Category: Vehicles/Manufactures

Chiranjeev Kalra Suggests Power Lines for Flying Cars

18 September 2018 || 3 min read

While most people look at power lines as a means of transporting energy locations on earth, Chiranjeev Kalra, co-founder of Kármán Aero, looks at power lines as transportation a means for energy to travel skyward. Chiranjeev, or CJ, as he’s referred to, is developing and testing the world’s first in-flight urban air mobility charging solution. He’s a graduate of the...

Chiranjeev Kalra Suggests Power Lines for Flying Cars

18 September 2018 || 3 min read

Chiranjeev, or CJ, as he’s referred to, is developing and testing the world’s first in-flight urban air mobility charging solution. He’s a graduate of the Virgin Hyperloop One program, and his company, Kármán Aero (named for Hungarian aerospace engineer Theodore von Kármán, has already developed a scale model prototype that is functional.

Karman Electric’s eVTOL Concept

Kármán Aero’s solution to in-flight energy supplies for eVTOLs is ingenious, and simple – aircraft would have two conductive “wire-runners” that would extend outward when charging is to be initiated. The eVTOL would fly between two power lines that are running parallel and contact the runners with the lines, thereby charging the eVTOL. This novel solution will allow for much longer range flights and increase the effective range of many eVTOLs from the 10s to 100s of miles, all without modifying eVTOL designs beyond adding runners to facilitate the flow of electricity.

The system allows for great scalability and amplifies the range and application pool for the growing number of eVTOLs that are currently in development, and brings routes such as Los Angeles to San Francisco into reach when they previously were unattainable due to battery capacity concerns.

Karman Electric now has a grant to begin working on its full-scale prototype testing in San Antonio, Texas and begin testing by the end of this year. While there are a few regulatory challenges, the Karman’s solution to the problem of battery energy density increasing at 3% per year (extremely slowly) is quite literally a “plug-and-play” solution that involves existing infrastructure.

Tethered Flying Car Concept

Why it’s important: Kármán Aero is taking a new approach to optimizing the energy requirements of the urban air mobility industry, and the solution is simple, elegant, and practical – little design changes are required to implement the system save converters on power line posts that reduce voltage from 100 to 1kV for charging.

Netherlands Aerospace Centre Opens Electric Aviation Center

14 September 2018 || 4 min read

This week, the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLC) announced the opening of its new aerospace innovation center in Marknesse. The Centre’s first move was to purchase Pipistrel’s new Alpha Electro aircraft. The Alpha Electro is one of the world’s first certified plug-in private aircraft. It made this purchase through a donation from PwC, which provides consulting, audit, and tax services. PwC’s ambition...

Netherlands Aerospace Centre Opens Electric Aviation Center

14 September 2018 || 4 min read

This week, the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLC) announced the opening of its new aerospace innovation center in Marknesse.

The Centre’s first move was to purchase Pipistrel’s new Alpha Electro aircraft. The Alpha Electro is one of the world’s first certified plug-in private aircraft. It made this purchase through a donation from PwC, which provides consulting, audit, and tax services. PwC’s ambition is to be CO2-neutral business in 2030. PwC CFO and COO Michael de Riddler commented:

“With this donation, PwC wants to make a contribution to accelerating the transition to electric flight. As a user, an international organization with clients worldwide, we want to take our responsibility by pursuing CO₂ reduction, offsetting and innovation.”

The Netherlands Aerospace Centre will house its new “Living Lab for Electric Flight” within the facility/ There, it plans to work with the newly attained Pipistrel Alpha Electro Aircraft to develop electric aviation technologies further. Goals include extending range through aerodynamics and battery advancements.

At the launch of the new center and the Living Lab, Wright Electric’s Jeff Angler spoke to the future of electric flight. Wight Electric is an startup developing technology for commercially viable electric aircraft. Wright Electric has partnered with Easyjet, a commercial operator in Europe. Easyjet aims to put electric planes in the skies within twenty years. Initial routes would go up to 540 kilometers, carrying 150 passengers, and go between places like Amsterdam, Paris, and Europe.

