Category: Vehicles/Manufactures

On Bastille Day, a national holiday and pride celebration in France, inventor Franky Zapata flew over crowds on the jet-powered ‘Flyboard Air’.

Franky Zapata, a flying enthusiast, has recently found success by starting a new business selling customizable hydro-powered flying kits for jet skis. Now, he has turned to making boards that are completely standalone, using a combination of turbines and electric engines to fly through the air at high speed.

At Bastille Day, a celebration of national pride for France, Zapata exhibited the capabilities of the Flyboard Air, posing as a ‘flying soldier’ to demonstrate the potential use for specialized military operations. While so far all of Zapata’s flying products have been recreational, the Flyboard Air offers a level of mobility which could be used for military, medical response, and industrial surveillance.

In attendance at the Bastille Day demonstration was French president Emmanuel Macron. According Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, the French military is considering using the Flyboard for various uses, which may include assault operations. Watch the full demonstration flight in this video from a tweet by Macron:

The Flyboard Air is powered by a series of turbine jet engines, and is controlled by a combination of throttle and the human body itself. Previous challenges to designing such a compact personal aerial vehicle have included the storage of energy needed to sustain flight, the difficulty of aircraft control, and of course, safety issues. To address this, the Zapata team claims to have a redundant flight system through which the aircraft can still easily fly with only one engine, and can complete a safe auto-landing in the event of two engine losses.

According to the Zapata site, the Flyboard Air should be able to fly up to 120mph, reach heights of nearly 10,000 feet, and stay in the air for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Why it’s important: While the Flyboard Air may not be directly applicable in Urban Air Mobility in the near future, the engineering potential in its propulsion design has important implications for UAM. The Flyboard Air shows that even the lightest of aircraft can sustain powered flight, meaning a great deal for UAM engineering challenges.

Sources // CNN, Gizmodo, Emmanuel Macron on Twitter. 

Subscribe to TUP

Listen to the TUP Podcast

After recently signing an MoU, Honeywell and Vertical Aerospace have officially signed a partnership in which Honeywell will provide the fly by wire control systems for Vertical Aerospace aircraft.

The Vertical Aerospace prototype test eVTOL in flight

Honeywell has had over 100 years in building and engineering technology products, and has had an Aerospace division as early as 1936. Recently, Honeywell has proved its ability to stay on the cutting edge of innovation by founding its own Urban Air Mobility department.

Since its inception, Urban Air Mobility at Honeywell has focused heavily on providing fly by wire technologies for UAM aircraft. These are essentially the flight controls (used in modern airplanes) that allow pilots to fly the aircraft through electronic commands rather than through direct manual control. In future UAM aircraft, fly by wire systems may enable completely autonomous flight.

Honeywell has made massive strides toward the future of Urban Air Mobility by also signing development agreements with Volocopter and Pipistrel (named as one of the Uber Elevate Network partners). Honeywell has collaborated with these companies for autonomous landing systems and more, as well as developing its own electric engine and compact fly-by-wire system specifically designed for UAM.

Honeywell’s HTS900 engine seen here with two generators capable of providing electricity to electric motors or batteries.

Vertical Aerospace, UK company which has been developing its eVTOL since 2016, recently flew a successful test flight which can be viewed here. The company envisions building an entire network for on-demand travel in the UK, and is currently working with EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) to attain Type Certification for the next version of its aircraft. The Vertical Aerospace team consists of over 40 world-class engineers and technical experts formerly from companies like Boeing, Rolls-Royce and GE.

Said Vertical Aerospace COO Michael Cervenka in regards to the signed partnership:
“I’m delighted that Vertical is leading the way in signing this important contract with Honeywell. This is the culmination of a thorough evaluation, during which we have been impressed with Honeywell’s product offering and technical capabilities.”

The Vertical Aerospace eVTOL outside its hangar. See the full test flight here.

