Category: Vehicles/Manufactures
Sneak Peak of Gravity Industries’ Feature in new BBC TV Show: Inside Out
Richard Browning and Gravity Industries’ Jet Suit just got a big upgrade. In a sneak peek promotional video posted to Instagram on August 10th, Richard is seen flying his newest jet pack, complete with a wing suit and airfoil attachment to augment the already impressive setup. The post was a teaser for his segment in a BBC TV Show Inside...

Sneak Peak of Gravity Industries’ Feature in new BBC TV Show: Inside Out

Richard Browning and Gravity Industries’ Jet Suit just got a big upgrade. In a sneak peek promotional video posted to Instagram on August 10th, Richard is seen flying his newest jet pack, complete with a wing suit and airfoil attachment to augment the already impressive setup. The post was a teaser for his segment in a BBC TV Show Inside Out, airing September 2nd in partnership with X Blade Drone Racing Group. The flight took place in the Isle of White, near Southampton.
The man behind the jet pack, Richard Browning, has been an engineer and inventor for his entire life, and is the founder of Gravity Industries. Gravity builds “1000 horsepower jet suits” and is arguably one of the world’s most popular jet pack manufacturers. Gravity Industries was founded in March of 2017, and has grown in popularity tremendously in the last two years. Gravity Industries was not able to comment on further details of the reveal but stated that “we were testing the capabilities of the Jet Suit and trying something that has never been attempted before” for the show.
While not readily apparent, many of the technological advances baked into Gravity’s jet suit may also apply to the UAM industry – namely the propulsion system. While battery technology is not mature enough to be the sole provider of propulsion for many urban aircraft, smaller gas turbines, or normally aspirated piston engines – combined with battery packs – may be the hybridized propulsion system that bridges the gap between the energy storing technology of today and that of the next 20 years, when batteries are advanced enough to be the sole propulsor for many air taxis and small commercial transport aircraft.
Why it’s important: Gravity Industries is pushing the boundaries of human jet pack flight. Less than a month after Franky Zapata flew across the English Channel on his jetpack, Gravity is showcasing the upgraded capabilities of the gas turbine powered jetpack that Richard Browning has been refining over the past years. Advances in controlled and accelerated forward flight for jetpacks aren’t directly applicable to UAM, but the novel propulsion configurations and control laws that will aid in safe flight from one location to the next could likely be applied to UAM technologies that involved novel power plant configuration aircraft for which conventional stability and control principles won’t suffice.
EHang Selects Guangzhou as Its First Urban Air Mobility Pilot City
Guangzhou is the first city in China Selected for the Program (Guangzhou, China, August 6, 2019) – EHang announced today that it has selected Guangzhou as its first urban air mobility (UAM) pilot city globally for the establishment of a low-altitude aviation transportation network that shuttles passengers and goods in a safe, fast, environmentally friendly, cost-efficient and intelligent way. As part...