Said by Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Dutch Minister of Infrastructure:

“The Netherlands is highly successful in aerospace technology. This is precisely how it should be, because demand for air transport is continuing to grow. But we can’t simply go on building more and more planes. The aircraft also need to be lighter, must be equipped with new technology and have more economical engines. They present new challenges and we must look for the answers. Wherever new ideas must lead to new possibilities, there is a need for incubators. This new NLR complex is such an incubator.”

Why It’s Important:

Investment from both a large company like PwC and a country like the Netherlands in electric aviation is huge news for the flying car industry. While the existence of short-distance electric jets in Europe might compete with flying cars, no flying cars can come at all without significant advances in aerodynamic and battery technology. The innovation created by the Netherlands Aerospace Center will further the electric aviation industry, and will encourage additional investment in the flying car eVTOL industry.

Vertical Aerospace’s eVTOL Hits the Skies

13 September 2018 || 4 min read

In June of this Summer, UK startup Vertical Aerospace created and tested a working prototype of its flying car eVTOL at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire. It plans to operate its air taxi service by 2022. The Concept: Vertical Aerospace wants to get its air taxi in the air as soon as possible. For this reason, it’s focusing on piloted flight in the short...

Vertical Aerospace’s eVTOL Hits the Skies

13 September 2018 || 4 min read

The Concept:

Vertical Aerospace wants to get its air taxi in the air as soon as possible. For this reason, it’s focusing on piloted flight in the short term, although it does have autonomy in mind for the long term. Because it has stayed within the category of manned flight, Vertical Aerospaces’s eVTOL managed to achieve certification from UK’s Civil Aviation Authority. It has complied with existing regulations rather than creating a new set, but paves the way for future amendments.

The Company:

Vertical Aerospace was founded in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick, the former founder and CEO of OVO Energy. OVO provides a wide range of energy services from home climate solutions to electric vehicle charging setups. For a time, Fitzpatrick was also the owner of a formula one team. He’s been heard to say, “The lightweight materials, aerodynamics and electrical systems developed through F1 are highly applicable to aircraft, much more so than to road transport. By putting those technologies in the hands of experienced aerospace engineers, we can build cutting-edge aircraft for the 21st Century.”

The vertical Aerospace team consists of 28 aerospace experts from companies like Airbus, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Martin Jetpack, and GE.

The Vision:

Vertical Aerospace’s goal is to provide customers with the ability to travel directly to their exact location. “If you consider that the busiest routes flying in and out of London are to Paris, London and Edinburgh, being able to fly to those cities without the need of a runway would offset the need to expand Heathrow,” said Fitzpatrick. Creating an air taxi service using Vertical Aerospace’s eVTOL’s would take an enormous load off the current air transportation system in Europe, given that many destinations are so close together.

The Aircraft:

The prototype exhibited last summer was only a “technology demonstrator”. It was piloted remotely, had only one seat, and traveled for five minutes up to 80kph with a weight of 750kg. Vertical Aerospace designed, built, and flight tested the craft all within 12 months. It’s eventual plans are for an aircraft with a capacity of a pilot plus two to four passengers. The final first version should have a range about 100 miles and a top speed of around 150mph.

Why it’s important:

Vertical Aerospace reminds us that it’s possible to create eVTOLs now that comply with existing flight regulations. Full regulations for autonomous air taxis within urban airspace may be a long way off, but the existence of vehicles like Vertical Aerospace’s aircraft will allow new regulations to slowly seep in. Vertical Aerospace’s approach pushes other manufacturers and operators to ask how they can create aircraft that require as little new law as possible.

Verdego Aero Pivots to Providing IDEP Solutions

13 September 2018 || 4 min read

Erik Lindbergh is applying a course correction to his company’s approach to the urban air mobility market. Erik, who is the grandson of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, founded VerdeGo Aero in 2017 with the mission of transforming how we fly. This purpose fits with his own personal mantra – to escape from gravity through aerospace, art, and adventure, and it also amplifies the purpose...

