Category: Operators

Hyundai Motor Company and General Motors recently announced that they are pushing ahead with developing flying cars, with the South Korean company expressing optimism it could have an air-taxi service in operation as soon as 2025.

A GM executive said it could take until 2030 for air-taxi services to overcome technical and regulatory hurdles and reach commercialization. Munoz, who is also CEO of Hyundai North America, previously said urban air taxis would be in operation at major U.S. airports by 2028 and perhaps earlier. He told Reuters in a recent interview that it could possibly happen before 2025. “We see this market as a significant growth opportunity,” Munoz said, adding he was “very confident” of the technology’s development.

“I think that there’s a long pathway here,” Pamela Fletcher, vice president of GM’s Global Innovation team, said at the Reuters event. “2030 is probably a real commercial inflection point.” She added: “It’s a very nascent space. There’s a lot of work to be done on the regulatory side, as well as the actual technology side.”

GM flying car concept unveiled at CES 2021. Source // Reuters

The zero-emissions aircraft, which take off and land like helicopters and carry passengers and cargo, are being developed by a number of startups as well as aircraft makers and automakers. The companies in pursuit of this new technology and service are currently at various stages in the road to commercialization; a handful have demonstrated numerous successful flights and have already begun certification efforts with regulatory agencies, while others attempt to establish a foothold with a worthy full-scale prototype.

Meanwhile, Hyundai is ahead of its previously stated timetable for rolling out air-mobility vehicles, Jose Munoz, the company’s global chief operating officer, said in an interview broadcast on Monday at the Reuters Events Car of the Future conference. Hyundai first showcased the flying-car concept it developed in collaboration with ride-hailing company Uber in early 2020. The vehicle will be 100 percent electric and use rotors to cruise at an altitude of about 1,000 to 2,000 feet above the ground, taking off and landing like a helicopter. Hyundai is targeting a passenger capacity of five to six people, and its vehicle will be deployed primarily from highly congested urban centers to airports.

Why it’s important: The urban air mobility continues to be touted by industry professionals as the next frontier of transportation infrastructure across the globe. Morgan Stanley predicts the flying car market will reach $320 billion by 2030 as automakers such as General Motors, Toyota and others are developing the technology, and Hyundai’s expedited efforts toward the establishment of an aerial mobility service will likely motivate the company’s competitors to pursue similar efforts in the near future.

Source // Reuters

VoltAero, famous for its fixed wing hybrid-electric aircraft concept, has now partnered with KinectAir to operate its eCTOL aircraft starting in 2023. 

The company VoltAero was founded by ex-Airbus CTO Jean Botti, and is currently developing a hybrid-electric conventional take-off and landing vehicle (eCTOL) with deliveries expected in 2023. With its innovative hybrid powertrain, Cassio can seat 4 to 10 passengers and has a range of 800 miles. Voltaero has also announced intentions for semi-autonomous capabilities available at product launch to improve crew resource management.

A leader in the regional aerial mobility space, Botti has also secured key industry partners including Safran Electrical & Power to supply motors for Cassio. Botti said the choice to design a hybrid eCTOL over an all-electric eVTOL configuration was determined by a few factors. According to Botti, Being able to use existing infrastructure was a key determinant, as it would help reduce costs and increase ease of initial operations.

He also stated: “I am going to keep going hybrid. First of all, for the range. Second, for security because you have two sources of energy. So, if anything happens, we can use the other one. We have learned enough from the two electric airplanes at Airbus, to know that if you want to optimize the ratio of mass-to-power, a pure electric aircraft will need a lot of batteries.”

KinectAir offers on-demand air charter services in Cirrus and Pilatus Aircraft. The firm will partner with VoltAero to operate hybrid-electric aircraft by 2023.

VoltAero’s partnership with on-demand charter provider KinectAir leverages the company’s existing customer base and promises to roll out widespread commercial operations across Europe and the United States in 2023. Kinect Air believes having hybrid-electric aircraft like Cassio can help them realize its $1 per seat-mile vision for regional air travel.

“We can take off and land in under 3,000 feet in both of our current aircraft in the fleet and with the Cassio. That exposes an order of magnitude more local airfields than ever seen on Kayak or Expedia,” says KinectAir CEO, Jonathan Evans.

VoltAero is currently in its Series B funding round and has raised $2M USD in cash and $11M in equity. KinectAir is purely crowdfunded and has 250 current investors. KinectAir also has $2M pre-seed investments available and has garnered the attention of Cathay Pacific board member Andy Tung and others.

Why it matters: These kinds of partnerships are critical to making aerial mobility dreams a reality. While individual companies are skilled in aircraft design and testing, they are not likely to have sufficient experience in operation and maintenance of a large fleet. This is where companies like KinectAir can fill the gap with their operational expertise. Expect to see more OEM-operator partnerships as aerial mobility firms and eVTOL developers seek to roll out their prototypes to mass scale production.

UPS, together with its UPS Flight Forward subsidiary, plans to purchase electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft from Beta Technologies (BETA) to augment its air service for select small and mid-size markets. These aircraft will take off and land on-property at UPS facilities in a whisper-quiet fashion, reducing time-in-transit, vehicle emissions, and operating cost.

Visualization of the Beta Alia eVTOL in flight with UPS branding

The BETA aircraft’s 1,400-pound cargo capacity is ideally suited to more quickly and sustainably transport time-sensitive deliveries that would otherwise fly on small fixed-wing aircraft. UPS’s use of the aircraft will benefit healthcare providers, thousands of small and medium-sized businesses, and other companies in smaller communities. With a 250-mile range and cruising speed of up to 170 miles per hour, UPS will be able to plan a series of short routes, or one long route, on a single charge to meet customers’ needs.

