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After receiving a Military Flight Release (MFR) and airworthiness approval from the U.S Air Force in May of last year, Beta Technologies’ Alia aircraft has now taken its first military crewed demonstration flight, which was flown by two Air Force test pilots over two hours of total flight time across Lake Champlain.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not allow experimental aircraft to fly from their base airport to another airport until they have undergone rigorous testing to prove their safety in doing so. Marking a major step for Beta Technologies, this latest military crewed flight of the aircraft departed from the company’s primary test location in Plattsburgh, New York, to fly across Lake Champlain to the company’s headquarters in nearby Burlington, Vermont; a distance of about 35 miles. Each pilot took a turn flying the aircraft for around one hour each, after studying the flight characteristics through Beta Technologies’ flight simulators.

Said Hank Griffith’s, one of the pilots of the Alia, “Today’s USAF qualitative evaluation flight is the first of many that we will be doing with Beta Technologies and our other Agility Prime vendors. In addition to accelerating these companies’ path to FAA type certification by providing access to USAF engineering expertise and test infrastructure, we are also evaluating these prototypes for opportunities to utilize them for unique military missions. We need government pilots to accomplish these evaluations, and this is the first step in developing the training and experimentation plans to do so.”

Beta Technologies is one of the top growing eVTOL aircraft developers in the U.S, among others such as Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation. The latest version of its aircraft, The Alia, will be able to cruise at speeds up to 170mph, with a flight ranges of over 200 miles. In addition to its growing partnership with the U.S Air Force, the company has also recently raised over $368 million from companies like Amazon and Fidelity, with a total valuation of about $1.4 billion.

Why It’s Important: With its growing partnership with the U.S Air Force, and its impressive progress along the path to certification, Beta Technologies is set to be one the first and most prominent eVTOL makers to bring their aircraft to market in the United States. Based in Burlington, Vermont, the company has been in operation since 2017, has already installed over 60 charging sites throughout the U.S, has raised over $350 million, and plans to begin commercial operations by 2024. This latest test flight shows that the company and its aircraft is quickly moving forward on the path to commercial operations, and has gained the safety confidence it needs to begin administering crewed flights to outside organizations.

Related:

• Beta’s Alia eVTOL Completes 200+ Mile Flight Test
• Beta Technologies Secures Partnership with US Army
• Beta Raises $368 Million in Funding Round Led by Amazon, Fidelity

EASA, the regulating aviation authority for the European Union, has released guidance for the development of vertiports supporting aerial mobility. The specifications are built to give private developers and government officials information to make informed decisions and design choices about the operation of eVTOL aircraft at vertiports.

With safety and environmental impact at the top of the priority list for EASA, the specifications aim to illustrate how vertiport facilities can integrate into dense urban environment without negatively impacting the surrounding areas.  This is first achieved by prescribing an “obstacle free volume” above the site, similar to regulations surrounding approach airspace into existing commercial airports. The study also recommends developers explore the development of noise abatement procedures to minimize impact on the urban environment. 

“Urban air mobility is a completely new field of aviation and we therefore have a unique opportunity to develop a set of infrastructure requirements from scratch,” Patrick Ky, Executive Director of EASA said. “With the world’s first guidance for safe vertiport operations, EASA’s ambition is to provide our stakeholders with the ‘gold standard’ when it comes to safe vertiport design and operational frameworks. By harmonizing design and operational standards for vertiports we will support European industry, who are already starting to embark on exciting projects in Europe and around the world to make new urban air mobility a reality.”

The specifications were authored by EASA in cooperation with leading manufactures and infrastructure developers. The next step will be for EASA to develop hard coded regulatory requirements for vertiport design, construction, and operation. 

Why it matters: As eVTOL products near entry to commercial service, the infrastructure space is heating up just as much. With the development of standardized landing and takeoff facilities, regulators will have an opportunity to create a safe and minimally envasive environment for aerial mobility. As EASA continues to develop regulations for aerial mobility, expect so see similar studies from the FAA and other regulatory bodies.