Verdego Aero Pivots to Providing IDEP Solutions

13 September 2018 || 4 min read

Erik Lindbergh is applying a course correction to his company’s approach to the urban air mobility market.

Former Verdego Design

Erik, who is the grandson of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, founded VerdeGo Aero in 2017 with the mission of transforming how we fly. This purpose fits with his own personal mantra – to escape from gravity through aerospace, art, and adventure, and it also amplifies the purpose and direction of VerdeGo.

Verdego Aero Flying Car Grandfather of the Founder, Charles Lindbergh, with the Spirit of St. Louis

Erik Lindbergh’s Grandfather with the Spirit of St. Louis

Until recently, VerdeGo was focused primarily on designing and manufacturing Urban Air Mobility aircraft. As the company built on its founders’ years of experience with electric and hybrid electric propulsion, VerdeGo identified an opportunity to pivot from being an aircraft manufacturer to a focus on powertrain systems to propel the entire industry. While most eVTOL firms have focused on the full-stack solution to aircraft, Verdego seeks to become the leader in expertise, design, and supply of IDEP systems – Integrated Distributed Electric Propulsion.

The first generation hybrid IDEP systems would include electric motors, wiring, and controllers, batteries, piston generators or turbine generators, and in second generation versions, full battery-powered versions are planned. While many eVTOL companies are targeting batteries now, the rate of increase of battery technology (3% per year average increase in energy density) does not warrant a battery-pack optimized solution just yet. VerdeGo is integrating together the best components from world-class partners to engineer the IDEP powertrains.

A growing number of players in the urban air mobility market are gravitating towards more shared resources and common standards that allow for modularity in manufacturing and production processes – not just at the component level, but at the sub-assembly, and even complete assembly level as well. For instance, utilizing a common production line for composite materials that are then supplied to their respective companies could alleviate the pinch point of space and resource requirements for similar advanced manufacturing tasks. In VerdeGo’s application, IDEP would allow for other OEMs to adapt their modular propulsion system to solve propulsion challenges for a wide variety of designs for individual customers.

Why it’s important: Verdego’s unique approach to optimizing the design and production of a IDEP systems for urban air mobility solutions is a strategy that should allow customers to optimize their designs for the performance levels that batteries will deliver in 15 to 20 years, rather than designing a sub-optimal aircraft around the near-term capabilities of batteries. Their decision to configure IDEP systems to work via plug- and-play battery or combustion engine integration is a design consideration that enables high levels of performance now while providing the capability to be compatible with future battery technologies.”

Event in Review: BentonvilleUP

12 September 2018 || 3 min read

This past weekend, the leaders of the urban air mobility industry gathered at BentonvilleUP, an event hosted by TransportUP, in Bentonville, Arkansas to share their progress and reflect on the current state of the urban air mobility industry. The event, which was co-hosted by Ben Marcus of Airmap, Cyrus Sigari of jetAVIVA, and Steuart Walton, was the second annual gathering...

Event in Review: BentonvilleUP

12 September 2018 || 3 min read

The event, which was co-hosted by Ben Marcus of Airmap, Cyrus Sigari of jetAVIVA, and Steuart Walton, was the second annual gathering of a select group of individuals who are defining the future of urban air mobility. Among other attendees included representatives from Joby Aviation, Porsche SE, Boom Aerospace, Verdego, Lilium, Volocopter, EHang, Uber, Pipistrel, Airbus, a number of venture capital firms, and more – the total attendee list included professionals from 70 companies.

The event opened Friday evening with a cocktail hour, airshow, and gala in one of the main hangars at Bentonville Municipal airport – complete with an amphibious Cessna Caravan and a Spitfire to complete the accouterment. Saturday morning, the event began with a jetpack demonstration by Richard Browning of Gravity Enterprises. Mr. Browning then kicked off the morning talks with an overview of his current technology and some advice from his journey through business, aerospace, and entrepreneurship.

