tested autonomous and electrical vehicles in several innovation projects and in actual operations. By integrating the VoloDrone into our supply chain of the future, we will be able to serve our clients’ demand for fast, remote, emission-neutral deliveries. We are thrilled to now be part of this drive for innovation in a fantastic team.”

According to Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter, “The new shareholder structure strengthens our global network of strategic and financial partners significantly. Bringing urban air mobility to life for passengers and goods is a great ambition and with our new partners, we bring the expertise and necessary long-term funds on board to make this innovative form of mobility a reality.” Volocopter also recently appointed Yifan “Frank” Li, Vice President of Geely Holding Group Co, Ltd., and Jochen Thewes, CEO of DB Schenker, as new additions to its Advisory Board.

Why it’s important: Volocopter continues to secure their future development as their Series C funding round now finishes at €87 million. The company remains one of the most promising aerial mobility startups in the industry, and comes closer to offering their products and services within the decade.

Source // American Journal of Transportation

Volocopter and Grab conduct air-taxi feasibility study in Southeast Asia

19 February 2020 || 4 min read

From Volocopter Press Release German Urban Air Mobility company Volocopter (Bruchsal) and Southeast Asia’s super app Grab (Singapore) announced that they will conduct a joint feasibility study on urban air mobility as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the prospect of urban air mobility solutions in the region’s megacities. The feasibility study will look into the most...

Volocopter and Grab conduct air-taxi feasibility study in Southeast Asia

19 February 2020 || 4 min read

From Volocopter Press Release

German Urban Air Mobility company Volocopter (Bruchsal) and Southeast Asia’s super app Grab (Singapore) announced that they will conduct a joint feasibility study on urban air mobility as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the prospect of urban air mobility solutions in the region’s megacities.

Image // Volocopter, in Singapore

The feasibility study will look into the most suitable cities and routes to deploy air taxis in Southeast Asian cities; evaluate the best use cases for air taxis, and explore the possibility of joint flight tests, among other things.

The findings will lay the groundwork for potential future cooperation between both companies which could include launching services related to urban air mobility. Both companies aim to help solve mobility issues and improve the quality of life through technological innovations.

Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter: “This cooperation is another important step towards the commercialization of Urban Air Mobility in one of the most traffic congested regions of the world. Together, we will learn from unprecedented insights into the economic and societal opportunity of launching our services on the hottest routes in the Southeast Asian Market. This collaboration also offers the potential for a much larger cooperation which could eventually extend intermodal mobility to the skies.”

Volocopter has been pioneering the development of urban air mobility since the company proved in 2011 that electrically powered vertical flight is indeed possible for humans. With flights in Dubai, Las Vegas, Helsinki, Stuttgart, and most recently Singapore, the technology is maturing towards certification quickly. For the flight over Singapore’s Marina Bay, the company worked closely with the local Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). Recently, Volocopter has been certified as a Design Organisation by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and works in close collaboration with them to receive the necessary permits to start commercial operations.

Chris Yeo, Head of Grab Ventures, said: “As a superapp that operates across 339 cities in Southeast Asia, Grab has gathered traffic patterns and customer insights in the region that can help our teams come up with the most innovative mobility solutions to plug the gaps in the transport landscape. This partnership will enable Volocopter to further develop urban air mobility solutions that are relevant for Southeast Asian commuters so they can decide on their preferred journey option based on their budgets, time constraints and other needs, in a seamless way.”

Why it’s important: This partnership is hugely important for both Grab and Volocopter since the TAM in Singapore and southeast Asia for aerial mobility applications is quite large – and the pace of aerial mobility technology development in those areas is extremely quick as well. Volocopter’s continued efforts to expand their global reach and become a commonly-known air taxi and mobility company (for now in the realm of the aerial mobility industry, at least) is furthered by the announcement of this MOU.

Auterion and Quantum-Systems Partner on VTOL sUAS

16 February 2020 || 4 min read

Auterion Government Solutions Inc (AGS Inc) and Quantum-Systems GmbH announced that they have partnered to bring The Vector and Scorpion small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) to the U.S. Government Defense and Security markets. Combining Auterion OS, a secure, scalable, open-source, operating system, with Quantum-Systems hardware, the partners plan to provide a useful “ a 2-in-1 system kit” for the US...

Auterion and Quantum-Systems Partner on VTOL sUAS

16 February 2020 || 4 min read

The Vector and Scorpion form a unique 2-in-1 system kit. Scorpion is a tri-copter that can be utilized for dynamic urban environments that require a combination of maneuverability and hover to collect ISR and Situation Awareness information. Vector is of similar design to the Scorpion, except configured at the base fuselage with fixed wings and tail section, designed as an energy-efficient, fixed-wing VTOL for longer range, longer endurance ISR missions. With this partnership, both systems will be integrated with Auterion Enterprise PX4 software, Auterion Ground Station™ software, and the Auterion Hand-Held Ground Control Station (H-GCS), forming an open ecosystem that aligns with the DoD’s Group 1 UAS Architecture and requirements for a common Group 1 control system.

