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Airflow, the developer of one of the world’s first all-electric cargo eSTOLs (short take-off and landing aircraft) has partnered with electric aircraft expert Pipistrel to provide propulsion components.

Rendering of Airflow’s cargo eSTOL on the runway

Airflow, the all-electric eSTOL developer founded by several former members of the Airbus Vahana project, has just added yet another partner to its growing list of propulsion providers. While it has selected Verdego Aero for an upcoming hybrid-electric powertrain, and Plug Power for a potential hydrogen-power configuration, electric aircraft expert Pipistrel is now set to provide Airflow’s eSTOLs with motors, motor controllers, and batteries. These will be used on Airflow’s full-scale proof-of-concept prototype, laying the groundwork for the production version of the aircraft.

To date, Pipistrel is the maker of the first and still the only type-certified electric airplane in the world, the Velis Electro.

Pipistrel’s Velis Electro, the world’s first all-electric type-certified airplane.

The initial, cargo-carrying version of the Airflow eSTOL is aimed primarily at ‘middle mile’ transport of e-commerce goods and more. The company claims that its aircraft will be able to effectively replace many middle-mile cargo trucks that take items from shipping ports to warehouses, by providing transport at much higher speeds for only slightly higher costs, while at the same time using much greener energy. Airflow is also targeting hospitals, which often need items transported much more quickly than is possible by truck. The Airflow eSTOL will take-off and land within 150 feet with 500 lbs of cargo, fly at speeds up to 200 mph, with ranges of up to 500 miles depending on power supply configuration.

Said Marc Ausman, Founder and CEO of Airflow, “Pipistrel’s pioneering work in electric flight and their industry-leading experience in building and certifying powertrains for electric aircraft makes them an ideal partner to help us build and fly a first-of-its-kind eSTOL airplane. They understand and can meet the challenges of a high-performance system with the reliability and safety requirements of the aerospace industry.”

Said Ivo Boscarol, CEO of Pipistrel, “We relish working with partners that are pursuing ambitious and achievable goals in electric aviation. The Airflow team understands what it takes to bring a new electric aircraft to market and their experience building and flying the Airbus Vahana makes them one of the best positioned teams to accomplish this.”

Rendering of the Airflow eSTOL in flight

Why it’s important: Pipistrel is becoming an industry-leading expert as an electric propulsion developer and manufacturer. Its recent deal with Airflow, combined with high degree of success in developing and manufacturing its own Velis Electro fixed-wing aircraft, give it a higher degree of validity than many other new players in the space. Airflow meanwhile, is gaining exponential momentum towards certification through this and other partnerships, and with its strategic market positioning, is looking to become one of the first distributed electric-propulsion commercial solutions to hit the market.

Related:

• Pipistrel’s Velis Electro Set to Break 7 World Records During Flight
• Pipistrel and Amazilia Aerospace to develop Heavy Cargo Hybrid VTOL Drone for SF Express
• Airflow Receives Order for 50 eSTOL Aircraft from Ravn Alaska
• Airflow Launches an Electric STOL

Source // Pipistrel

Hyundai Motor Group has publicly announced its urban air mobility division, Supernal, this week. The division will be based on Washington DC and is tasked with bringing an eVTOL product to market with public and private stakeholders.

“In adding a new dimension to mobility, we are on a mission to transform how people and society move, connect, and live,” said Jaiwon Shin, chief executive officer of Supernal and president of Hyundai Motor Group, in a press release.

Supernal has made its intentions clear, they will not be the first to market. Instead, the company is targeting a conservative 2028 for first commercial flight of its eVTOL prototype. In doing so, Supernal hopes to take on lessons from eVTOL companies with early success and find winning configurations.

“We are working to build the right product and the right integrated market, and we will leverage Hyundai Motor Group’s scaled manufacturing expertise to ensure AAM reaches the right price point and is accessible to the masses,” Shin said.

Hyundai has been no stranger to the aerial mobility space. Since 2019, the company has been working on concept vehicles and hopes to begin pursuing US certification in 2024. Currently, the leading prototype is S-A1 which will be all-electric, autonomous, and capable of accommodating four to five passengers.