Then, a number of urban air mobility specialists overviewed the status of their technology, their innovations, struggles, and achievements that have allowed them to stand out in the UAM industry through a series of lightning talks that spanned the greater part of Saturday. Among some of the largest announcements were those made by EHang and Pipistrel, and some attendees afforded their personal experience dealing with common regulators or technical challenges in efforts to progress the whole industry in lieu of individual gains.

Throughout the event, a number of tours were conducted of the surrounding area in a Huey helicopter, in addition to walking tours of the Crystal Bridges Museum of Art.

On Sunday, the lightning talks continued during the course of the morning. In the afternoon, there was an investor roundtable that sparked discussion toward the current and future state of the industry, the business activities that most drove investment interest, and the mechanics of long term positions in urban air mobility firms.

Here’s the opening video of the flying car conference:

The third annual event scheduled for fall of 2019 is already planned in an undisclosed location.

Why it’s important: BentonvilleUP marks the second in a series of annual conferences that are bringing the urban air mobility industry’s brightest minds together. The collaborative and personal nature of these conferences aides in the sharing of information and lessons learned between UAM companies that is helping to bridge infrastructure, regulatory, and public perception gaps that have been identified as the main hurdles in bringing commercial UAM solutions to widespread market application.

Bell and NASA Partner for UAV Development

09 September 2018 || 3 min read

NASA will be working with Bell Helicopter and others to overcome the current obstacles to commercial UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operation. On August 29th, it announced funding up to $11 million to work with Bell. NASA names these main obstacles as technological advancements, systems integration, and certification of aircraft and avionics. Through this collaboration, NASA and Bell hope to deliver new technologies for unmanned aerial systems including integrated Detect and Avoid (DAA)...

Bell and NASA Partner for UAV Development

09 September 2018 || 3 min read

Through this collaboration, NASA and Bell hope to deliver new technologies for unmanned aerial systems including integrated Detect and Avoid (DAA) and Command and Control (C2) technologies. Bell seeks to use the technologies it develops alongside NASA in its new Autonomous Pod Transport 70 (APT70). The APT70 is a tail-sitting VTOL with load capacity up to 70lbs, and a top speed up to 100mph. It vertically lifts into the air like a drone, and then rotates into a horizontal flight position to fly like a bi-plane using its built-in fixed wing. A near-final version of the APT70 will conduct a flight demonstration in 2020.

Bell’s Autonomous Transport Pod Prototype

Bell showcased its prototype at XPONENTIAL 2018 aerospace show last May, positioning as having potential military use as well as commercial cargo use. In a military capacity, the ATP could eliminate the need for resupply by vehicle, bringing troops items like goggles, body armor, and batteries.

Bell Autonomous Transport Pod Concept Model

The collaboration between Bell and NASA will be managed at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Other partners include Textron Systems, Xwing, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA). Bell will lead the design, development, production and systems integration of APT, while Textron Systems will supply command and control operations, Xwing will provide detect and avoid technologies, and CASA will provide weather avoidance technology.

Why it’s important: The Bell ATP70 is one of the first unmanned VTOLs featuring a fixed wing. Unlike many existing UAVs that carry payloads, it has the capability of horizontal flight, making it faster and more efficient, and giving it higher range. The development of technology and certifications for unmanned eVTOLs with fixed-wing capabilities paves the way for similar aircraft with passenger carrying abilities.

Bell will also be using the new technologies developed with NASA in its Air Taxi design. Learn more about the Bell Air Taxi here.

Japan’s Flying Car Team now includes Subaru, Boeing, and More

08 September 2018 || 3 min read

At the end of August, Japan began an initiative to jumpstart the flying car industry. It’s taken its first steps by actively recruiting Subaru, Boeing, Uber Japan, Airbus Japan, and more. Japan plans to have flying cars in the air by 2020. It’s Ministry of Trade, Economy, and Industry initiated meetings with both private and public sectors last month. In...