Why it’s important: The agreement with Vertical Aerospace makes official one of Honeywell’s major UAM partnerships. In addition to Vertical, Honeywell is also working with Pipistrel and Volocopter, two other important players in the UAM market. By signing with Vertical Aerospace, Honeywell reinforces its commitment to a UAM future, and further establishes itself as an expert provider in essential UAM technology.

Subscribe to TUP

Listen to the TUP Podcast

The Alauda Airspeeder is a single seater recreational eVTOL that can fly at speeds up to 124mph. On July 4th, an unmanned prototype of the speeder took to the skies at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Sussex, UK. Watch the Alauda video here.

Alauda Airspeeder prototype at Goodwood Festival of Speed, Sussex. Watch the full flight at Sussex here.

The vision of start-up Alauda Racing is to build “a world-beating flying sports car for sale to the public'”. Founded by Asutralia by entrepreneur Matt Pearson, the company has been making steady progress since 2018, and is backed by  financial firm Equals, which sees the Airspeeder as the next evolution of traditional motorsport racing.

The development of the Airspeeder by 2020, as predicted by Alauda

The Alauda Airspeeder has a top speed of 124mph, using a 500kw battery pack that currently still needs recharging every 15 minutes. Alauda envisions that air races, the first of which are tentatively scheduled for 2020, will take place about 4 meters above the ground. The airspeeder flies on a four sets of two 32-inch rotors, much like the Ehang 184 or the Workhorse Surefly.

“We’ve merged an F1 car with a racing drone and turned it into something completely new.” –Matt Pearson, Alauda Founder and CEO

Although Alauda experienced some technical difficulties with the Airspeeder at Goodwood, the Alauda team still plans on debuting races in 2020. Said Pearson, “with early technology, these things happen.” The Alauda team explained that the error, which caused the prototype to briefly lose control, would have been impossible in a manned aircraft.

Why it’s important: Alauda’s exciting application of eVTOL technology shows the many opportunities for the eVTOL industry. Although the Alauda team experienced a remote piloting error at is demonstration, the company is still making forward progress. The advent of eVTOL racing, as pursued by other companies like Assen Aero, has the potential to help eVTOLs attain societal acceptance and push performance boundaries to fully understand the physics and mechanics.

John Botti, former CTO of Airbus, has taken the next step forward in developing his hybrid electric airplane. The test aircraft will fly on full hybrid-electric propulsion by the end of the year.

Voltaero, founded by former CTO of Airbus John Botti, is making the Casio hybrid electric aircraft (mockup seen above). The company has been developing the Cassio since its founding in 2018, and plans on beginning to deliver to customers by 2022.

Voltaero’s iron bird propulsion testing module on display at the Paris Airshow. In the background can be seen the test aircraft, scheduled for flight in September.

The Cassio comes in multiple configurations ranging from four to nine seats and has a range between 200 and 600km depending on how much the combustion engine is used. According to Voltaero CEO John Botti, “The pilot will be able to determine the hybrid strategy based on the mission”. The aircraft’s computer will reccomennd a power configuration, but the pilot will be able to manually adjust the balance between the electric engine and the combustion engine. This gives the pilot full control over what kind flight the aircraft will use.

Voltaero has recently entered its development phase plan, and is currently on its second version of the Cassio. Most recently, the company built a wingless ground unit used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the propulsion design (seen above). Electric motors are now being installed in the wing nacelles of version 2.1, which will begin flight testing shortly. The latest test aircraft uses a Cessna 337 Skymaster as a testbed for the propulsion system, but later, in phase two, Voltaero will develop multiple prototype iterations to matching standards in order to certify the Cassio under European CS23 regulations.  Read the full Cassio phase development plan here.

The Voltaero Cassio’s hybrid electric engine, featuring a thermal engine and three electric motors.

Why it’s important: Voltaero is making major steps forward for hybrid electric propulsion systems. As urban air mobility aircraft begin to emerge, each will require different missions, meaning that some longer distance trips may require hybrid propulsion. Although other companies have also been developing hybrid flight systems, Voltaero is making huge real-world developments for the hybrid electric flight industry. Watch the full TransportUP podcast with Voltaero’s Jean Botti here.