David Sharpin, CEO of AGS Inc said, “We are excited to be working with Quantum-Systems to bring forth a new, integrated, rucksack portable sUAS that we feel will transform the way our customers collect, process and disseminate ISR and Situation Awareness information, in all environments. AGS Inc and Quantum-Systems are standing up manufacturing operations in the US and are utilizing assured subsystems and software to provide a secure solution offering for our customers.”

Florian Seibel, CEO of Quantum-Systems said, “Teaming up with AGS Inc will change the market in many ways. AGS Inc is a key partner in the development and deployment of DoD’s Group 1 UAS Architecture. Together with our new tactical platforms Vector and Scorpion, this will meet the requirements and needs of the U.S. Government Defense and Security markets. We will enable our global customers to either run our proprietary stack or be integrated with AGS Inc’s enterprise software and H-GCS from now on. By setting up a US entity, Quantum-Systems will move closer to the customer while working on setting up a large scale US production.”

Learn more about AGS Inc here.

Learn more about Quantum-Systems here.

Why it’s important: While AGS Inc and Quantum-Systems’ work isn’t directly linked to the aerial mobility market, having their work added to the US Defense and Security markets lends credence to the possibility that a variation of these systems could be integrated in the near future for commercial UAS aircraft as well.

Source // UAS Weekly

Singapore to Develop Aerial Mobility Service with Airbus

12 February 2020 || 4 min read

Singapore and Airbus have secured a deal to lay the foundations for potential services with both passenger and larger cargo carrying air vehicles throughout Singapore. The island-nation-state’s plan to improve regional connectivity builds on an earlier agreement established in 2016 between Airbus and Singapore’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAS) for proof-of-concept trials of a cargo-carrying Skyways unmanned air system. Under the memorandum of...

Singapore to Develop Aerial Mobility Service with Airbus

12 February 2020 || 4 min read

Under the memorandum of understanding, Airbus and CAAS will develop an unmanned traffic management (UTM) system to support the early phase of the air mobility service. The two will also collaborate on developing a framework for safety and operating standards as well as study issues such as public acceptance. The framework will be based upon many of the learnings that have come out of Airbus’s Skyway program, which studied the ability to pre-program safe aerial routes for autonomous drones to execute short-range parcel deliveries.

According to Jean-Brice Dumont, executive vice president of engineering for Airbus, “Skyways was a laboratory for UAM at a smaller scale. Now we need to go the extra mile, so with this agreement we are doing that. There are still questions of the business case and technology. In terms of business, we can see an appetite in the market, even though it’s a niche right now for more emergency needs where time is of the essence or where its value-added, like shore-to-ship deliveries.”

Volocopter Air Taxi Makes First Urban Manned Flight in Singapore

Technology studies will focus on traffic management as well as “the overall system, guarantees, performance, safety and cost,” says Dumont. “We are flying with a couple of vehicles and in that sense, we are already there. But when you are flying with 20 or 100 vehicles at the same time along given routes then you are defining a system and that’s what we are doing with UTM.” The vehicles that Airbus plans to implement in this program will likely be similar to what has already been developed and tested by the manufacturer. Just last month, the CityAirbus made its first untethered flight in Donauwörth, Germany, and the Vahana wrapped up its flight testing Pendleton Airport in Oregon.

Airbus Vahana amidst a test flight at Pendleton Airport in Oregon, USA. Credit // Airbus

This memorandum of understanding between Singapore and Airbus mirrors a similar agreement between Bell, Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corp. to explore on-demand air mobility services in Japan. The partnership was announced just days prior, and centers on the use of the recently unveiled Nexus 4EX eVTOL, which plans to address air mobility studies as well as the required infrastructure and regulatory environment.

Why it’s important: Top urban air vehicle manufacturers are beginning to seek opportunities around the globe to stand up small-scale implementations of their technologies in a realistic environment. These applications and opportunities are signaling the increased readiness of the vehicles to be tested in a realistic environment in which the services can eventually be scaled to fulfill commercial passenger transportation needs. Incremental steps in these introductory applications are the key to proving the safety of the technology and garnering the required public acceptance in order to eventually make aerial mobility widespread.

Source // Aviation Week

What new Breeze Airlines has to do with Aerial Mobility

11 February 2020 || 5 min read

What could today’s air carriers tell us about future aerial mobility operations? Recently founded Breeze airways serves as a case study for the operational framework that aerial mobility operations intend on capitalizing upon in order to connect the most people through disruptive transportation methods. David Neeleman, who founded JetBlue over 20 years ago, announced plans to start Breeze airlines, his...