Japan’s Flying Car Team now includes Subaru, Boeing, and More

08 September 2018 || 3 min read

At the end of August, Japan began an initiative to jumpstart the flying car industry. It’s taken its first steps by actively recruiting Subaru, Boeing, Uber Japan, Airbus Japan, and more.

Japan plans to have flying cars in the air by 2020. It’s Ministry of Trade, Economy, and Industry initiated meetings with both private and public sectors last month. In the U.S, NASA is beginning to work with private companies on UAV (drone) mapping systems, but Japan is one of the first countries to move the focus to passenger-carrying eVTOLs.

While many refer to these new vehicles and services as flying cars, Japan prefers to refer to the new movement as a ‘mobility service’. With the initiative, Japan hopes to solve its plethora of ground transportation problems, which include heavy traffic, difficult-to-navigate mountainous regions, and remote islands.

Japan’s geography and current highway system

The latest recruit to the Japanese flying car coalition, as of yesterday, is Subaru. Although not widely known, Subaru has an aerospace division as well as automotive. Specifically, it developed attack helicopters for the Japanse air force. It also designs and builds lightweight carbon composites for Boeing’s 767 and 777. As of 2015, it signed an agreement with Boeing to work on the 777X’s center wing box. It even has begun research projects for unmanned aerial vehicles and delivers a full trainer aircraft to the Japanese Ministry of Defense.

AH-64D attack helicopter by Subaru

T-5 primary trainer by Suba

Japan hopes to complete a ‘roadmap’ for flying cars within its infrastructure by the end of the year. It has enlisted 21 companies total, including Toyota’s Cartivator, Japan Airlines, ANA Holdings, and Yamato Holdings. It held its Public-Private Conference for Future Air Mobility on August 29th.

Why it’s important: Japan’s addition of Subaru to the flying car initiative indicates the wide variety of companies and industries that will contribute. It also lends an extra layer of certainty and credibility to the flying car industry. Subaru’s choice to join the flying car force may send signals to other big auto industry players like GM and Volkswagen to start developing their own technologies.

A New Flying Car- JETCopter Design Revealed

07 September 2018 || 3 min read

JETCopter applies Jet-powered flight to Flying Cars. On September 4th, flying car startup JETCopter released its design for a new eVTOL. The JETCopter is powered by two central fans which then divert their airflow to four outflow points. Like other eVTOLS, the amount of power given to each output point can be manipulated to control vertical hovering and maneuvering. Once the JETCopter is...

A New Flying Car- JETCopter Design Revealed

07 September 2018 || 3 min read

JETCopter applies Jet-powered flight to Flying Cars.

On September 4th, flying car startup JETCopter released its design for a new eVTOL.

The JETCopter is powered by two central fans which then divert their airflow to four outflow points. Like other eVTOLS, the amount of power given to each output point can be manipulated to control vertical hovering and maneuvering. Once the JETCopter is in the air, its fixed-wing tilts for horizontal flight, and from there it operates much like a jet.

The jump to jet power enables a more continuous and powerful airflow stream. This could make for more advanced maneuvering. It also eliminates the presence of a suctioning force at the extraneous points, which would be much safer in urban environments. The JETCopter boasts extreme stats with plans for two 400 horsepower engines, a carbon fiber build, a top speed of 186mph, a range of 600 miles and a capacity of at least six seats.

JETCopter has a quick-to-market approach. Rather than designing its eVTOL from the bottom up, the company has developed a low-cost carbon composite fuselage for the body, and plans to use standard automotive engines to power the main fans. While the company is still developing a full concept on a mobile platform, it believes that the many of the components will not require much initial engineering investment.

JETCopter plans to release a prototype within two years and will show a mock-up at the Aero 2019 Aviation Exhibition in April.