AirAsia and Air Greenland have both committed to purchasing or leasing a fleet of Vertical Aerospace VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Avolon, the world’s second largest aircraft lessor. In June 2021, Avolon ordered 500 VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Vertical, valued at US $2 billion. Since announcing that order, Avolon placed 250 VX4 aircraft with Gol and Grupo Comporte in Brazil, up to 100 aircraft with Japan Airlines in Japan, and a minimum of 100 aircraft with AirAsia. Avolon has now placed up to 90% of its initial orderbook, underlining the demand for VX4 aircraft from the world’s leading airlines.

AirAsia plans to lease a minimum of 100 of Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 from Avolon. The leasing arrangement through Avolon is the first pre-order of Vertical’s aircraft since the manufacturer listed on the NYSE in December 2021. More recently, Avolon and Air Greenland announced that they will partner to form a Working Group to assess the opportunity to commercialize zero-emissions air travel in the region. The Working Group will also collaborate to identify local infrastructure and certification requirements for eVTOL aircraft.

The VX4 is a piloted, four-passenger, zero operating emissions electric VTOL aircraft that is projected to fly at speeds of up to 200mph, over a 100-mile range. The VX4 is expected to be near silent in flight, and with a low cost per passenger mile, it will be an affordable option for travelers with a cost at a slight premium over ground-based taxi services.

Dómhnal Slattery, CEO of Avolon commented on March 22, 2022: “Since our initial order, we have seen airlines all over the world make a commitment to the zero emissions travel by selecting the VX4 aircraft as the first step in their decarbonisation journey. Today’s announcement with Air Greenland means we are taking zero-emissions travel to where climate change is having its most pronounced impact. We look forward to working with Air Greenland to bringing the zero-operating emission VX4 aircraft to where it matters the most.”

Why it’s important: AirAsia and Air Greenland join Japan’s JAL and Brazil’s Gol in agreeing to leases for the VX4 from Avolon. This further extends Vertical Aerospace’s global reach for its electric aircraft, into Southeast Asia and Europe, with pre-orders already directly agreed upon for up to 1,350 aircraft in total from American Airlines, Avolon, Virgin Atlantic, Iberojet, Bristow Group, and Marubeni.

Source // Vertical Aerospace press release

SkyDrive Inc. and Suzuki Motor Corporation announced on March 22nd a partnership for the commercialization of “flying cars” according to press releases from both companies.

SkyDrive is a manufacturer of personal aerial vehicles in Japan and is currently engaged in the development of a compact, two-seating electric-powered flying car with plans for full-scale production.

Suzuki is one of Japan’s leading automakers with expertise that includes manufacturing and selling compact cars in international markets.

According to the press releases, SkyDrive and Suzuki discuss and consider collaboration in areas of business and technology that include technology R&D, planning of manufacturing and mass-production systems, development of overseas markets with an initial focus on India, and promotion of efforts to attain carbon neutrality.

SkyDrive aims to begin air taxi service during the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, Japan, as well as to initiate service in other regions of Japan.

Suzuki, whose company motto is to “Develop products of superior value by focusing on the customer,” currently offers products in three mobility categories — automobiles, motorcycles, and outboard motors. The company aims to remain valuable to consumers in the future via expansion toward additional future mobility research and development. The partnership with SkyDrive will provide Suzuki with opportunities to explore and potentially add flying cars as a fourth mobility business.

Why it’s important: The recent announcement from SkyDrive and Suzuki positions both companies for further collaboration as SkyDrive will look to bolster its resource pool for longer term goals (potentially such as larger scale production of their personal aerial vehicles) and may also leverage Suzuki’s resources for design and build of larger aircraft that suit commercialized needs. This partnership reflects a growing number of firms working together to advance aerial mobility developments globally.

Textron, home to the Cessna, Beechcraft, and Bell aviation brands, has announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase Pipistrel, an award-winning pioneer and global leader in electrically powered aircraft, based in Slovenia and Italy.