EHang Selects Guangzhou as Its First Urban Air Mobility Pilot City

Guangzhou is the first city in China Selected for the Program
(Guangzhou, China, August 6, 2019) – EHang announced today that it has selected Guangzhou as its first urban air mobility (UAM) pilot city globally for the establishment of a low-altitude aviation transportation network that shuttles passengers and goods in a safe, fast, environmentally friendly, cost-efficient and intelligent way. As part of the pilot program, EHang will help the Guangzhou government set up a command-and-control center to ensure that multiple AAVs flying simultaneously in the city can remain in the air in a safe and efficient manner and can swiftly respond to emergencies. EHang also intends to help the city build up the basic infrastructure to support urban air mobility, including by designing safety rules and market entry thresholds. On the passenger front, EHang plans to use the pilot program in Guangzhou to test more flight routes and vertiports based on practical application scenarios before moving into commercial operations.
Next, EHang plans to work with more partners to expand the operations to cover more areas in Guangzhou and transport a wider variety of high-value low-weight goods, including blood and organs for emergency medical use. Hu Huazhi, EHang’s founder, chairman and CEO, said: “We are very excited about exploring the various meaningful ways in which AAVs can solve some of the stressors our congested cities face. We are in conversations with other cities, not just in China, to develop safe, efficient and affordable autonomous air transportation.” EHang, one of the world’s leading UAM platform operators, has already conducted commercial operations in air cargo transportation over the past two years in and near its home base in Guangzhou, working with leading express delivery company DHL-Sinotrans and retail company Yonghui.
The Guangzhou launch builds on EHang’s successful achievement of several milestones in the UAM space since its ground-breaking passenger-grade AAV was introduced at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to much fanfare. In January 2019, EHang was picked by the Civil Aviation Administration of China as the country’s first and only pilot company for passenger AAV development. Its AAV took its first global public pre-programmed flights carrying a total of 17 passengers in successive flights in Vienna in April. To date, EHang has safely conducted over two thousand flight tests both inside and outside of China to ensure that AVVs operate safely, even in harsh weather conditions.
Mr. Hu said: “Safety has been the top priority for EHang from day one.”
Guangzhou’s Vice Mayor Chen Zhiying said: “Guangzhou is one of the four transportation hubs in the Greater Bay Area. The city has always been very accommodating to innovation, which provides EHang with the perfect ecosystem to build out a smart UAM market.” Congestion has become a top issue for many of the world’s biggest cities, including Guangzhou, but based on demand for modes of transportation that are faster than ground transportation and cheaper than helicopters, EHang is developing solutions for the last-mile problem.
For example, in the DHL-Sinotrans partnership, EHang’s Falcon UAV reduces the delivery time for an eight-kilometer trip from 40 minutes to eight minutes, leading to significant cost savings.
Why it’s important: EHang’s move to select Guangzhou as the first UAM pilot city in its pilot program represents a substantial commitment for the UAM company to commit resources to a specific locale and to further develop and scale a full-fledged UAM operation. UAM competitors such as BLADE, Voom, and Uber will most likely keep a close eye on EHang’s progress in Guangzhou and consider applying the lessons learned from this operation to their own offerings.
Source // EHang Press Release
JetSuiteX Air Rebrands as Zunum Struggles Prior to Launch
JetSuiteX Air is planning to rebrand itself as JSX Air, as revealed by a filing with the US Department of Transportation (DOT). Delux Public Charter, LLC, which does business under the name of JetSuiteX Air, applied to the DOT to register its new trade name “JSX Air” for use in certain of its air transportation operations. JetSuiteX Air offers regular public charter flights...

JetSuiteX Air Rebrands as Zunum Struggles Prior to Launch

JetSuiteX Air is planning to rebrand itself as JSX Air, as revealed by a filing with the US Department of Transportation (DOT). Delux Public Charter, LLC, which does business under the name of JetSuiteX Air, applied to the DOT to register its new trade name “JSX Air” for use in certain of its air transportation operations.
JetSuiteX Air offers regular public charter flights connecting Burbank, Concord, CA, Las Vegas McCarran, Oakland, Santa Ana, CA, Phoenix Sky Harbor, and Seattle’s Boeing Field. The company currently operates a fleet of thirteen Embraer ERJ-135’s and two ERJ-145’s; however, last year JetSuite signed an agreement with Zunum Aero, a US start-up aircraft manufacturer, which will see it become the launch operator of the new hybrid-electric business aircraft once deliveries commence in 2022.
The commitment covers up to 100 Zunum hybrid-electric aircraft, which will seat up to 12 passengers, fly at up to 340mph, and be optimized for journeys of up to 1,000 miles. According to the manufacturer, which is planning the maiden flight for 2019, the aircraft will emit up to 80% fewer pollutants than conventionally-powered jets. This aircraft model is the first in a planned fleet from Zunum. Zunum’s planes were designed with short-haul regional routes in mind, and are easily adaptable to the short-haul routes that JetSuite currently uses to fly high-end customers from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and the like.
Despite investments from JetBlue and Qatar Airways, Zunum Aero’s plan for its new aircraft has recently been challenged by company-wide layoffs and cash shortages. The Seattle Times reported a shutdown of its Bothell, WA facility, though the company is now seeking to raise a $50 million Series B round. If Zunum is able to continue on schedule with its flight test plan, the gas-electric hybrid planes will be flying up to 700 miles in the next few years, which is then projected to bump up to 1,000 miles by 2030.
Why it’s important: JetSuiteX has planned up to a 100-aircraft fleet expansion with Zunum’s new hybrid-electric aircraft that has recently been put to question due to the company’s internal struggles. Both companies have a vision for transforming the commercial aviation paradigm, yet it remains to be seen if and when the partnership will come to fruition.
Sources // ch-aviation; Fast Company; Forbes
OXIS Energy to Develop Lightweight Battery Cell for Bye Aerospace eFlyer
Bye Aerospace is developing an all-electric FAR 23-certified general aviation trainer aircraft, and plans to source lithium sulfur cell batteries from OXIS Energy to satisfy the eFlyer’s powerplant requirements. George Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace, said “New Li-S battery cells from OXIS have the potential to greatly enhance the quality, cost and performance of eFlyer 4 and our other future aircraft...