Why it’s important: JetCopter’s distributed power concept opens up a new class of flying cars. New eVTOL designs may start featuring jet power points rather than rotor blades at every point. It’s still unclear whether Jet tech eVTOL’s would be used for air taxi or private services, but features such as higher ranges and speeds could add value to a higher end segment of the market; people who wish to travel further or faster. The wider the range of designs that exist, the more ubiquitous the flying car industry will become.

Flying Car Developer DuFour Adds Damian Hischier

04 September 2018 || 3 min read

DuFour already has successfully logged more than 50 hours on their electric airplane, the aEro1. Now, it is turning to Flying cars. Since 2015, DuFour has had the vision of an eVTOl and developed a fully capable electric airplane to flight-test many of the electric components. It’s aEro1 is capable of flying for up to one hour, multiple times per day. Damian...

Flying Car Developer DuFour Adds Damian Hischier

04 September 2018 || 3 min read

DuFour already has successfully logged more than 50 hours on their electric airplane, the aEro1. Now, it is turning to Flying cars.

Since 2015, DuFour has had the vision of an eVTOl and developed a fully capable electric airplane to flight-test many of the electric components. It’s aEro1 is capable of flying for up to one hour, multiple times per day.

DuFour’s aEro1 Electric Plane

Damian Hischier is a certified test pilot and holds an Airline Transport Pilot License with a Category 1 Flight Test Rating from the EASA. He flew more than 130 different aircraft types ranging from gliders up to airliners including 15 first flights of prototypes. He was also the test pilot for Solarstratos. Damian is one of the few civilian pilots trained to conduct new aircraft testing, which makes him invaluable to flying car companies like DuFour.

Hischier is from DuFour’s home in Switzerland. DuFour plans on using it’s eVTOL, the aEro2 to revolutionize rural transport in the Swiss Alps area. Visitors to the alps often stay in Zermatt, a small town near the mountains. They often have to travel three hours to get to Zermatt from Milan or Zurich by car. The trip by a flying car like the aEro2 would take between 22 and 30 minutes. DuFour plans to have a fully working prototype for testing by the end of 2020. Learn more about the aEro2 here.

Prior to joining DuFour last week, Hischier had been a test pilot, project manager, and pilot for over twenty years at four different aerospace companies. At DaFour, he will be serving as Chief Test Pilot and head of Certification. Hischier received his bachelor’s degree in software engineering and economics in 1993 from Fachhochschule Luzern.

Why it’s important: As the flying car industry develops, a demand for test pilots will flourish. Many companies are about to arrive at their prototyping stages and will need test pilots like Damian. It is important for everyone interested in the industry to understand who these test pilots are, where they can be found, and what certifications they must have to verify new aircraft.

SkyRyse Air Taxi to Launch in Tracy, CA

02 September 2018 || 3 min read

On August 28th, a new company called SkyRyse launched. SkyRyse is a new a air taxi statrup featuring a single-rotor helicopter with advanced tech features. It plans to launch air taxi services by 2019. The SkyRyse helicopter takes a major step toward autonomy for air taxis. It paves the way for the future of flying cars. The SkyRyse features an...

SkyRyse Air Taxi to Launch in Tracy, CA

02 September 2018 || 3 min read

SkyRyse Concept Comparison

The SkyRyse helicopter takes a major step toward autonomy for air taxis. It paves the way for the future of flying cars. The SkyRyse features an advanced piloting system with situational awareness and intelligence. Its system will be able to use data from other flights to provide safer and more efficient options. The software automates much of the flight control systems, taking the mental workload and room for error off of pilots.

Designed by experts from Tesla, Boeing, SpaceX, and Uber, SkyRyse has raised $25 million in seed funding. Mark Groden, CEO and Founder, envisions initial operations supporting city’s emergency response units, including law enforcement, search-and-rescue missions, and firefighters. He says, “Because the stakes are highest in emergency response situations when minutes can mean the difference between life and death, we’re launching SkyRyse Emergency Response to support governments and municipalities first, with plans to change how we get around our cities in the future.”