With Textron, Pipistrel will have access to greater resources, technical and regulatory expertise, and a global aircraft sales and support network, enabling it to accelerate its development and certification of electric and hybrid electric aircraft. Upon closing of the transaction, Textron plans to form a new business segment, Textron eAviation, focused on the development of sustainable aircraft, which will include Pipistrel.

In 2020, Pipistrel’s Velis Electro became the world’s first, and currently only, electric aircraft to receive full type-certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This achievement followed a series of electric aircraft introductions since the company began research and development of electric propulsion in 2000. Pipistrel’s pioneering work has been recognized through awards from NASA, IDC, and other organizations. The company, which offers a family of gliders and light aircraft with both electric and combustion engines, has delivered more than 2,500 light aircraft worldwide since its founding in 1989 and additionally has both hybrid and electric propulsion models under development.

“Pipistrel puts Textron in a uniquely strong position to develop technologies for the sustainable aviation market and develop a variety of new aircraft to meet a wide range of customer missions,” said Textron Chairman and CEO Scott Donnelly. “Today’s announcement supports Textron’s long-term strategy to offer a family of sustainable aircraft for urban air mobility, general aviation, cargo and special mission roles.”

“Pipistrel has been celebrated as one of the world’s most important and successful manufacturers of electric aircraft,” continued Donnelly. “Textron is committed to maintaining Pipistrel’s brand, headquarters, research and development, and manufacturing in Slovenia and Italy, while making additional investments in Pipistrel for the development and production of future products.”

Pipistrel founder and CEO Ivo Boscarol will remain a minority shareholder as well as Chairman Emeritus, consulting on future product plans and strategies for a two-year period.

“Under my 30-year leadership, Pipistrel’s team has achieved a unique prime position in personal, affordable, environmentally friendly and electric aviation. The trend and foundation for future projects has clearly been set,” said Boscarol. “To drive Pipistrel’s ambitious goals and to continue its story of success, the joining of Textron and Pipistrel provides deep expertise and resources which would otherwise be inaccessible to Pipistrel alone. With Textron, we are together geared to strive for future growth and look forward to announcing exciting new products and projects. I am delighted to continue witnessing my vision become a reality by being actively engaged with the company for the future.”

The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Why it matters: Textron is already entering the eVTOL and electric aircraft market through its own brand, Bell, and will add a good deal of technical expertise with this acquisition. Textron’s brand is predominately US-based however, so the company could face a challenge in allowing Pipistrel to keep its manufacturing and design centers in Slovenia and Italy. However, Textron’s experience in aviation will be a significant advantage for Pipistrel as they seek commercialization of their EASA type-certified electric aircraft.

On March 10th, a prototype of XPeng’s ‘X2’ eVTOL vehicle, with a sleek design that resembles modern electric cars, arrived at a new XPeng storefront in the Netherlands.

XPeng is already a highly successful electric auto maker in China, having already released several models of its technologically advanced, high-range electric cars. Even though the company was only founded in 2014, XPeng has quickly grown to be one of the world’s top electric vehicle makers, with a market cap of nearly $20 Billion USD. The company has been listed on the NYSE since 2020, with its stated goal to “transform the future of mobility”.

XPeng has now has opened reservations for its 600km range ‘P5’ electric sedan to customers in the Netherlands, while at the same time opening the first XPeng Experience Store in the country. This new store includes a showcase prototype of XPeng’s new electric aircraft. At the Experience Store, shoppers can view and even step inside of the prototype aircraft.

The photo below shows XPeng’s X2 aircraft positioned next to the company’s line of electric cars at its new storefront. This branding is meant to show customers that XPeng has its eyes on the entire future of electric mobility, seeking to bring advanced technology to the skies as well as city streets.

The interior of the X2 itself is similar to the interiors of XPeng’s electric cars, again demonstrating the company’s vision of making aerial electric mobility just as accessible as ground-based electric vehicles.