What new Breeze Airlines has to do with Aerial Mobility

11 February 2020 || 5 min read

David Neeleman, who founded JetBlue over 20 years ago, announced plans to start Breeze airlines, his fifth airline startup, earlier this week. Neeleman has previously launched Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue and Azul. Breeze will be a Utah-based carrier, and Neeleman has stated that his flights intend to serve underserved and unappreciated city pairs using primarily A220 and E195 aircraft.

According to The Chicago Tribune, Neeleman’s approach is to “prioritize a customer-centric system by taking methods from Uber and Amazon and launching an app-based toolkit that would allow passengers to find tickets, change or update travel plans, and add other travel necessities such as car rentals and accommodations”.

Image // USA Today

This approach, and the larger approach from Breeze to operate underserved city pairs with more efficient commercial-sized aircraft, reflect the general sentiment of the economics of the aerial mobility industry – create a point to point nodal network of operations, in lieu of a hub and spoke model – to realize the largest benefits for reduction of connecting flights (in airline speak) or additional car or bike/scooter trips (in aerial mobility speak).

While this comparison is far from direct, it helps to emphasize the high level direction of the commercial airline industry, and underscore the acknowledgment of executive leadership in commercial aviation operations to start to shift their mindsets.

Neeleman also commented on the ease and customer experience with aptly named Breeze: “The goal is to have our customers … never having to speak with anybody, if they don’t want to,” Neeleman said. “Add a car, add a hotel, cancel a flight, make changes, it will all be there at your fingertips. Completely hassle-free flying.” This sort of approach is exactly that of BLADE UAM and other on-demand aerial mobility companies that intend on users being able to book an entire trip through an app in a matter of minutes.

Regarding flight operations, Breeze Aviation is also shifting towards aircraft that perform exceptionally well on a nodal, small to medium size passenger base route: 30 Embraer 195 aircraft from Azul are leased that are expected to start flights in May, and Neeleman has ordered 60 new Airbus 220-300 aircraft that are expected to start flights in April 2021, company officials said.

The Airbus A220, currently being operated by Delta Airlines in The States, is performing exceptionally well on medium-haul routes, leveraging recent avionics, propulsion, and customer and cabin experience technologies that gain widespread passenger approval. The E195, part of the Embraer E-Jets family, is a top performer on routes that are slightly shorter than that of the A220.

According to Neeleman, Breeze could earn more than $1 million in tax rebates on plans to make over $3 million in capital investments and hire about 370 employees.

Why it’s important: While Breeze Airways is a new short to medium haul airline, the goals that Neeleman has emphasized with regards to customer experience in booking through travel lifecycle, paired with the focus on nodal transport networks and newer, fuel efficient commercial aircraft represent a paradigm shift that many larger carriers will inevitably adopt over the coming years. The airline industry is a difficult one to navigate – and Breeze’s pathway towards profitability will likely serve as a good barometer for larger cultural shifts in the aviation industry in years to come. Aerial mobility has already adopted (and may be argued is a pioneer of) the approach that Breeze Airways is taking towards transportation.

UPS, Matternet Launch Drone Transport Program with UC San Diego Health

05 February 2020 || 5 min read

According to the University of California San Diego, the drone service is slated to begin in February 2020, with goals of enhancing efficacy, reliability, and predictability of delivering medical products between hospitals and laboratories. This month, UC San Diego Health will launch a pilot project to test the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to transport medical samples, supplies and documents...

UPS, Matternet Launch Drone Transport Program with UC San Diego Health

05 February 2020 || 5 min read

Credit // Matternet

This month, UC San Diego Health will launch a pilot project to test the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to transport medical samples, supplies and documents between Jacobs Medical Center and Moores Cancer Center and the Center for Advanced Laboratory Medicine (CALM), speeding delivery of services and patient care currently managed through ground transport.

The program is a collaboration with UPS, which received in September 2019 the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Part 135 Standard certification and authorization to use unmanned aircraft systems for a drone delivery program, and Matternet, a Mountain View, California-based drone systems developer for health care institutions. This latest effort builds upon the UPS and Matternet drone project already taking place at WakeMed Health and Hospitals, a private, non-profit health care system based in Raleigh, N.C.

The drones will transport medical samples, such as blood draws, and documents between clinical sites and laboratories, reducing the time necessary for testing, analyses and diagnoses. Currently, such materials are transported by ground courier. Credit // UCSD News Center

“Currently, medical samples that must be transported between health care sites are carried by courier cars, which are naturally subject to the variabilities of traffic and other ground issues,” said Matthew Jenusaitis, chief administrative officer for innovation and transformation at UC San Diego Health. “With drones, we want to demonstrate proof-of-concept for getting vital samples where they need to be for testing or assessment more quickly and simply. It’s another way to leverage emerging technologies in a way that can tangibly benefit our patients.”