Sources // Voltaero, Aviation Week

At the Paris Air Show, held on June 17-23, fellow Dutch firm GKN Fokker signed a MoU with PAL-V to assist with the design, certification, engineering and production of current and future versions of PAL-V’s flying car, the Liberty.

PAL-V’s flying car, the Liberty

The MoU with GKN Fokker will both accelerate testing and production of the Liberty, as well as provide PAL-V with the backing of a larger, established aerospace company, which will be beneficial for competing with other companies in the UAM industry.

The Liberty is currently undergoing compliance demonstration, the final stage for certification, at the company’s headquarters in Raamsdonksveer, which is expected to finish sometime in late 2020 – early 2021. 

“GKN Fokker’s assistance strengthens our business with the capabilities and technologies of a world leader in the aviation industry,” said Robert Dingemanse, founder and CEO of PAL-V. “It’s fantastic that GKN Fokker will assist us in the finalisation of the PAL-V Liberty: the production and final certification.”

GKN plans on staying heavily involved with the Liberty even after initial production and manufacturing. One of the possible areas to explore is the possibility of producing specialized versions of the Liberty at a GKN Fokker site, aimed towards specific industries such as first response, police, and military. The added security and data provided by GKN Fokker’s production facilities are an important factor for such an undertaking. According to Robert Dingemanse, founder and CEO of PAL-V, “this is important as the interest from professional customers is growing rapidly.”

“Pal-V is an exciting company in the growing personal flying mobility market,” said Adriaan Leyte, vice president of new business development at GKN Fokker. “We are happy to support them in taking the next step. This innovative product can help the aviation industry in moving to the next chapter of personal flying mobility. As GKN Fokker, we want to assist them in their growth.”

Why it’s important: The MoU between GKN Fokker and PAL-V firmly establishes the latter as one of the stronger competitors in the UAM market. The Liberty, scheduled to be one of the first, if not the first, flying cars to be released for private purchase, will be the first taste of a true flying car experienced by the public. While included with a hefty price tag, the success of the Liberty could mean that future versions may end up no more expensive than a regular car. 

Sources // Flight Global

Subscribe to TUP

Listen to the TUP Podcast

Italian aerospace company Leonardo S.p.A. have been in the middle of developing their new helicopter/fixed-wing hybrid vehicle, the Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor, or NextGenCTR. The NextGenCTR was designed to meet the increasing demands of aerial mobility and maneuverability in densely populated urban areas. Recently, Leonardo has settled on using twin GE CT7 engines to power the NextGenCTR.

The GE Aviation CT7 turboshaft will be in the 2,000shp (1,490kW) class, and according to NGCTR programme manager Andrea Artioli, the main reason for choosing the CT7 was its “scaleability”. Leonardo  already uses the 2,000shp-rated -2E1 variant of the engine on its AW189 super-medium-twin helicopters.

The purpose of the demonstrator is two-fold: First, it is a direct response to the EU’s Clean Sky 2 Initiative. Developing a quieter and more environmentally-friendly aircraft is one of the main goals for the NextGenCTR.

Second, Leonardo anticipates debuting a number of tilt-rotor based aircraft, including the AW609. For this purpose, the NextGenCTR will debut a number of innovations in its design, such as a new semi-tilting nacelle, V-tail, composite wings and advanced cockpit and control system. It will also serve as further proof-of-concept of the tilt-rotor system, which incorporates a fixed engine installation with a split gearbox to provide prop-rotor swivel.

Leonardo’s NextGenCTR is anticipating its first test flight sometime in 2023.

Why it’s important: The demonstrative capabilities of the NextGenCTR will most likely decide if Leonardo proceeds with a tiltrotor-based aircraft family. Choosing the GE CT7s, with their scaleability, indicates that Leonardo does have strong intentions of doing so, and will most likely sell to a variety of markets, such as rescue and transportation, where quick and quiet aerial mobility will be vital. 