Currently, the flying EV will seat two passengers, and will feature autonomous flight modes. Unlike many ‘flying car’ concepts in the works, initial prototypes of the X2 have already taken over 10,000 test flights. Designed mainly to be used within cities, the X2 will have a range of about 50 miles, will cruise at about 80mph, and can fit in the size of a standard car parking space.

Why it’s important: While there are many highly successful companies around the world focused on making eVTOL aircraft, XPeng is one of the only electric auto makers to do so. Many of these eVTOL developers are focused on creating aircraft for shared use, but XPeng is one of a few companies in the niche of developing aircraft for in-city personal use. Its expertise and high degree of success in the electric car industry will likely be immensely helpful as the company expands into aerial electric vehicles.

Jetson Aero, the Swedish personal electric aerial vehicle manufacturer, has already sold out of its entire planned production fleet for 2022; over one hundred additional sales have already been confirmed for its vehicles to be completed and delivered in 2023.

Jetson has employed the pre-sales as a method of crowdfunding its production costs, and plans to also conduct it’s first round of external fund raising. “It is important for us to find the right investors now as we expand and grow our company. Jetson is looking globally for a company that shares our vision. We are at the forefront of a new industry. The skill set needed to lead in this industry is incredibly niche. As is the mindset and energy to be in a company that wants to shape the future.” said Tomasz Patan, co-founder and CTO.

Jetson also recently welcomed Swedish Silicon Valley entrepreneur Rikard Steiber as Senior Advisor and first external investor. Rikard Steiber will support Jetson in raising capital as the first round of external fundraising begins. “We are incredibly happy to have Swedish tech icon Rikard Steiber on board our project. We have a big challenge ahead of us, to finalise a production-ready Jetson ONE, and to prepare it for mass production in 2023. This is an incredibly exciting time for us but also for the EVTOL industry. ” said Peter Ternstrom co-founder and president.

The Jetson ONE is constructed of a lightweight aluminium space frame and carbon-kevlar composite body. It is powered by eight electric motors, has a flight time of 20 minutes, reaching a top speed of 102 kilometres per hour (63 miles per hour). It runs on a high discharge lithium-ion battery and can carry a pilot’s weight of 210 pounds 100kg. Read more about the vehicles’s technical specifications on the company’s website.

Why it’s important: Jetson is currently the only EVTOL company on the market that can provide a commercially available personal electric vehicle. The demand for the Jetson ONE has been phenomenal, supporting the company’s dream to ‘make everyone a pilot’. The price for the Jetson ONE is $92,000 with a $22,000 deposit, and the first buyers currently expect to receive their vehicles in the fall of this year.

Ehang announced on March 10th a strategic partnership with Aerotree Flight Services, a subsidiary of Malaysia’s leading aviation company AEROTREE Group, to jointly develop urban air mobility business, including Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul and training, in Malaysia. EHang reports that due to this partnership, AEROTREE has placed the largest pre-order for EHang’s electric passenger-grade AAVs in Malaysia for 50 units of the EH216 series, which includes the EH216-S¹, EH216-L, and EH216-F, as well as 10 units of the VT-30, EHang’s long-range eVTOL. Prior to this partnership announcement, AEROTREE had purchased one unit of the EH216-S AAV from EHang.

The partnership is now also being touted as one of the largest, if not the largest, pre-order of AAV aircraft from a Malaysian operator in history.

Dato’ Halim Bin Othman, Managing Director of AEROTREE Group, said, “We are very excited about our strategic partnership with EHang to introduce the world’s leading safe, sustainable and autonomous aerial vehicles to the Malaysian market. Leveraging our full spectrum of capabilities and partnerships that span from MRO to training, we eagerly anticipate using EHang AAVs for Malaysia’s UAM projects and civil aviation.”