The company is also making strides in the supporting verticals for eVTOL technology. They envision an entire ecosystem which will integrate aerial mobility into existing transportation networks. Last year, Hyundai partnered with the city of Los Angeles and Urban Movement Labs to lay the foundation for a model policy toolkit and vision for engagement with the public sector.

“We have a responsibility to ensure AAM integrates with and augments existing transit options and effectively serves local community needs,” Shin said. “Developing the market — from the vehicle to critical infrastructure networks and public acceptance — takes thoughtful and strategic coordination. Everything needs to align at the same time for AAM to reach its full promise.”

Why it matters: Hyundai spinning off its aerial mobility industry into the United States and taking a conservative go-to-market strategy shows where its priorities lie. The company is strategically allowing other companies to enter first, in order to determine winning approaches by observing initial entrants. This strategy has been used in other industries such as electric ground-based vehicles, where major name brand manufacturers are now starting to release commercial products in emerging markets years after the initial entrants. Expect more news as Supernal pursues certification and takes on the crowding aerial mobility space.

Near Earth Autonomy and L3Harris Technologies announced today that they have successfully demonstrated an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) capable of autonomously delivering life-saving blood and other medical supplies hundreds of miles from operational bases to medics in the field. Whole blood is the ideal fluid for hemorrhagic shock treatment in tactical combat care. The U.S. Army’s Medical Research and Development Command’s (USAMRDC) Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) sponsored the demonstration to identify ways to save Warfighters’ lives in situations where access to whole blood in the field can be challenging.

The project also addresses the problem of whole blood going unused and wasted by recovering it to blood banks in reusable condition. Near Earth successfully integrated its autonomous flight systems and L3Harris’ FVR-90 hybrid VTOL aircraft to demonstrate multiple delivery scenarios. In one example, the UAS analyzed landing areas using onboard sensors to find a safe, unobstructed location. In other tests, the ground was too cluttered for the vehicle to land, so transport pods were dropped from a low altitude hover or released via parachute. The demonstration took place in Ft. Pickett, VA, in August of 2021.

“When combined with autonomous delivery zone evaluation, vertical takeoff and landing and long-distance flight can transform field supply logistics.” Sanjiv Singh, CEO of Near Earth, said, “This project allowed us to demonstrate the utility of autonomous, safe landing in complex, unstructured environments. It is especially gratifying to speak to end users who can benefit from the life-saving applications that are now possible through this innovative program.”

This research and development initiative was conducted by Near Earth Autonomy and L3Harris and is made possible by a contract that was awarded and administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research & Development Command (USAMRDC) and the Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), at Fort Detrick, MD.

Why it’s important: This collaboration effort provides substantiation to EMS and first responder roles for unmanned aerial vehicle systems, and showcases the types of use cases that have impacts on the health and safety of those in the military (which could easily be expanded to include civilians as well). Though the primary application of this technology is military based, early technological advances will eventually permeate to civilian applications as well.

Airspeeder, the company famous for developing ‘flying race cars’ that are single-seater quadcopters inspired by Formula One vehicles, has released footage of two of its prototype aircraft in a remotely piloted drag race. The flight demonstrated the competitive capabilities of these lightweight aircraft, and gave the world a sampling what full-scale Airspeeder races will soon look like.

Airspeeder has been working on its vision for eVTOL races sine 2016, and since then the company has been edging ever closer to conducting the world’s first high-speed, piloted, eVTOL races. Last year, the company unveiled its MK3 Airspeeder racing aircraft, capable of flying at speeds over 90mph (which it did in this race). It uses a 96 kW electric powertrain that gives the MK3 a thrust to weight ratio above two, with the entire vehicle only weighing (220 lb) unmanned, and is controlled by a joystick.

The company Airspeeder, which aims to become the world’s first ‘flying car’ racing series, is built on the idea that “Nothing accelerates technological progress like sporting competition”. According to founders of the team, Airspeeder hopes to use the technology developed in its competitive race series to push forward performance and safety in the entire eVTOL industry, while at the same time using publicity of the races to encourage public acceptance of these new types of vehicles. Founders at Airspeeder believe deeply in the power of electric vertical flight to transform society, and hope that its aircraft and aerial motorsport will give the world a push in that direction.