The project calls for medical professionals at Jacobs Medical Center, located on the east health campus of UC San Diego in La Jolla, to pack payloads, such as blood samples or documents, into a secure container that attaches to one of Matternet’s M2 rechargeable battery-powered drones.

The drones will follow predetermined, low-risk flight paths, initially between Jacobs Medical Center and special landing sites at Moores Cancer Center, located less than a mile away and within visual line of sight under the FAA’s Part 107 rules, and then subsequently at CALM, which is near the Jacobs Medical Center. The flights will take only minutes to complete and will be monitored by remote operators. The drones will carry no cameras.

The pilot project at UC San Diego Health is in collaboration with UPS and Matternet, a drone systems developer. Credit // UCSD News Center

“Right now, most biological samples must travel between sites by courier car, within designated hours,” said James Killeen, MD, clinical professor of emergency medicine and director of information technology services at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “That leaves the system vulnerable to the vagaries of road congestion, accidents, construction and more. Travel time can be slow and unpredictable. A drone can fly over such obstacles in a much more direct way, and take just a few minutes to cover the same distance.”

Why it’s important: In May 2018, the FAA designated the city of San Diego as one of nine lead participants in the regulators’ Integration Pilot Program. UC San Diego was also approved by the FAA to test the use of drones in transporting lab specimens and pharmaceuticals throughout its health system. This partnership reinforces the strong trajectory of UPS and other logistics companies following the company’s milestone of becoming a full Part-135 FAA-certified drone airline.

Source // UCSD News Center

Toyota-Backed Joby Aviation Raised $590 Million in Series C Funding

15 January 2020 || 4 min read

With ten years of research and development experience, Joby Aviation has become a leader in the development of eVTOL aircraft which combine elements of helicopters and small airplanes, offering benefits that include high reliability, zero emissions, fast flight speeds and quiet operations. The company is developing an aircraft that offers lower operating costs and lower costs of maintenance, while enhancing reliability...

Toyota-Backed Joby Aviation Raised $590 Million in Series C Funding

15 January 2020 || 4 min read

Joby Aviation’s aircraft prototype

Joby Aviation’s aircraft is a piloted, five-seat vehicle capable of both vertical takeoff and landing and highly efficient, wingborne forward flight. It is capable of speeds of 200 miles per hour and can fly over 150 miles on a single charge. The aircraft is 100 times quieter than conventional aircraft during takeoff and landing, and near-silent when flying overhead. The passenger experience is optimized for comfortable ride-sharing operations and efficient entry and exit.

Joby just announced that it has closed its Series C funding round with a total of $590 million in financing. Toyota demonstrated its commitment to providing “Mobility for All” by contributing $394 million of the total. In addition to Toyota’s large investment in Joby, the transforming automotive manufacturer will share its expertise in manufacturing, quality and cost controls for the development and production of Joby Aviation’s breakthrough eVTOL aircraft. Joby’s design is well matched to serve the needs of an emerging air transportation market where commuters and travelers embrace the benefits of aviation on a daily basis within and between urban centers. More details of the prototype aircraft and production plans will be announced at a later date.

Joby Aviation founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said: “This collaboration with Toyota represents an unprecedented commitment of money and resources for us, and for this new industry, from one of the world’s leading automakers. Toyota is known globally for the quality and reliability of their products driven by meticulous attention to detail and manufacturing processes. I am excited to harness Toyota’s engineering and manufacturing prowess to drive us toward our dream of helping a billion people save an hour+ commuting time every day.”

Credit // Joby Aviation

“Air transportation has been a long-term goal for Toyota, and while we continue our work in the automobile business, this agreement sets our sights to the sky,” said Toyota President and CEO Akio Toyoda. “As we take up the challenge of air transportation together with Joby, an innovator in the emerging eVTOL space, we tap the potential to revolutionize future transportation and life. Through this new and exciting endeavor, we hope to deliver freedom of movement and enjoyment to customers everywhere, on land, and now, in the sky.”

Why it’s important: The collaboration between Joby and Toyota reflects Toyota’s recognition of the long-term potential of the urban air mobility market to meet the evolving needs of society, as well as Joby’s position as an industry leader in working to deliver safe and affordable air travel to everyone. Both companies believe that leveraging synergies with the automobile technologies as well as integrating best practices from the Toyota Production System will help facilitate the efficient mass production of these aircraft, while also helping Joby deliver high quality, durable and reliable aircraft, and meeting exacting safety standards.