Mr. Huazhi Hu, Founder, Chairman and CEO of EHang, said, “We are pleased to enter the Malaysian market and increase our presence there through our cooperation with AEROTREE. Our comprehensive AAV products and solutions are well suited to a variety of intracity and intercity UAM use cases in Malaysia, such as passenger transportation, aerial sightseeing, aerial firefighting and aerial logistics. The rising demand and pre-orders for a large number of our passenger-grade AAVs from Japan and Malaysia will unleash great market potential for EHang in Asia.”

Why it’s important: The order reflects a growing network of operators of advanced aerial mobility aircraft in Malaysia, and will aid in the development of further route networks that offer more data to new environmental and operational schema. The pace of orders has continued at a steady to more rapid pace in the recent months, as demand to jockey for position in line for AAV orders grows.

German eVTOL developer Lilium, having recently partnered with NetJets to begin integrating eVTOL aircraft into its fleet, has now released renderings of the various cabin seating configurations that may be ordered for the aircraft. So far, the three types of cabins include a six-passenger version, a ‘club’ version with a four-passenger more luxurious and spacious seating arrangement, and a cargo version.

Lilium has been prototyping its eVTOL aircraft since as early as 2015, when it released footage of a much smaller (but very similar) version of its eVTOL jet. Unlike many eVTOL aircraft, the Lilum jet is unique in that it uses around 36 ducted fans / jets to provide propulsion. These jets, integrated with the wings of the aircraft, can rotate to vector thrust that allows for either vertical or forward flight, with all-electric top cruising speeds of about 175mph.

Since beginning its work in 2015, Lilum has been progressively releasing larger and larger versions of its aircraft. Starting with a two-seater prototype, the company unveiled a five-seater version in 2019, and most recently released its largest aircraft, a seven-seater configuration prototype.

Now, Lilium has announced that its production version will of the aircraft will have three different interior configurations designed for various market applications. The first, its original configuration, features comfortable room for six passengers plus a pilot.

The next version, targeted at passengers (or possibly private owners) that are willing to pay a little extra for a more spacious and luxurious interior, has room four passengers, and includes desks and tables for working or dining in flight. This version would be best suited for corporate customers who travel regionally for work and would potentially conduct meetings or business while in the air.

And finally, Lilium has also released renderings of the cargo version of its aircraft, which displays how the spacious interior can be used for regional logistics shipping of cargo.

Why it’s important: Lilium recently announced a partnership with one of the world’s largest private jet charter and fractional ownership companies, NetJets, which included an order for 150 of Lilium eVTOL aircraft. While some operations partners will prefer to use the six-passenger version of the Lilium jet to be more economical, customers of Netjets who are accustomed to traveling by private jet and who often book out an entire aircraft rather than a single seat will be looking for an eVTOL that is more similar to how they have been flying. With these new cabin configurations, Lilium has branched its market out its market to also include the large segment of passengers who previously flew by private jet.

Hyundai’s urban air mobility division, Supernal, is collaborating with the City of Miami to increase equity of access, incubate local talent, and serve as a replicable model for human-centered future cities.

Supernal signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Miami to create a comprehensive engagement framework that will enable development of advanced air mobility (AAM). The MOU affords Supernal and the City the opportunity to take meaningful steps toward delivering innovative, multimodal and community-focused mobility solutions that benefit people and society.

“We are honored to play a role in responsibly co-creating the future of mobility for the city of Miami,” said Jaiwon Shin, CEO of Supernal, and President of Hyundai Motor Group. “Because of the leadership demonstrated by Mayor Suarez, our work together will help establish the city of Miami as a model for AAM market development we hope to replicate in other cities.”

As part of the MOU, Supernal and the City will collaborate with community organizations to identify current gaps in existing transportation, determine how AAM can help and if needed, recommend potential new policies. The MOU also includes launching workforce development and education initiatives that recruit and incubate local talent and integrate AAM into existing transit networks, such as Metrorail, Metrobus and Metromover, among other systems.

The policies developed and insights gained through this first-of-its kind collaboration can subsequently serve as a model for municipal leaders nationwide as more cities begin to adopt new mobility solutions.