Watch the unveiling video of the Airspeeder MK3 aircraft from last May below:

Why it’s important: In May of this year, Airspeeder claimed that it would begin remotely piloted, competitive races between teams starting in late 2021. This drag race completed that milestone, and according to the company, manned races will begin starting sometime in 2022. With this drag race event, Airspeeder has shown that it is able to stick to its timeline, and therefore it is becoming more and more likely that Airspeeder next year will become the very first flying race car series in the world.

Source // Airspeeder

Related:

• Airspeeder Initial Flying Car Races Set For Later This Year (May 2021)
• Airspeeder MK3: World’s First Electric Flying Racing Car (February 2021)
• A Trade Study in Endurance and Performance: Airspeeder’s Battery Configuration (December 2020)

eVTOL newcomer, Autoflight, has announced it has completed the first flight of its V1500M four-passenger aircraft. Autoflight was founded five years ago as a spinoff from the consumer drone manufacturer Yuneec, started by Tian Yu. The Shanghai-based company unveiled this latest model in September at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai.

“The V1500M is a milestone — not only for AutoFlight but also for the global development of the urban air mobility,” AutoFlight founder and CEO Tian Yu stated in a press release. “Our company is committed to developing safe and reliable passenger eVTOL aircraft and helping to create a better mobility future.”

The V1500 is a fully-electric eVTOL aerial vehicle that can transport up to four passengers and luggage (up to 3,307 lbs) either autonomously or piloted. The carbon fiber fuselage carries ten electric motors and ten propellers that are located above the cabin.

For forward flight, the eVTOL aircraft utilizes its two rear pusher propellers and a fixed-wing, delivering a cruise speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) and a range of 250 km (155 miles).

Following an extensive series of flight tests, Autoflight hopes to obtain its airworthiness certificate and pursue commercial availability by 2024.

The company also boasts 2 other eVTOL models, including the V50 White Shark which is currently in commercial production. This year, Autoflight has completed a successful Series A round of funding in which it topped $100M USD.

Why it matters: China, having both the largest population and greatest population density of any country, has perhaps the greatest opportunity to benefit from aerial mobility. With the successful launch of Autoflight, the V1500M promises to be a serious competitor to other manufacturers in the country like EHang and XPeng HT Aero. With $100M USD in series A funding, Autoflight should have a solid start on completing its flight test campaign and achieving certification. 

SkyDrive Inc. an advanced air mobility solutions company that’s creating flying cars and cargo drones, announced on November 1st that the company’s application for a type certificate for its flying car was accepted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT). The approval of this application on October 29, 2021 means that the company has now initiated a type certification project for the aircraft that it aims to commercialize in 2025. SkyDrive is the first flying car developer to reach this stage in Japan.

Related: SkyDrive Inks Partnership with JAXA for Aerodynamic Characteristics Research

Under Japan’s Civil Aeronautics Law, MLIT issues a type certificate to certify that the design, structure, strength, and performance of a newly developed aircraft meet the necessary safety and environmental requirements for each type of aircraft. Certification is only granted after the aircraft had gone through a battery of studies and tests, including strength tests and flight tests. This is the first time that MLIT has accepted an application for a type certificate for a flying car.

Tomohiro Fukuzawa, Chief Executive Officer of SkyDrive Inc commented on the TC acceptance: “SkyDrive and MLIT have been discussing how to safely develop and test this type of aircraft since the Public-Private Council to promote urban air mobility was launched in Japan in 2018 and SkyDrive received permission for the first outdoor test flight of its flying car. We are very pleased that our application for type certification has been accepted and we will continue to work in close partnership with the government and MLIT to complete our development of a wholly safe and reliable flying car. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of those who have supported us in various ways up to this point and we will continue striving to launch a viable flying car business with the assistance of various organizations and companies, including MLIT, in pursuit of our common goal of realizing an air mobility society.”

Why it’s important: The Japanese MLIT’s acceptance of this type certificate application is indication that Japan continues to invest in advanced aerial mobility projects, and also supports the development of personal aerial vehicle (PAV)’s for use in the future. Continue to monitor the progress of companies such as SkyDrive as they further refine their PAV technology that will ultimately (and likely) end up on larger prototypes that can carry multiple people.