SkyRyse will begin operations in Tracy, California, and is based out of Silicon Valley. It’s backers include Venrock, Eclipse, Industry Ventures, Trucks VC, Cantos, and Engage Ventures.

Why It’s Important: While SkyRyse does not feature DEP (distributed electric propulsion), it’s launch marks a huge step in the right direction for air taxi vehicles. SkyRyse is quick-to-market approach to urban aviation mobility, using existing hardware to kickstart the industry. It’s launch promotes the acceptance of VTOLs as a usable form of transport, and pushes the technology of the industry further.

The Zeva Zero Will Release a Prototype in October 2019

23 August 2018 || 3 min read

Founded in April 2018, Zeva Aero has a pioneering design for the Zeva Zero eVTOL. The Zero has a unique flat design, and aims to carry passengers completely door to door. While not many photos have been released of the Zeva, it features a tilting flight system. It can transition from a hover mode to a horizontal flight mode like...

The Zeva Zero Will Release a Prototype in October 2019

23 August 2018 || 3 min read

Founded in April 2018, Zeva Aero has a pioneering design for the Zeva Zero eVTOL. The Zero has a unique flat design, and aims to carry passengers completely door to door.

While not many photos have been released of the Zeva, it features a tilting flight system. It can transition from a hover mode to a horizontal flight mode like other VTOL designs. But in the Zero, the passenger tilts with the wing. The coin-like structure of the Zero improves vertical drag as it rises, and it’s minimalistic approach reduces weight. However, the Zero only carries a single passenger.

The Zero comes with the self dubbed ‘SkyDock’ docking system. SkyDock allows the Zero to park itself on the side of buildings themselves. This would enable passengers to exit the Zero to walk directly into their office or home–almost like a door that can open to anywhere. It eliminates the need for last mile transportation, making the journey from A to B even more efficient.

The Zeva team is still in the design phase, but is looking for $1.5 million in funding. It will produce a prototype for the GoFly competition sponsored by Boeing in October 2019. The GoFly Competion specifically only allows near-VTOL aircraft that can fit an eight-and-a-half foot sphere.

Zeva is led by Steve Tibbitts, Managing Director of Incubator FabLab Tacoma. FabLab provides a workspace and prototyping tools for innovators, artists, and DIY enthusiasts. Previously, Tibbitts worked as a director at Integrated Device Technology Inc, and as a Design Manager at Fox Electronics. The rest of the Zeva team includes electrical and mechanical engineers as well as experts in 3D design, composites, and software.

Why it’s important: As VTOLs become more prevalent many companies will begin to replicate past designs. Especially in a new industry, continual re-iteration is crucial to achieve the best design. Zeva’s unique design and docking system rethinks the utility of existing VTOLS even while they are still in their testing stages.

Los Angeles Announces New Mobility Challenge 2018

22 August 2018 || 3 min read

The city of Los Angeles has announced its support of the second annual New Mobility Challenge. The main categories of the two-day pitch competition are Smart Infrastructure, Shared Mobility, Electrification, Autonomous Vehicles, and Personal Mobility. Presented as part of the LaComotion Mobility Festival and sponsored by Metro, the New Mobility Challenge will award companies with cash prizes and support from LA’s best...

Los Angeles Announces New Mobility Challenge 2018

22 August 2018 || 3 min read

Presented as part of the LaComotion Mobility Festival and sponsored by Metro, the New Mobility Challenge will award companies with cash prizes and support from LA’s best new venture investor networks and incubators. Matt Peterson, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), mentioned, “Los Angeles is the epicenter of innovation for creating a zero emissions mobility future”.

The Electrification finalists are electric aircraft developer Ampaire, ConnectMyEv for autonomous EV charging, and Advanced Vehicle Manufacturing,

Ampaire developed the Tailwind, a commercial electric aircraft. The Tailwind is not a eVTOL, but has similar goals such as noise reduction, efficiency, and environmental impact. Ampaire’s work could mean great steps forward for the certification and social acceptance of electric aircraft.