Venture Miami, the bridge-building team in the mayor’s office responsible for developing the city’s innovation and technology ecosystem, will oversee key aspects of the MOU and convene regular working group meetings and collaborations with influential community, business and education leaders to outline the necessary steps to actualize AAM in Miami.

“Our partnership with the City of Miami is about more than selling electric air vehicles or securing rights to establish operations,” said Diana Cooper, Global Head of Policy and Regulation of Supernal. “At this stage, our interest is bringing together different public and private sector voices to explore when and how AAM can address the city’s transportation needs and challenges.”

Supernal will serve as an ongoing resource to the City and to Mayor Suarez in recognition of the leadership demonstrated in embracing this transformative technology.

Related: Hyundai Announces US-Based ‘Supernal’ UAM Division

Why it’s important: AAM has the potential to transform communities by enabling efficient inter- and intracity transport, including access to traditionally underserved and remote locations, reducing carbon emissions and providing a seamless, end-to-end passenger experience, among other benefits. The MOU creates a mechanism for the City to work with industry and community stakeholders to develop inclusive and forward-thinking policies that enable AAM and best serve Miami’s citizens and residents.

Credit // Supernal press release

Volocopter announced on March 4th that they’ve raised USD 170 million in the initial signing of their Series E funding round led by South Korean investor WP Investment, at a pre-money valuation of USD 1.7 billion. Composed of funds by new and existing investors, the money raised will assist with the certification of Volocopter’s electric passenger air taxi and is expected to help Volocopter achieve commercial launch in first cities worldwide. 

Volocopter is developing new and sustainable mobility options for cities around the world. With its family of aircraft (the VoloCity, VoloConnect, and VoloDrone), the company takes a unique approach by developing urban air mobility (UAM) as a holistic ecosystem. Having ten years of development experience, Volocopter has long been considered a leader in the urban air mobility space. As the first and only electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company to receive Design Organisation Approval (DOA) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Volocopter has committed to launching commercial air taxi services in cities like Singapore, Rome, and Paris.  

WP Investment based in Seoul, Republic of Korea, is a leading and new investor for Volocopter in this funding round. Following this announcement, Volocopter and WP Investment will enter into a strategic partnership by creating a joint venture that will soon bring urban air mobility to South Korea’s cities.  

“We are confident that Volocopter will be among the first to bring UAM to cities globally, since seeing its aircraft fly in Seoul last year. As a leader in ESG investment, we are excited to empower city sustainability through Volocopter,” says Dr. Lei Wang, Chairman of WP Investment. Co-Chairman Tiffany Park said: “We are excited to kick off our joint venture and be the first to establish sustainable eVTOL logistics and air taxi services with Volocopter in Korea.” 

New investors in Volocopter include WP Investment and Honeywell, amongst others. Many existing investors including Atlantia, Whysol, and btov Partners, have also increased their investment in this round.  

“Our successful first signing of Series E brings phenomenal new investors on board, with further in the due diligence stage. This private funding round allows us to stay focused on our mission to bring sustainable urban air mobility to life,” said Stefan Klocke, Chairman of Volocopter’s Advisory Board. “We have never been in a stronger position: we are financially diversified, certification of the aircraft is within reach, and we are demonstrating our advanced capabilities by public flights and strong joint-ventures across the world.” 

The company recently announced that it has entered a financing agreement in principle with Aviation Capital Group (ACG) to shape the sale and leasing of Volocopter aircraft for up to USD 1 billion. Once aircraft certification has been achieved, this agreement will allow Volocopter to offer its operating entities and customers worldwide attractive leasing options, a key to rapidly scaling the business in the future. 

Why it’s important: Further investment in Volocopter continues to indicate the confidence in aerial mobility’s activation in the coming years and the road toward certified eVTOL aircraft in the future. While there are hurdles to overcome prior to full scale deployment of these types of aircraft at scale, mountains of investment are funding the next generation of transportation technology. Further, many of the technologies that companies such as Volocopter are integration for the first time have ample applications in other sectors of the transportation industry; allowing for greater influence in sectors beyond just aerial mobility.