On October 19, Xiaopeng Huitian announced that it has raised over US$500 million in Series A financing, with a pre-investment valuation of more than US$1 billion. This round of financing was led by IDG Capital, Wuyuan Capital and Xiaopeng Auto, followed by well-known institutions such as Sequoia China, Zhongding Capital, GGV Jiyuan Capital, Hillhouse Ventures, and Yunfeng Fund. Public information shows that this is by far the largest single financing obtained by an enterprise in the field of low-altitude manned aircraft in Asia.

Photo Credit // Xiaopeng Huitian

Xpeng Heitech is a flying car startup subsidiary of electric vehicle maker Xpeng, and now employs approximately 400 people with plans to expand its workforce to 700 by the end of this year, according to the company’s founder Deli Zhao Deli.

Zhao also recently claimed that Xpeng Heitech’s new model will be able to drive on current road infrastructure, and will have a driving range of over 600 kilometers (370 miles) with single charge. However, the vehicle’s range in the flight configuration has not yet been published. Other key features enabling its dual-capabilities include a lightweight design and a rotor that folds away when on the ground. The vehicle will also have a number of safety features including parachutes.

Related: XPeng’s Voyager X2 Demonstrates High Altitude Capabilities

“The Series A financing will provide us with sufficient resources to advance our research and development, acquire top-tier talent, and to continue to gain airworthiness provision and certification,” said Mr. Deli Zhao, Founder and President of HT Aero. “Our next-generation model will be a fully integrated flying vehicle and automobile, designed for both low-altitude air travel and road driving. We are planning for an official roll-out in 2024,” Mr. Zhao added.

Why it’s important: Xiaopeng Huitian is a participant in the formulation of China’s new aircraft design regulations. It has already flew more than 15,000 safe manned flights and won the highest industrial design award “German Red Dot Award”, German IF Award, American IDEA Design Award, etc. The milestones that the XPeng-backed startup has already achieved demonstrate that there is high likelihood of meeting its 2024 delivery goal, so long as the establishment of regulations can match the flying car’s development and manufacturing rate.

Skyports, a drone delivery operator, announced on October 21st that it has created a joint venture with Irelandia to bring drone deliveries to Colombia and wider Latin America (LATAM). The joint venture will bring an innovative, fast, frequent and reliable logistics service to Colombia, providing a cost-effective solution to connecting Colombia’s rural communities.

Skyports has also conducted trial COVID-19 response flights for the National Health Service in Scotland via partnerships with Wingcopter for drone delivery and Thales for airspace management. Photo // Skyports

The joint venture will be led by Skyports’ Bogota-based Colombia General Manager, Daniel Salamanca, who brings years of drone delivery experience and expertise to the project. Salamanca was also the first to receive approval for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights in Colombia on the Pacific Coast, where he worked with the national government and the presidency to transport blood samples from rural areas into central hospitals. These drone delivery trials benefited more than 1,200 people and waiting times for laboratory results was reduced by more than 75 percent.

The Skyports medical drone delivery trials will be the first of their kind for Colombia, with flights expected to commence around mid-2022. Drone delivery operations will be launched across remote areas of Colombia including La Guajira and Chocó, with a focus on carrying critical health supplies such as vaccines, pathology samples and HIV tests. The drones to be used on this project are provided by Australian drone company Swoop Aero and can carry up to 5kg, as far as 180km in harsh environments such as high altitudes, wind and rain.

The joint venture will build on from Skyports’ successful proof of concept trials which took place earlier this year, where Skyports partnered with the UK’s world-leading National Health Service in rural Scotland, transporting COVID-19 test samples, vital PPE and other medical materials by drone between medical facilities in isolated and difficult to reach areas. The successful trials reduced end-to-end delivery time by almost 95 percent – from what would have taken on average 20 hours through conventional delivery methods to just one hour via drone delivery.

Irelandia, a recognized low-cost airline developer, brings its deep aviation expertise to the partnership, through its previous ownership of leading airlines Ryanair, Tiger Air, Allegiant and Viva Aerobus. Irelandia’s current airline is Viva Air, based in Colombia and Peru. The Irish company has expertise in regulations, flight operations and commercialization, which will be a key asset for this project.