Sources // GE Aviation Blog

Subscribe to TUP

Listen to the TUP Podcast

Yesterday, Kitty Hawk Corporation and Boeing officially announced a strategic partnership to collaborate on Urban Air Mobility.

Kitty Hawk Corporation is well known for developing the Cora air taxi, which is fully electric, autonomous, and undergoing testing in New Zealand for commercial flights. Kitty Hawk began developing the Cora air taxi in 2010, completed the aircraft’s development in 2017, and signed with Air New Zealand for UAM development in October 2018.

According to the latest press release from Kitty Hawk, the partnership with Boeing will “bring together the innovation of Kitty Hawk’s Cora division with Boeing’s scale and aerospace expertise.” This could mean that Boeing has partnered with Kitty Hawk for the expansion of its Boeing NeXt UAM plans.

Am image from the Boeing NeXt introduction video.

Said Steve Nordlund, vice president and general manager of Boeing NeXt:
“Working with a company like Kitty Hawk brings us closer to our goal of safely advancing the future of mobility…We have a shared vision of how people, goods and ideas will be transported in the future.”

The press release names Boeing NeXt as “laying the foundation for a next-generation mobility ecosystem.”

Boeing also acquired eVTOL developer Aurora Flight Sciences in 2017. Since then, Aurora has been working on the Boeing Passenger Air Vehicle (PAV), which became one of the first prototype eVTOLS to successfully achieve autonomous hover flight in January of this year. Notably, both the Kitty Hawk Cora and the Boeing PAV feature multi-position fixed rotor designs (no tilting parts):

The Boeing PAV (left) and the Kitty Hawk Cora (right)

The recent partnership with Kitty Hawk represents just one of Boeing’s strategies for entering the Urban Air Mobility market. Aside from developing the PAV, Boeing also recently tested an autonomous cargo drone, and partnered with AI company SparkCognition to form SkyGrid, a blockchain powered airspace management system.

Why it’s important:  A partnership with Boeing spells immense news for a company like Kitty Hawk. Boeing, being one of the largest aerospace manufacturers in the world, has the capability to fully develop an entire UAM eco-system, as it is planning with the Boeing NeXt program. With the new partnership, Kitty Hawk Cora may become a part of that ecosystem.

The Airbus Vahana prototype has achieved flight with its wings fully transitioned to horizontal cruise mode.

Earlier this year, the Airbus Vahana test aircraft successfully completed a test flight in which the aircraft’s wings rotated partially into horizontal cruise stage, reaching speeds of about 57mph. In the latest test (Vahana’s 66th), the tilt-wing rotates into “full cruise configuration”, allowing the aircraft to reach speeds of over 100mph. Watch the full flight test video from Airbus here:

This latest test flight marks a significant step forward for Airbus, whose eventual goal is to make the Vahana part of a larger UAM system. The version of the Vahana seen here is planned as a demonstration vehicle for airbus to introduce to the public. Although it only has one seat, the Vahana Alpha Two is piloted autonomously, and features a completely finished interior, which will give riders the full sense of what autonomous flight will be like.

A close-up of the Airbus Alpha Vahana Two

According to Zach Lovering, Vice President of UAM Systems for Airbus, the latest full transition flights “represent everything we set out to achieve when we began our flight test campaign.” The Vahana demonstrator is still undergoing testing in Pendleton, Oregon.

The Airbus Vahana represents just one of Airbus’s many bids for UAM flight. Airbus has several prototypes being tested for various types of UAM, including the Airbus Pop.Up Next modular concept, which is capable of both road and air transport, as well as the Airbus CityAirbus, which is designed for intracity transport and completed its first test flight last month. Both vehicles are capable of autonomous flight.

The Airbus CityAirbus, which completed its first test flight last May.

Why it’s important: The successful test of the Airbus Vahana in cruise represents another step forward for Airbus UAM flight. The Vahana has successfully proven Airbus’s concept for tilt-wing transitions,  which is often considered the most difficult aspect of eVTOL design. With this latest achievement, Airbus even more deeply establishes its UAM presence in preparing for the larger industry launch.