NetJets this week announced its plans to purchase 150 of Lilium’s eVTOL aircraft per a recently released memorandum of understanding (MOU). The news came in a February 28th statement to investors and stated that NetJets would also operate the eVTOL aircraft as part of its existing Part 135 charter network.

NetJets is currently one of the world’s largest private jet charter companies, selling membership programs that allow customers to book flights on a large range of private jets. Its fleet includes over 750 aircraft, and flights can be booked with as little as 10 hours notice.

“We are very excited to be working together with the world’s largest private jet company, NetJets,” said Lilium vice president of business Sebastien Borel. “The U.S. market will be a good test for us to see how far we can go. But it’s meant to be global, and we’re confident this will drive us to be global.”

This announcement comes after Lilium previously told investors that it plans to build an eVTOL network in central and southern Florida to connect larger cities with new and existing vertiport infrastructure. It is likely NetJets will partner with Lilium on this operation in Florida and could even help in selling some Lilium eVTOLs to private owners.

Lilium hopes to certify its eVTOL and begin passenger transport by 2024. Its latest prototype is a six-passenger aircraft capable of cruise at 175mph for a range of 162 nautical miles per flight.

Learn more about the Lilium eVTOL jet here.

Why it matters: NetJets, one of the largest operators in the fractional ownership/jet-card space, has extensive experience in the Part 135 industry and will be an extraordinary partner for Lilium’s operations. Lilium has also secured partnerships with Brazilian airline Azul, and even with Lufthansa for pilot training. With these extensive partners and its expert team, Lilium (and the eVTOL industry altogether) may well start receiving even greater interest from investors.

German startup Skyroads, developer of an automated air traffic management and guidance system, has recently released a new White paper on UAM (urban air mobility). The paper outlines several key points in the advancement and integration of automated air traffic management in the coming years, and explains why its implementation will be essential to advanced air mobility aircraft like eVTOLs.

The goal of Skyroads is to ‘make flying accessible for everyone’ by creating what it calls an ‘Automated Airspace Management and Vehicle Guidance System (AAVS).’ This system will effectively gather submitted flight plan requests, then automatically distribute air traffic according to regulations and safety protocols, delivering instructions to both aircraft and pilots according to existing air traffic. Eventually, when synced with advanced autonomous aircraft, this system could lead to full automation of air traffic. As it advances, Skyroads is making sure to do so in accordance with all regulations, hoping to ‘open a certifiable pathway to automation’.

The new White paper from Skyroads focuses on four key subjects regarding the development of air traffic management software. Firstly, it focuses on what it calls the ‘Chicken-egg’ problem, referring to the fact that while many automated aircraft are in development, they are not being synchronized with each other in a harmonious system, since that system does not yet exist. Secondly, it emphasizes that now is the time to begin creating those flight management systems, since they can already contribute to overcrowded airspace and set up infrastructure for the more advanced aircraft that are soon to come. Third, it mentions that at the current stage of automated aircraft development, key players in the aerial mobility industry should come together to agree on industry-wide rules that allow for interoperable systems. Lastly, it makes the key point that although OEMs are building the aircraft of the future, they are not likely to build the ‘roads in the sky’, which is the open and interoperable airspace management and vehicle guidance solution that Skyroads is proposing.

Said Skyroads CEO Corvin Huber: “While there are various approaches on how to manage automated flight, there is neither consensus on either rules or standards for even semi-automated flying in metropolitan areas nor is there a market yet. This needs to be resolved in close collaboration between regulators, the air vehicle industry and technology providers such as Skyroads who bring the necessary know-how and neutrality to the table. It is clear that air vehicle manufacturers will provide the vehicles to fly, but they will not be able to simultaneously build the roads and systems required to get UAM off the ground with regards to interoperable management quickly and profitably. Mercedes, GM and Toyota build great cars, but they have never built a road.” 