OXIS Energy to Develop Lightweight Battery Cell for Bye Aerospace eFlyer

Bye Aerospace is developing an all-electric FAR 23-certified general aviation trainer aircraft, and plans to source lithium sulfur cell batteries from OXIS Energy to satisfy the eFlyer’s powerplant requirements.

Check out a video of the eFlyer prototype’s first flight here. Photo // Bye Aerospace
George Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace, said “New Li-S battery cells from OXIS have the potential to greatly enhance the quality, cost and performance of eFlyer 4 and our other future aircraft projects.” OXIS Energy Ltd is involved in the design, development and now the move towards commercial production of lithium sulfur cells for battery systems. OXIS manufactures and produces all aspects and components in the making of the Li-S cell.
The OXIS Energy Lithium-Sulfur battery cell technology offers significant benefits to aviation and as a result, it is collaborating with Bye Aerospace of Denver, Colorado to produce a common Li-S advanced battery cell for the high voltage battery pack system to be considered for Bye’s future electric aircraft. These cells will achieve the higher energy density required for such aircraft. The project will commence in September 2019.
Huw Hampson-Jones, CEO of OXIS Energy, said, “Aviation is one of OXIS’ target markets, and in the first instance, Regional Rapid Air Taxi Transportation. A key measure of OXIS’ suitability is to be able to consistently produce cells in excess of 400 Wh/kg, which are already undergoing evaluation. OXIS expects to achieve 500 Wh/kg by early 2020. Our Li-S cells and battery systems are ideally suited for aviation. They are over 50% lighter than the current Li-ion cell and battery systems, with the winning formula of a high energy cell at the power required. The use of the same cell format across batteries will also help our customers to minimise cost and improve serviceability.”
In ground tests in Europe, OXIS has already shown that Li-S has demonstrated a significant improvement in simulated flight duration compared with Lithium NMC; it will now undertake a further series of tests which will provide a robust indication of the OXIS Li-S performance.
Why it’s important: Over the next 18 months, OXIS aims to move towards the production of commercial cells and battery systems; Bye Aerospace already has 60 orders for their eFlyer aircraft from OSM Aviation Academy, upon which they are looking to expand. The new battery technolgy from OXIS has the potential to not only support Bye’s current orders, but also be integrated in to various other electric aircraft being developed by OEMs around the globe.
Source // Bye Aerospace
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The Vahana Alpha Two: What Airbus’ Demonstrator Tells Us
At this year’s EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Airbus highlighted its eVTOL tilt-wing demonstrator, the Vahana Alpha Two. While the Vahana shows great promise, Airbus rep. Amanda Simpson outlines some of UAM’s Challenges. Featuring eight 45-kW electric motors and a slightly reworked design, the sleek single-seater was on display at the Airbus booth in Oshkosh. The eVTOL has been in...