Source // Joby Aviation

New eVTOL Visual Flight Control Hardware To Be Developed by Daedalean and Honeywell

13 January 2020 || 4 min read

New eVTOL Visual Flight Control Hardware To Be Developed by Daedalean and Honeywell

13 January 2020 || 4 min read

Swiss startup Daedalean, a developer of software for autonomous flight control, vision-based navigation, terrain guidance and landing, and Honeywell, a leader in the aerospace industry for avionics hardware, have announced that they have entered into a join technological and financial partnership. This partnerships facilitates cooperation between the two companies as they endeavor to develop fully autonomous AI pilots for general aviation and aerial mobility operations. While AI pilots are the ultimate goal for these two companies, their current hardware solution bridges the gap between fully crewed and complete autonomous flight decks.

The partnership is two-pronged: Honeywell Ventures has joined the Swiss startup’s pool of investors (terms and quantity of investment still unknown) and Honeywell and Daedalean plan to engage in joint testing and technological partnership to develop solutions for autonomous takeoff, landing and GPS-independent navigation and collision avoidance for GA aircraft and aerial mobility aircraft as well.

Luuk van Dijk, founder and CEO of Daedalean, stated that “Developing flight control software requires lots of flight data. That’s why the collaboration with prominent industry partners such as Honeywell is critical for us to speed up the development of our technology. We are preparing for the joint flights testing our solutions for various types of aircraft, and excited to carry out trials on the planes we haven’t tried before.”

This partnership aims to effectively solve the flight controls hurdles that must be overcome in order for the aerial mobility industry to become successful on larger commercial scales than the current charter helicopter industries.

It’s reported that Honeywell’s hardware package is roughly the size of a paperback book.

The Vertical Aerospace Seraph, powered in part by Honeywell’s flight control systems.

Daedalean is a Swiss company that has expertise in robotics, computer vision and machine learning. Daedalean intends on using those innovations to advance the flight control methodology and systems architecture for both general aviation and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The key development and IP of this partnership is a flight control systems’ ability to process visual images, similar to human-like situational awareness, which could theoretically simplify pilot operations greatly and allow pilots to focus on the most mission critical decision and Aeronautical Decision making tasks that are required of professional pilots.

Why it’s important: This collaboration leverages the considerable resources of Honeywell and the technical expertise of a niché company like Daedalean. The approach of hybridizing current crewed operations for flight with the ultimate goal of fully autonomous operations will become increasingly popular in the coming years as the aerospace industry finds a medium between a massive operation leap and smaller steps towards an ultimate goal of redefining the typical methods for manned flight operations.

Source // Inside Unmanned Systems

EmbraerX and Elroy Air Partner on Autonomous eVTOL Delivery Service

12 January 2020 || 3 min read

EmbraerX and Elroy Air have signed a collaboration agreement for the purpose of developing autonomous eVTOL delivery services worldwide. EmbraerX and Elroy Air officially signed an agreement at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on January 8th, 2020. Although neither company disclosed specifics such about time frame, range, or cost, they announced that they are now exchanging information and...

EmbraerX and Elroy Air Partner on Autonomous eVTOL Delivery Service

12 January 2020 || 3 min read

EmbraerX and Elroy Air have signed a collaboration agreement for the purpose of developing autonomous eVTOL delivery services worldwide.

EmbraerX and Elroy Air officially signed an agreement at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on January 8th, 2020. Although neither company disclosed specifics such about time frame, range, or cost, they announced that they are now exchanging information and designs with each other. Together, they hope to produce key results in the near future.

“The objective of this collaboration is to bring Embraer’s 50 years of experience to Elroy Air, and for Elroy Air to bring to Embraer the mindset of a startup,” said Antonio Campello, president and chief executive of Embraer, “We have a vision of the future that urban air mobility, of people or cargo transport, will bring lots of benefit to society and it is also a huge business opportunity.”

Currently, Elroy Air’s VTOL, the Chaparral, can operate using airport infrastructure and can carry 250-500 lbs (114-136kg) of cargo over 300 miles (480km). Elroy is targeting certification in 2022 via the FAA’s 21.17(b) Very Light Airplanes designation. The intended purposes for the aircraft include commercial, humanitarian aid and military missions. The Chaparral possesses a hybrid-electric powertrain with no charging station required, and can autonomously load and unload cargo.

The Elroy Air Chaparral in flight. The Chaparral is large, weighing over 1200lbs.

“Elroy is a good cultural fit for us,” Campello added. “They have a bold vision and are proposing something that also has everything to do with our vision of the future.”

Why it’s important: In addition to VTOL hardware, EmbraerX aims to create a smart air traffic control (ATC) system for the aerial mobility industry. CEO of Embraer Antonio Campello sees Elroy as the perfect partner for this vision. The mutually beneficial partnership will give Elroy Air access to a wide range of Embraer’s resources during aircraft development, while EmbraerX looks to gain new insight for their own “innovation” projects from Elroy’s designs.