“This is all about innovation with a focus on returns for our business, our customers, and the environment,” said UPS Chief Information and Engineering Officer Juan Perez. “These new aircraft will create operational efficiencies in our business, open possibilities for new services, and serve as a foundation for future solutions to reduce the emissions profile of our air and ground operations.”

The aviation logistics industry is now focusing on small aircraft, which UPS already uses to serve many small and medium-sized communities, to develop groundbreaking, sustainable electric-powered solutions. BETA’s aircraft has four fixed vertical lift propellers and one pusher propeller for forward flight. It can charge in an hour or less, and produces zero operational emissions.

“We’re combining simple, elegant design and advanced technology to create a reliable aircraft with zero operational emissions that will revolutionize how cargo moves,” said BETA founder and CEO Kyle Clark. “By utilizing vertical takeoffs and landings, we can turn relatively small spaces at existing UPS facilities into a micro air feeder network without the noise or operating emissions of traditional aircraft.”

UPS has also reserved BETA’s recharging station for a seamless and fully integrated electric aviation system. The BETA charging station helps ensure safe and rapid charging of the aircraft in under one hour, and facilitates a quick turn-around for the loading and unloading of cargo.

The charging station also offers the aircraft’s batteries a second life cycle: after the batteries’ first life cycle in the aircraft concludes, they can be fitted to the charging stations to recharge the aircraft’s onboard batteries as well as UPS’s fleet of electric ground vehicles. UPS currently operates more than 12,000 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, and has announced a commitment to purchase up to 10,000 more EV’s.

BETA’s aircraft are designed to someday operate autonomously as technologies and regulations are established. UPS Flight Forward received the first U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 135 Standard air carrier certification to operate a drone airline, and is operating daily revenue-generating flights with drones. The FAA certification also enables UPS Flight Forward to fly payloads of up to 7,500 lbs. either with an operator or autonomously.

Last month, BETA advanced to the next phase of flight testing, completing an interstate flight from its Plattsburgh, NY test facility to its Burlington, Vt. headquarters. In accordance with FAA protocols for experimental aircraft to fly beyond its home airport, BETA had to complete rigorous testing to ensure reliable and predictable behavior of the aircraft. In the same week, the company set a new personal-best in range while also reaching 8,000 feet in altitude.

The first ten BETA aircraft are scheduled to begin arriving in 2024, with an option to purchase up to 150 of the aircraft.

Why it matters: UPS’ investment in BETA aircraft is amongst a growing list of major orders by sustained aircraft operators. As the aviation industry realizes the cost savings potential of eVTOL platforms, many will flock to this alternative for last mile, short haul operations. With an expected EIS of 2024, electric aerial mobility solutions could soon be fueling one of the largest companies in the logistics/air cargo space.

// Source: UPS Press Release

Archer and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to enable Archer to benefit from access to FCA’s low-cost supply chain, advanced composite material capabilities, and engineering and design experience.

Credit // Archer

California-based Archer is creating the world’s first all-electric airline that moves people throughout the world’s cities in a quick, safe, sustainable, and cost-effective manner. The new partnership will help accelerate Archer’s timeline in becoming an industry leader with the resources and capabilities to capitalize on the new era of sustainable air mobility, a market that Morgan Stanley estimates will be $1.5 trillion by 2040. Last May, Archer emerged from ‘stealth mode’ and announced its plan to deliver a sustainable and efficient vehicle with the financial support of investors including Walmart eCommerce CEO Marc Lore.

Related: Archer Joins Aerial Mobility Space with eVTOL Prototype

Archer will manufacture high-volume, composite, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with the intent of starting production in 2023. FCA, the parent company of established automobile brands including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, has already collaborated on cockpit design elements of Archer’s first aircraft which is expected to be unveiled in early 2021. The 100% electric aircraft will be capable of traveling distances of up to 60 miles at 150 mph. Through this announced collaboration, the companies will work together to significantly decrease the cost of production, enabling Archer to bring affordably priced services to customers via its ultra-quiet, high-performance eVTOL aircraft.

Archer’s founders Brett Adcock and Adam Goldstein.

“We’ve been hyper-focused on a customer-first approach to vehicle design and aircraft operations,” said Brett Adcock, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Archer. “Now we are working with a seasoned, industry-leading automotive partner to leverage cost benefits and experience that will allow Archer to produce thousands of aircraft reliably and affordably every single year.”

“Electrification within the transportation sector, whether on roads or in the air is the future and with any new and rapidly developing technology, scale is important,” said Doug Ostermann, Vice President and Head of Global Business Development of FCA. “Our partnership with Archer has mutual benefits and will enable innovative, environmentally friendly transportation solutions to be brought to market at an accelerated pace.”

“We are excited to team up with one of the world’s largest automotive companies on our mission of advancing the benefits of sustainable air mobility” said Adam Goldstein, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Archer. “This is a first-of-its-kind deal for one of Detroit’s Big Three auto makers in moving into the Urban Air Mobility space. There is now a clear path for Archer to bring mass production to this industry, changing the way people travel in and around cities forever.”

Why it’s important: Archer’s partnership with one of the world’s largest car manufacturers is expected to assist the startup in lowering its purchasing costs and accelerating the launch of its eVTOL air taxi. FCA’s expertise and established supply chain will also enable the two companies to minimize the cost of manufacturing, making high-volume manufacturing achievable and sustainable.