The Vahana Alpha Two: What Airbus’ Demonstrator Tells Us

At this year’s EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Airbus highlighted its eVTOL tilt-wing demonstrator, the Vahana Alpha Two. While the Vahana shows great promise, Airbus rep. Amanda Simpson outlines some of UAM’s Challenges.
Featuring eight 45-kW electric motors and a slightly reworked design, the sleek single-seater was on display at the Airbus booth in Oshkosh. The eVTOL has been in the works for a while, under Airbus’ Silicon Valley based division, A^3. Amanda Simpson, Airbus America’s Vice President for Research and Technology, was present at Oshkosh and weighed in on some of the issues that any UAM ventures would bring.
The all-electric eVTOL was designed with urban air mobility in mind, but potential obstacles to market include battery life and charging speeds. Said Simpson: “There’s only so much energy you can pump into these things over a given period of time. You have to be able to recharge these vehicles when they land. Does that mean swapping out batteries or plugging it in? Where is that energy coming from? How many times can you recharge a battery before you can’t get the maximum utilization out of it? It’s very easy to measure fuel left in a tank, not so much to determine how many megawatt-hours are left in your battery.”

“There are limitations as to what we can do with (existing) batteries,” said Simpson, “The [UAM] vehicles that are out there have a range of about 30 miles. Battery technology is going to have to come along much further if we are going to have 100 percent electric vehicles.”
While the Vahana was created to answer questions, there are still some that remain according to Simpson. “The question is how to demonstrate the capabilities of the aircraft and how do we work with EASA or the FAA to develop regulations to govern these? How do you work with the cities and the urban infrastructure to provide landing places? How do you develop an app for your phone that will allow you to call and schedule service and the whole infrastructure behind that?”
The answer to these questions will likely determine the direction that UAM takes in the next decade.
Why it’s important: UAM aircraft, including any future models that Airbus incorporates into their fleet, will most likely begin as hybrids. While demonstrators such as the Vahana Alpha Two can run purely on electricity in practice, the limitations in battery technology today are simply too high for the commercial and economic demands that would be brought by a UAM market. How these hurdles are approached by competitors in the UAM market will determine what the transportation industry will look like in the next decade.
Sources // EAA AirVenture, AINonline
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TECNALIA Unveils a New Prototype Air Taxi
TECNALIA, a multi-faceted technology firm based in Spain, has developed a 16-rotor prototype air taxi capable of flying up to 15 kilometers. The company predicts this technology could be in commercial use within five years. TECNALIA’S mission is to “transform technology into GDP.” It has currently made six of its new eVTOL air taxi prototype, which is designed to autonomously...

TECNALIA Unveils a New Prototype Air Taxi

TECNALIA, a multi-faceted technology firm based in Spain, has developed a 16-rotor prototype air taxi capable of flying up to 15 kilometers. The company predicts this technology could be in commercial use within five years.
TECNALIA’S mission is to “transform technology into GDP.” It has currently made six of its new eVTOL air taxi prototype, which is designed to autonomously carry people and cargo short distances across major cities. According to TECNALIA, even a 15 kilometer range will be able to meet urban transport requirements in 85% of the world’s major cities.
The new eVTOL aircraft is small, but can carry up to 150 kilograms, and is easily scalable to larger sizes and capacities. It has a cruise speed of 90km/h, a top speed of 190km/h, and a cruise altitude between 100 and 300 meters. The cabin measures 1.8 meters by 2 meters with a door and window.
Interestingly, the eVTOL design features four sets of four rotors each, giving the aircraft the look of having a traditional quadcopter drone at the end of each of its rotor arms. According to TECNALIA, each of the ‘drone’ rotor sets is capable of operating independently, but in co-ordination, allowing the eVTOL to maintain its orientation now matter what speed it flies. This will give passengers the sense that they are riding in a bus or car rather than having to tilt as they move forward.
TECHALIA has been investing in cutting edge technology for many years in Spain including clean energy, transportation, cryptocurrency, and even health and lab services. The TECNALIA Research & Innovation is the first privately funded applied research & technology organization in Spain. Learn more about TECNALIA’s mission, offerings, and eVTOL on its website, and watch the full video of a test flight below:
Why its important: As more and more eVTOL designs are emerging around the world, many high-impact companies like TECNALIA are starting to invest in eVTOL technology. Although the TECNALIA eVTOL is not very large, its design represents a unique and thoughtful approach. With the growth of the air taxi industry, TECNALIA is taking a leading step forward in the Spanish market.
Sources // TECNALIA
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Franky Zapata Attempts to Fly Hoverboard Across English Channel
In the rapidly-growing industry of urban air mobility, creativity can – and is encouraged to – manifest itself in various forms and functions of new transportation vehicles. While purely recreational for most, some regard the hoverboard as a viable mode of transportation for short-haul trips. Franky Zapata, a skilled hoverboard inventor and pilot, aims to prove that to the public....