Source // Aviation Today

Moog’s Purchase of the Workhorse SureFly Was a Good Deal – For Moog

06 January 2020 || 2 min read

The Aerospace controls design and manufacturer found a good deal in SureFly TransportUP reported in December that Workhorse’s SureFly Octocopter was planned to be purchased by Moog, Inc, a Torrance, CA based aerospace controls manufacturer. Following the sale and Workhorse’s filing of a 8-K/A report with the SEC that disclosed the price paid by Moog for SureFly, the story has...

Moog’s Purchase of the Workhorse SureFly Was a Good Deal – For Moog

06 January 2020 || 2 min read

The Aerospace controls design and manufacturer found a good deal in SureFly

TransportUP reported in December that Workhorse’s SureFly Octocopter was planned to be purchased by Moog, Inc, a Torrance, CA based aerospace controls manufacturer.

Following the sale and Workhorse’s filing of a 8-K/A report with the SEC that disclosed the price paid by Moog for SureFly, the story has changed somewhat. Approximately $4 million was paid for the sale of SureFly, seemingly a good deal for Moog, Inc. Original estimates for the sale were pegged to $30-million plus, but other compensation or agreements that might not be public information may have aided Moog in closing their deal at such an attractive price.

The other portion of the deal is HorseFly – a last-mile delivery UAS that Workhorse has split 50/50 with Moog. HorseFly’s IP may be valuable enough to Moog (considering the outward facing publicity of said hardware focused on the hardware itself, not the drone) that the smaller sum paid for SureFly was more palatable a transaction for Workhorse after all.

In many instances, the intellectual property and systems integration of last-mile delivery services are commonly cited as the value-add tech in these scenarios – the physical drone could easily be replaced for less than $1,000 with an off-the-shelf model (albeit some modifications required).

Why it’s important: Investors initially reacted very energetically to the deal between Workhorse and Moog – the $30MM valuation of Workhorse’ SureFly technology was large enough to turn many heads, especially in an industry such as aerial mobility, where funding is not as readily attainable as other industries with lower capital requirements and start up costs.

U.S. Air Force Initiative Looks to Benefit Commercial Aerial Mobility

04 January 2020 || 4 min read

The U.S. Air Force looks to launch a new initiative to help with the certification process for commercial air taxi services The USAF’s initiative will be based around an unmanned aerial vehicle to be used for military missions in a 100-mile radius. The military looks to lend its experience and technical knowledge on aerial flight to any number of companies...

U.S. Air Force Initiative Looks to Benefit Commercial Aerial Mobility

04 January 2020 || 4 min read

The U.S. Air Force looks to launch a new initiative to help with the certification process for commercial air taxi services

The USAF’s initiative will be based around an unmanned aerial vehicle to be used for military missions in a 100-mile radius. The military looks to lend its experience and technical knowledge on aerial flight to any number of companies that are looking to enter the aerial mobility industry; particularly with a focus in high-tech safety and security.

The U.S. Air Force’s new urban air mobility initiative is focused on enhancing its military operations as well as the development of urban mobility initiatives. (Photo: U.S. Air Mobility)

One of the ideas in consideration is a research challenge towards helping companies go through the process of certification with the Federal Aviation Administration, a certification process that is relatively new and still under refinement. The challenge would be modeled after the DARPA Challenge; inviting companies to participate in the USAF’s military installations to work on aircraft systems in applications for military purposes, which would additionally provide the benefit of helping companies get an early start in the certification process for their own aircraft.

At the Air Force Research Lab on Wright-Patterson AFB, the service is preparing to evaluate commercial air taxi vehicles for military use. (Brian Garrett-Glaser)

According to Will Roper, assistant secretary of the U.S. Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, as quoted for Aviation Today:

We should be out influencing the direction of a mainly commercial market in a way that helps the military, but also helps accelerate that market. That’s how we’ll win the [innovation] competition.

The ultimate goal, according to a military spokesperson for the Air Force, is for the USAF to help accelerate the development of aerial mobility in an efficient and safe manner while improving the military’s own flight technology. One of the core components of the initiative will involve an unmanned aerial vehicle that will need to transport up to four military personnel up to 100 miles for a variety of missions, ranging from search and rescue to special operations.

Why it’s important: The active involvement of the USAF in the operations of commercial air taxi companies indicates an active interest of the US government in promoting the development of aerial mobility technology. This initiative could rapidly accelerate the certification process for several companies, a greatly desirable partnership for companies in active competition in a new budding market.