Why it’s important: This move increases exposure of Latin American infrastructure to beyond visual line of site drone operations, which are crucial for successful ultimate deployment of aerial mobility aircraft and flight guidance systems. Additionally, the political coordination required to enact these operational structures will pave the way for future operations of larger aircraft that carry fare-paying passengers or those being transported for EMS or first responder purposes.

Wing, the UAV aerial delivery company originally founded as a Google X Moonshot project, has recently unveiled a new roll-out model that will allow it to bring delivery services to densely-populated U.S metropolitan areas. Its first customer will be Walgreens.

The new model for providing drone delivery services in the U.S is creating small, easy assembly, drone delivery hubs that can be set up in just a few hours on nearly any small rooftop. This model will eventually allow retailers to set up one of these hub modules for a low cost and low infrastructure footprint. According to a recent press release by Wing, “Aircraft will arrive in small containers that serve as tiny hangars, allowing each store to quickly and easily deploy a small, dedicated fleet from its parking lot, on its roof, or in small spaces adjacent to the building.”

Essentially, this will allow retail and restaurant customers of almost any size to utilize drone delivery services, even in dense urban areas where infrastructure space is limited.

Walgreens has opted to be the first customer for this new delivery hub product. According to Wing, Walgreens team members will process orders and load packages onto the delivery drones, and Wing will oversee operation of the delivery service. The first, co-located operation will be set up at a Dallas-Fort Worth area Walgreens store in its parking lot, serving parts of the city of Frisco and town of Little Elm.

Why it’s important: Wing is a major rising force in the drone delivery industry, having already begun delivery services in Australia, the US, and Finland. In Logan, Australia, users can download the Wing app and order a small selection of goods, including coffee, groceries, sushi, cakes, pet food, and sportswear. Deliveries are generally made in under 10 minutes, and Wing’s record for a delivery is two minutes and 47 seconds from order to arrival. By adding this new type of service, (if regulation goes well as well), Wing will be able to give drone delivery capabilities to nearly every kind of small business.

Wing also recently hit the milestone of completing over 100,000 successful retail drone deliveries after receiving its Part-135 FAA in 2019.

Sources: Wing, The Verge

Related:

• Drone Package Delivery in the US: Google’s Wing is First (May 2019)
• Alphabet’s Wing and FedEx Offer Residential Drone Delivery Service (October 2019)

AIR, an Israel-based eVTOL manufacturer targeting the consumer market, has unveiled its commercial prototype, the AIR ONE. AIR is differentiating itself from major OEM’s by targeting owners who plan to use their eVTOL for personal use, rather than creating a shared air taxi. According to a company press release, AIR puts the freedom to fly directly in the hands of consumers with its sleek and playful vehicle intended for adventure and day-to-day flying.

AIR ONE on the ground

AIR intends to implement many cutting-edge technologies and processes used in the automotive industry to quickly scale mass production of AIR ONE. “The future of mobility is in the sky, but to get there we need to build consumer confidence in eVTOLs as a legitimate mode of everyday transport and develop vehicles on a mass-scale to bring that vision to life,” said AIR’s CEO and Co-Founder Rani Plaut. “AIR ONE is our hat in the ring, simultaneously showing consumers the first in a line of diversified, playful models for personal flight and demonstrating cutting-edge technology that will enable high-volume production and scalability.”

The company’s inaugural vehicle offers a range of 110 miles and speeds up to 155 mph. AIR ONE is also designed for storage at home with collapsible wings. At the heart of AIR ONE is the company’s ‘fly by intent’ software, which manages complex functions and navigation, so that usage isn’t restricted to highly skilled pilots and trained professionals. Additional safety features include an AI-enabled monitoring system which performs frequent inspections of the vehicle and eliminates checklists for riders to ensure paramount safety, even for riders with minimal training.

Based on technology and manufacturing techniques from the automotive and aerospace industries, AIR ONE is designed from inception to be a fun, safe and practical vehicle that adheres to aerospace standards and regulations. To this end, AIR is currently working with the FAA to obtain G1 certification.

Why it matters: AIR is targeting aerial mobility early adopters for its eVTOL prototype, rather than pursuing immediate commercial operations. AIR ONE will remain in the general/business aviation space as it markets itself to individuals looking for a new, innovative way to travel short distances by air.