Franky Zapata Attempts to Fly Hoverboard Across English Channel

In the rapidly-growing industry of urban air mobility, creativity can – and is encouraged to – manifest itself in various forms and functions of new transportation vehicles. While purely recreational for most, some regard the hoverboard as a viable mode of transportation for short-haul trips. Franky Zapata, a skilled hoverboard inventor and pilot, aims to prove that to the public.
110 years ago, French inventor Louis Blériot made the world’s first crossing of the English Channel via airplane. To honor the achievement, inventor Franky Zapata (also French) recently attempted to make his own cross-Channel trip on a jet-powered flying hoverboard.
The 40-year old Frenchman took off from Sangatte at around 9 am local time (3 am EST), hoping to make the 22-mile crossing in time for the 110th anniversary of the first aerial crossing of the English Channel. He was about 11 miles out from the finish line at St. Margaret’s Bay, England when he crashed during a mid-Channel refueling attempt.
Some footage from the flight and an interview with Zapata can be seen in this video from The Guardian:
Zapata missed the refueling platform, which was mounted on a boat, while trying to pick up a second pack of kerosene fuel. Zapata was uninjured, but the flyboard was damaged in the crash. “When I got closer to the platform, the boat took a wave and it hit the foot of the machine and broke it,” Zapata said in a press conference, “The flyboard is damaged, the electronic part has to be redone, the motors are ruined but the base is saved”.
For the 21 mile trip, Zapata needed to make the refueling stop at the 11 mile mark. He had planned to hover above the support boat during refueling rather than landing so that he could claim a complete channel flight. Although the attempt was ultimately unsuccessful, Zapata previously had recognized the boldness of the venture, saying, ““It won’t be easy at all, and I reckon I’ve a 30 percent chance of succeeding.”
Zapata, a jetski champion-turned-inventor, recently showed off his newest invention at Paris’ Bastille Day. According to Zapata, that flight only used “3% of the machine’s capabilities”, while the flight across the English Channel required 99%.
Watch the video of the successful flight on Bastille Day below:
The Flyboard Air has five mini turbo engines, can run autonomously for a maximum of 10 minutes, and can reach speeds of up to 118mph (190km/h) at full capacity.
Why it’s important: The French armed forces minister has articulated a foreseen potential for both cargo and military applications of hoverboard technologies. Although the cross-channel flight was ultimately a failure, it does much to prove the potential for the Flyboard Air and helps its development process. This could lead to further funding for the project, adding to the €1.3 million grant Zapata already received from the French government in 2018.
Content and Media sources // Futurism; The Guardian, CNN
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Ampaire To Electrify Caravan, Twin Otter
Ampaire is currently the developer of the highest capacity hybrid-electric aircraft ever flown. Last month, after the company’s successful flight of its hybridized Cessna 337 Skymaster, it announced a partnership with Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) which included an order for 50 Ampaire EEL Electric Aircraft. Mokulele Airlines on Maui has also taken interest in the EEL, and both airlines plan on...