Source // RIDE

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Joby Aviation, Uber Air Partner to Launch Air Taxi Service by 2023

22 December 2019 || 4 min read

Joby is the first company to commit to Uber’s 2023 launch of its air taxi service. Rideshare group Uber and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation have announced a partnership to launch urban air-taxi services in selected locations from 2023. California-based Joby Aviation has become the first of seven partner companies in Uber’s Elevate urban air...

Joby Aviation, Uber Air Partner to Launch Air Taxi Service by 2023

22 December 2019 || 4 min read

Joby is the first company to commit to Uber’s 2023 launch of its air taxi service.

Rideshare group Uber and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation have announced a partnership to launch urban air-taxi services in selected locations from 2023. California-based Joby Aviation has become the first of seven partner companies in Uber’s Elevate urban air mobility initiative to commit to a timetable for launching operations. The other companies are Bell, Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, Embraer, Pipistrel, Karem Aircraft, and Jaunt Air Mobility. Uber has named Dallas, Los Angeles, and Melbourne as prospective launch cities, but the logistics of deploying its air taxi fleet remain underdeveloped.

Image result for joby aviation the verge

A mockup of Joby Aviation’s S4 eVTOL aircraft prototype.

Joby is developing a four-seat eVTOL aircraft called the S4 and appears to have plans for a larger S5 model. The covert aircraft development team has mentioned a complete full-scale prototype of the S4, but otherwise has kept plans for certification and manufacturing expansion under wraps. The few publicized renderings show a plane-drone hybrid with 12 rotors and room in the cabin for four passengers, though a spokesperson previously cautioned that what Joby is working on now is “entirely new.” The company has yet to provide any recent photographs or images of its prototype aircraft; however, all public information about Joby’s developments are can be found in the TransportUP Hangar.

Joby is the brainchild of inventor JoeBen Bevirt, who started the company in 2009. The company operated in relative obscurity until 2018, when Joby announced it had raised a surprising $100 million from a variety of investors, including the venture capital arms of Intel, Toyota, and JetBlue. The money helped finance development of the company’s air taxi prototype, which has been conducting test flights at Joby’s private airfield in Northern California.

JoeBen Bevirt had the following to say about the partnership:

We’re excited to partner with Uber. By bringing our next-generation aircraft and urban flight operations to Uber’s on-demand ground mobility network, we aim to get people to their destinations five-times faster than driving, reduce urban congestion and accelerate the shift to sustainable modes of transit.

Photo // Joby Aviation

Why it’s important: While Uber has performed considerable research and development on its own eVTOL prototype for the future air taxi service, it will ultimately rely on the consistent manufacturing technologies of a specialized airframer to provide and maintain vehicles. The demands of operating a transportation service are far greater than would allow for a single company to simultaneously develop its own aviation technologies. Therefore, Joby Aviation is slated to fill this important role, and has committed to support the aggressive timetable of a 2023 launch.

Source // AINOnline; The Verge

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Hanwha Systems Gains Approval for $25 Million Investment in Overair

17 December 2019 || 4 min read

Hanwha Systems will officially enter the urban aerial mobility market as of Dec. 8th, as the CFIUS has approved Hanwha’s $25 million USD investment in Overair Hanwha earlier announced their intentions to invest a 30% stake in Overair, formerly known as K4 Aeronautics. Recently, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) approved the $25 million USD investment...

Hanwha Systems Gains Approval for $25 Million Investment in Overair

17 December 2019 || 4 min read

Hanwha Systems will officially enter the urban aerial mobility market as of Dec. 8th, as the CFIUS has approved Hanwha’s $25 million USD investment in Overair

Hanwha earlier announced their intentions to invest a 30% stake in Overair, formerly known as K4 Aeronautics. Recently, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) approved the $25 million USD investment into the promising air taxi company. With the approval secured, Overair, now overseen by Hanwha Systems, will go ahead with the development of its passenger eVTOL, the Butterfly.

Hanwha System’s investment is centered around the development of the Butterfly

The Butterfly is an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) optimized for urban aerial mobility services. The aircraft was conceptualized with noise reduction and efficiency in mind; the Butterfly is currently able to fly 100 kilometers at 240 km/hr (60 miles at 150 mph) or faster with five people — four passengers and one pilot — on board.

Overair and Hanwha intend to develop the Butterfly for civilian transportation systems with the aim of receiving a certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States. Hanwha Systems is also looking to expand its investment in Overair with the intention of spreading into the South Korean personal air vehicle (PAV) sector, which is gaining traction with the Korean Ministries of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, Trade, Industry, and Energy.

Earlier this year, Hanwha Systems announced their intentions to invest in Overair, then known as K4 Aeronautics.