The fully Electric Ampaire Tailwind

Of interest as well is ConnectMyEv. As noted in the Uber Elevate white paper, eVTOL operators will most likely place their ports on tops of large buildings like parking garages. Autonomous docking, charging, and ground management will be a major part of urban e-VTOL transport no matter who develops them.

ConnectMyEV’s autonomous charging solution

Why it’s important: Los Angeles’ investment in a combination of autonomous solutions, electric capabilities, and flight show its commitment to finding high-tech aviation answers to LA’s mobility issues. The traffic issue in LA is the result of an overburned transit system at its capacity, and the emerging eVTOL industry could be an obvious answer. With the amount of interest generated by events like these, the market for eVTOL solutions will surely grow.

Astro Aerospace Partners with Kasaero GmbH

19 August 2018 || 2 min read

The Texas based eVTOL developer Astro Aerospace has established a partnership with German company Kasaero, which specializes in lightweight design, composites, and certifications. Astro Aerospace’s AA360 has reached the pre-order stage. Company stock is available on the public stock market. The AA360 features sixteen rotors, full autonomy, and an interior designed for 360-degree visibility. In May, Astro Aerospace recently acquired Passenger Drone, as well...

Bell’s Patent Application May Reveal Air Taxi Design

16 August 2018 || 2 min read

A patent filed by Bell Flight in January of 2018 may hint at the design of its air taxi concept. US Patent 2018/0208305 shows a three fanned air taxi that has tilting rotors – one on each wingtip and one at the tail of the aircraft – that would enable vertical takeoff and landing. Furthermore, the patent includes provisions for...

Workhorse Unveils New Brand Identity

14 August 2018 || 3 min read

Workhorse unveiled their new “Work Ahead” brand identity in New York City amidst the display of their SureFly flying taxi. Steve Burns, CEO of Workhorse, stated: “We are at a watershed moment as the worlds of alternative energy and transportation become further intertwined. As more brands enter the space, having a strong marketing platform that lets workers know that Workhorse...

Workhorse Unveils New Brand Identity

14 August 2018 || 3 min read

Workhorse unveiled their new “Work Ahead” brand identity in New York City amidst the display of their SureFly flying taxi.

Steve Burns, CEO of Workhorse, stated: “We are at a watershed moment as the worlds of alternative energy and transportation become further intertwined. As more brands enter the space, having a strong marketing platform that lets workers know that Workhorse is a brand they can get behind, because we get behind them, is more important than ever.”

Workhorse is one of the few flying taxi companies to have initiated the flying car certification process with the FAA in the United States.

The SureFly eVTOL

“The SureFly is a two-place hybrid-electric VTOL multi-copter aircraft developed by Workhorse in Loveland, OH. It is designed to accommodate a pilot and passenger or a pilot and cargo, up to 550 pounds at a speed of about 70 miles per hour, for up to two hours, day or night. The aircraft utilizes a fly-by-wire flight control system designed to maintain the flight envelope of the aircraft.”

The SureFly has a ballistic parachute that works above 100 feet AGL in the event of major powerplant abnormalities – but also features eight rotors for redundancy; if one of them fails the aircraft can still operate normally.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accepted Workhorse’s application for Type Certification in June of 2018. The SureFly is anticipated to have a $200,000 MSRP.

Why it’s important: Workhorse was the first company to apply for and be accepted to commencement of the FAA Type Certification process, which means that they lead the flying taxi industry in certification efforts in the United States. Their path forward will be closely monitored by other flying car and taxi companies looking to gain intuition into best practices for navigating an entirely new certification space with the Federal Aviation Administration.

Source

Workhorse Group Inc
MarketsInsider

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This week, the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLC) announced the opening of its new aerospace innovation center in Marknesse.

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Erik Lindbergh is applying a course correction to his company’s approach to the urban air mobility market.

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JETCopter applies Jet-powered flight to Flying Cars.

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