Ampaire To Electrify Caravan, Twin Otter

Ampaire is currently the developer of the highest capacity hybrid-electric aircraft ever flown. Last month, after the company’s successful flight of its hybridized Cessna 337 Skymaster, it announced a partnership with Personal Airline Exchange (PAX) which included an order for 50 Ampaire EEL Electric Aircraft. Mokulele Airlines on Maui has also taken interest in the EEL, and both airlines plan on offering passenger service late this year in Hawaii.
Just this week, Ampaire announced plans to bring hybrid-electric power to more models of existing aircraft, including the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan and Viking Twin Otter:

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan – Cessna’s largest single-engine airplane ever built, it has a range of 1232 miles and can carry up to 14 passengers. Photo // Swissphoto
Additionally, Ampaire has announced intentions to add a diesel-hybrid retrofit option for piston-powered aircraft. Company CEO Kevin Noertker said his company’s engine conversions cut fuel consumption by between 70 to 90 percent, reduce maintenance expense by 20 to 50 percent, and produce significantly quieter aircraft. According to Noertker, Ampaire currently holds contracts with the U.S. Air Force and NASA, and has received an investment from aircraft engine-maker Continental, in addition to the order for 50 EELs by PAX.
Noertker has said the market for bringing hybrid electric power to commuter aircraft could be worth more than $4 billion, noting that Norway has already set a goal of mandating all-electric aircraft on in-country flights of less than 90 minutes.

Viking Twin Otter – Originally a bush plane, the small commuter has a range of 887 miles and can carry up to 19 passengers. Photo // Aviation Tribune
Ampaire, while still waiting for certification, is well on its way to production in order to fulfill its backlog currently valued at $70 million. “Ampaire’s Electric EEL pre-production prototype is flying right now and performing beautifully,” said Noertker. “We look forward to operators being able to share the thrill of flying electric.”
See our previous article on Ampaire where you can find a clip of the Ampaire EEL in flight.
Why it’s important: Ampaire has chosen to specialize in engine conversions and leave airframe design and manufacturing other companies that have been perfecting these efforts for decades. This has allowed Ampaire to move both quickly and successfully in the electric aviation industry, which is evident by its flying prototype, fundraising success, and order backlog.
Sources // AINonline; Ampaire
ASX CEO’s Vision for the Future of Urban Air Mobility
Detroit City Airport, home of Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX), is a dilapidated plot of land; however, Jon Rimanelli swears he sees the future of mobility taking off from its cracked and overgrown tarmack in a few years’ time. “Look, there’s 760 million passengers that enplane at the nation’s top 50 airports every year, and there’s like 13,000 airports that are...

ASX CEO’s Vision for the Future of Urban Air Mobility

Detroit City Airport, home of Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX), is a dilapidated plot of land; however, Jon Rimanelli swears he sees the future of mobility taking off from its cracked and overgrown tarmack in a few years’ time.
“Look, there’s 760 million passengers that enplane at the nation’s top 50 airports every year, and there’s like 13,000 airports that are underutilized in the United States,” he says. “There’s a gap in air mobility and vehicle platforms that connect the big airports to the small ones like this one and urban centers to suburbs. If you do that, you end up with a distributed network of air transportation and literally tens of thousands of new aircraft that will be pulled into the system.”