Overair was spun off from the eVTOL technology company Karem Aircraft and is one of the named partners of the Uber Elevate air taxi project. Abe Karem, an aviation expert with experience in designing 14 flying machines was founder of Karem Aircraft and is now co-founder and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Overair.

Why it’s important: With the approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment, one of the largest technology conglomerates in the East Asian region has taken the first step to entering the urban aerial mobility sector. With a strong initial investment in Overair, a partner to Uber Elevate, Hanwha Systems looks to corner the air taxi and PAV market internationally and domestically, and now is making their presence known in the rapidly growing new industry.

Source // Business Korea

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German Drone Startup Wingcopter Receives Seven-Digit Investment from Singapore

16 December 2019 || 5 min read

Wingcopter builds drones for humanitarian, parcel delivery, and logistics applications German drone start-up Wingcopter announced last Friday that they’ve secured seven-digit financing. The investment as gained from Singapore-based Corecam Capital Partners. Wingcopter develops and produces autonomously flying delivery drones for social and civilian applications that align with the companies’ overall principle: “Technology with a Purpose”. Wingcopter features a patented tilt-rotor...

German Drone Startup Wingcopter Receives Seven-Digit Investment from Singapore

16 December 2019 || 5 min read

Wingcopter builds drones for humanitarian, parcel delivery, and logistics applications

German drone start-up Wingcopter announced last Friday that they’ve secured seven-digit financing. The investment as gained from Singapore-based Corecam Capital Partners. Wingcopter develops and produces autonomously flying delivery drones for social and civilian applications that align with the companies’ overall principle: “Technology with a Purpose”. Wingcopter features a patented tilt-rotor mechanism that intends to blend the advantages of commercial drones, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, to increase overall efficiency.

Wingcopter is led by founders Tom Plümmer (CEO), Jonathan Hesselbarth (CTO) and Ansgar Kadura (COO), who intend to bring grow their 35 person team, speed up the development of the next Wingcopter generation, and expand the global maintenance and sales network available for their technologies. Wingcopter currently serves various clients in 10 countries.

Martin Lechner, Managing Partner of Corecam Capital Partners, commented on the investment:

The investment in Wingcopter is the ideal addition to our existing portfolio in the fast-growing drone technology market. Their unique tilt-rotor mechanism as well as the strong global patent protection and the interest of blue-chip customers were decisive for us”

Wingcopter cites the fusion of multiple drone types, in that Wingcopter drones can take off and land vertically in the smallest of spaces while tiltrotors enable accelerated forward flight. This smooth transition enables ranges of up to 75 miles/120 kilometers in one flight and a Guinness world record speed of 150 miles/240 kilometers per hour. Even in strong winds of up to 55 mph/90 km/h or bad weather condition, Wingcopter was able to complete test flights with acceptable results. The long-range drone is targeted for use in life-saving deliveries of medical products such as medicines, vaccines, blood or lab samples as well as for the delivery of parcels or food.

Wingcopter CEO Tom Plümmer commented on the financing round:

We are pleased to have won Corecam as a renowned investor with extensive experience in the drones sector. The financing will help to significantly speed up our growth, meet the already high domestic and international demand and focus on the most promising markets with regards to global expansion. Our vision is to sustainably improve the lives of people around the world with our technology.

Wingcopter has carried out various projects in which medical supplies were delivered over long distances to remote regions, including a six-month pilot project with DHL and the German development agency giz in Tanzania and a project on the South Sea island of Vanuatu, where Wingcopter, on behalf of the local Ministry of Health and supported by UNICEF, successfully tested the supply of vaccines for children over several months. In both tests, the Wingcopter reduced the patients’ waiting time from several hours or days to a few minutes.

In Ireland, Wingcopter partnered with Vodafone and local customer SIS to deliver insulin beyond visual line of sight for the first time in Europe and over a distance of 14 miles/21 kilometers during harsh wind conditions. Further successful projects have been carried out in Japan, England, Malawi, Ethiopia, Norway, Canada and the Arctic, where the drone’s performance has been demonstrated under extreme conditions (- 44 °F/- 42 °C).

Wingcopter is currently planning to test a new delivery application in the USA together with a tier-one partner, and is in talks with select investors for their next round of financing.

Why it’s important: Wingcopter’s announcement of a significant fundraising round is grounds for highlighting the companies’ recent successes in creating a feasible multi/tilt-rotor configured eVTOL drone. While the current physical scale of Wingcopter’s drones do not support transportation of heavier payloads (commercial passenger operations) further maturation of the technology could ultimately result in products that allow for transport of greater quantities and volumes of goods, with eventual application to passenger transport. Furthermore, the demonstration of value of Wingcopter’s technology to those in remote communities that greatly benefit from the services provided by these drones is crucial to reinforcement of the societal benefits that eVTOL technology brings to disruptive transportation.

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