He adds: “Initial tests at our own testing air space in Memmingen/Tannheim were successful. And we have experienced substantial interest from not only manufacturers, but also cities and regions around the world, resulting in strategic cooperations. The need for our solutions and systems is here. And I am convinced that we will deliver in time to help launch UAM as a safe and open mode of transportation around the globe.”

Why it’s Important: Skyroads’ CEO Corvin Huber makes an important point that currently, there is no automated airspace management software in accordance with regulations that is interoperable between all types of aircraft. While the FAA and NASA in collaboration with companies like SkyGrid and AirMap have begun this work in the United States, companies like Skyroads are sure to surface in other locales in order to manage their airspace. Ultimately, as both the unmanned and automated aircraft industries develop, aircraft management systems like Skyroads will move further along the road to becoming an integral part of future airspace.

Find more information about the recent White paper at Skyroads’ website.

Source // Skyroads

Leonardo’s first production AW609 civil tiltrotor, AC5, has joined the test fleet and will fly soon, after which it will join the ongoing flight-test certification program in Philadelphia, according to William Sunick, the company’s head of tiltrotor marketing. The AC5 has already undergone ground-based certification trials, including testing of indirect effects of lightning strikes and testing of high-intensity radiated fields. Components for AC5 were contributed “from across the Leonardo ecosystem,” including from PZL-Świdnik in Poland and from Leonardo UK, Sunick said.

The AW609 combines the vertical take-off and landing performance of a helicopter with the speed, range, and comfort of a turboprop airplane. Beyond urban transportation, the aircraft is also designed for emergency medical services (EMS), search and rescue (SAR), offshore operations and patrol, and other applications. The AW609 can carry up to nine passengers in a comfortable pressurized cabin, has a max cruise speed of 275 knots, and can travel up to 700 nautical miles in a single flight—about twice as fast and twice as far as a traditional helicopter. It cruises at altitudes up to 25,000 feet, flying safely both in inclement weather and in known icing conditions. The AW609 features fly-by-wire flight controls, Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion avionics, and two Pratt & Whitney PT6C-67A engines.

The new aircraft will boost the test fleet to four aircraft in total—AC2 was lost in a flight testing crash in Italy in 2015, AC1, which first flew in 2003, is currently being used for ground testing in Italy, and AC4 is currently conducting flight tests, having recently returned from a demonstration tour in Dubai. AC4 is fully representative of the final production configuration, and successfully performed its first flight at Leonardo’s Philadelphia plant on December 23rd of 2019. AC6, the first customer aircraft (for Bristow Group), is one of three aircraft currently on the production line at the AW609 manufacturing facility in Philadelphia.

Although production is “still ramping up,” according to Sunick, he did not rule out multi-site production of the aircraft in the future if justified by market demand. He noted that specific mission kits and capabilities, such as search-and-rescue (SAR) and flight into known icing, will be added following aircraft certification. “We have a good idea of what all our variants—SAR, VIP, corporate, EMS, utility, and parapublic—will look like as we have all those variants flying on our helicopters right now—so we have a pretty good idea of what customers would want and how to integrate it onto the aircraft. But right now we are focused on the aircraft itself and getting it certified,” he said. “These pieces of kit gear are nothing new.” 

“The flight envelope has been defined and right now we’re just checking the [certification] boxes.” These certification requirements include using AC1 on a ground stand to verify inspection intervals and mean time between overhauls, and using AC3 for engine handling performance and load level surveys. Leonardo is also validating the 30-minute run-dry capability of the 609’s five gearboxes—a capability that is already used on its conventional helicopters.  

Why it’s important: The AW609 will be certified under the FAA’s new Powered Lift category, the first new category of aircraft certified by the FAA in decades. Combining the vertical take-off and landing performance of a helicopter with the speed, range, and comfort of a turboprop airplane, the AW609 is poised to transform private and intercity transport. However, the company is still early in the process of certifying the aircraft for commercial operation.

Source // Leonardo press release; AINonline