Jon Rimanelli, CEO of Airspace Experience Technologies, or ASX, is developing an unmaned aerial vehicle that would provide Uber-like air taxi service. // Crain’s Detroit Business
Rimanelli intends to build those aircraft. He’s CEO of Airspace Experience Technologies, or ASX, a Detroit startup creating the Mobi-One, an electric vertical takeoff-and-landing aircraft capable of carrying cargo and passengers. Smaller-scale prototypes are already hovering around City Airport; a test mule should be ready in the next 60 days and a full-scale prototype should be operational by the fall of 2020. Once aloft, Rimanelli says, the aircraft could usher in a new era of urban air mobility, linking travelers to key destinations five times faster than conventional modes of transportation do — at prices comparable to those offered in today’s ride-hailing networks.
To achieve this, Rimanelli plans to apply strategies from the mature automotive industry to the production and operation of a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles. ASX hopes to benefit from the economies of scale accompanied with high-volume production, and will rely on Detroit’s traditional automotive supply base, and repurpose it for aviation use. “We’ve got this great industrial base here, we’ve got skilled labor and capacity,” he says. “We can leverage this at scale and make it an accessible product that everyone can afford through ride-sharing programs.”
Production could start as early as 2022, when ASX intends to launch its first wave of aircraft for use in the logistics and emergency-response industries. In June, ASX signed a memorandum of understanding with TPS Logistics, a $1.5 billion global transportation company in Troy, Mich., to explore such possibilities. The Mobi-One will be used for cargo applications before passengers may board the vehicle starting in 2025.
The aircraft is slated to have an all-electric range of 65 miles, enough to get from one side of a major city to the other or, alternately, ferry passengers from suburbs to major airports. A version with a hybrid powertrain could extend the range to 260 miles. The Mobi-One will also have the ability to takeoff vertically in space-limited areas and helipads, or horizontally on a traditional aircraft runways. More technical specifications on the Mobi-One can be found in the TransportUP Hangar.
Why it’s important: ASX will leverage its location in Detroit, Michigan to glean decades of manufacturing improvements and supply chain establishment from the automotive industry. The company has ambitious plans to build high quantities of their Mobi-One eVTOL, and has the potential to ramp up hub operations in a short timeline. ASX plans to remain both the manufacturer and operator of its fleet, which poses challenges due to expertise required in both facets.
Source // Automotive News
Flyboard Air Soars Over Crowds at Bastille Day in France
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...

Flyboard Air Soars Over Crowds at Bastille Day in France

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.
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Vertical Aerospace Confirms Partnership with Honeywell
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. 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...

Vertical Aerospace Confirms Partnership with Honeywell

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.
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Singapore’s Air Taxi Volume Expected To Reach 3,000 By 2025
Singapore plans to improve its already world-class transportation system by welcoming U.S. firm Bell Helicopter and Germany’s Volocopter to introduce their products and services to the island city-state. Bell Helicopter air taxis are expected to take flight in Singapore in 2025, while Volocopter is looking to launch air taxi demonstration flights there as soon as the second half of this...

Singapore’s Air Taxi Volume Expected To Reach 3,000 By 2025

Singapore plans to improve its already world-class transportation system by welcoming U.S. firm Bell Helicopter and Germany’s Volocopter to introduce their products and services to the island city-state.
Bell Helicopter air taxis are expected to take flight in Singapore in 2025, while Volocopter is looking to launch air taxi demonstration flights there as soon as the second half of this year. A handful of urban air mobility startup companies were deterred from establishing business in Singapore due to factors such as the unavailability of infrastructure. However, Volocopter’s announcement of plans to construct vertiports later this year could very well entice more and more companies to also build infrastructure in Singapore. In fact, despite the initial doubts, consulting firm Roland Berger has predicted that the nation will see growth in terms of passenger volumes to 3,000 within the next six years.
In May of 2019, Volocopter confirmed and elaborated upon initial statements regarding test flights slated to take place later this year. Singapore will be the first location of Volocopter’s flight test program and will result in the country’s first-ever air taxi vertiport. According to Volocopter, “public flight trials have been scheduled to take place in the second half of 2019.” The company has received consistent, strong support from the Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, and the Economic Development Board. Learn more about the plans regarding the “Volo-Port” here.

Rendering of how a future Volo-Port may look.
The Volocopter 2X is the company’s flagship eVTOL and features 18 propellors, all arranged in a circular symmetrical pattern. Volocopter has been successful thus far in garnering public support and has even hosted ride-along events in the vehicle for high-profile individuals. The current design includes a capacity for two passengers, a high level of redundancy, and a range of 27 kilometers. To read more about the technical specifications of the aircraft, visit our Hangar.
Volocopter has not only been developing its own vehicle and infrastucture, but has also been conducting analyses of the of urban air mobility as a whole. Just last month, Volocopter published a white paper that focuses on how to to overcome barriers for urban air mobility, covering issues like development, certification and service launch. Specific sections of the document discuss safety, noise emissions, range & speed, operating costs, capacity, and usability. Read the full white paper here.
Why it’s important: Through its latest agreements with Bell and Volocopter, Singapore may likely be the starting point for urban air mobility globally. As new transportation services are integrated and offered to the public in Singapore, the country will begin to set a model and standard that the rest of the world can follow.
Source // Business Times
Morgan Stanley Transportation Expert Joins EHang as Chief Strategy Officer
EHang, a leading autonomous aerial vehicle (“AAV”) technology platform company, announced the appointment of Mr. Huaxiang (Edward) Xu as Chief Strategy Officer of the Company (“CSO”), effective as of July 1, 2019. Before joining EHang, Mr. Xu served as Head of Asia (ex-Japan) Transportation Research at Morgan Stanley. During his 15-year career as an equity research analyst at Morgan Stanley, he covered China’s aerospace and transportation industries extensively,...

Morgan Stanley Transportation Expert Joins EHang as Chief Strategy Officer

EHang, a leading autonomous aerial vehicle (“AAV”) technology platform company, announced the appointment of Mr. Huaxiang (Edward) Xu as Chief Strategy Officer of the Company (“CSO”), effective as of July 1, 2019.
Before joining EHang, Mr. Xu served as Head of Asia (ex-Japan) Transportation Research at Morgan Stanley. During his 15-year career as an equity research analyst at Morgan Stanley, he covered China’s aerospace and transportation industries extensively, including airlines, logistics, airports, and railways, among others. He had participated in several major IPO projects led by Morgan Stanley, such as ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc, Kerry Logistics Network Limited, Airasia Group BHD, BTS Rail Mass Transit Growth Infrastructure Fund, and BOC Aviation Limited. He has been ranked consistently among the Top 3 All-Asia Transportation Analyst by Institutional Investor magazine for the past few years and was well recognized among both the investment community and the logistics industry. Mr. Xu is a CFA charter holder and obtained an MBA degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Morgan Stanley’s Asia Transportation Research Head, Mr. Huaxiang (Edward) Xu, Joins EHang as Chief Strategy Officer.
Mr. Xu reports to EHang’s founder, chairman and CEO, Mr. Huazhi Hu, and is in charge of the strategic planning and execution of the Company. Mr. Huazhi Hu said: “We believe Mr. Xu’s professional experiences and industry expertise in transportation, logistics and aviation will further strengthen EHang’s leading position in the global urban air mobility (“UAM”) industry, and empower EHang’s future growth.”
About EHang
EHang is an AAV technology platform company and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the EHang 184 eVTOL, which is currently being flight tested. The company’s mission is to “make safe, autonomous and eco-friendly air mobility accessible to everyone.” EHang provides customers in various industries with AAV products and commercial solutions, including passenger transportation, logistics, smart city management and aerial media solutions.
Recently, EHang has also formed partnerships with DHL and FACC to strengthen their efforts and take advantage of potential synergies. the company even offered test rides in their EHang 184 eVTOL at the 4GAMECHANGERS Festival 2019. For more information, please visit EHang’s website.
Why it’s important
EHang is seeking market share in the growing global Urban Air Mobility industry, and has expressed its goal to “explore the boundaries of the sky to make flying technologies benefit our life in smart cities.” The company has also made significant strides toward bringing its vehicle to market in the near future, and a foundation of strong leadership with pertinent experience and business connections will likely facilitate a smooth product incorporation.
Source // EHang
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Alauda Airspeeder Flies at Goodwood Festival of Speed
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. The vision of start-up Alauda Racing is to build “a world-beating flying sports car for sale...

Alauda Airspeeder Flies at Goodwood Festival of Speed

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 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.
Voltaero Begins Phase Development Testing
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...

Voltaero Begins Phase Development Testing

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.
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
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