DARPA Tests Semi-Autonomous Sikorsky Helicopter

02 November 2018 || 3 min read

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently flight-demonstrated a modified Sikorsky S-76B helicopter with impressive semi-autonomous capabilities. The ALIAS system, which stands for Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System, made its first manned flight on October 17th 2018. This flight was named as ‘optionally manned’, indicating the potential for full autonomy of the modified Sikorsky-76B. The goal of the ALIAS...

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DARPA Helicopter with Semi-Autnomy

On October 17th, XTI Aircraft announced the sale of one of its TriFan 600 aircraft to Sáo Paulo’s Icon Aviation. Icon Aviation is the largest business aircraft operator in South America. Its fleet consists of 30 private jets, as well as a range of helicopters. The order from Icon also comes with options for Icon to purchase an undisclosed number...

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Carter Aviation is a Texas-based firm that develops “Slow Rotor/Compound technology (SR/C™)” for vertical take off and landing aircraft that combines with the efficiency of a fixed-wing airplane with the vertical take-off ability of a helicopter. Carter debuted its first VTOL prototype in 1998. Now, it has released concept images of its newest eVTOL design in line with Uber Elevate’s...

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Carter Aviation's newest eVTOL concept

CEO of Boeing Dennis Muilenberg recently spoke at the Geekwire Summit early this October. His main point was this: The definition of ‘airplane’ is broadening quickly, and the new range of vehicles about to entire our airspace will require and entirely new eco-system. Muilenburg spoke extensively about air taxi systems, focusing on big picture idea that one day soon, there...

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Boeing CEO Air taxi concept

EHANG’s Latest Demonstration Flight in Qatar

26 October 2018 || 3 min read

On October 11th, EHANG held its latest flight demonstration in partnership with Ooredoo, Qatar’s leading telecommunications provider.  The EHANG184 amazingly operates on a 5G LTE Cellular Network. It depends on this network in order to communicate both with the ground, and with flight control systems and navigation. In Qatar, the cellular network it depends on is provided by Ooredo....

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EHANG Over Qatar

The new electric motor by Safran boasts an impressive 94% efficiency rating. It’s built to be a powerhouse for both fully electric and hybrid electric aircraft, especially focusing on VTOLs. The ENGINeUS 45 is the first in a new line of electric engines being developed by Safran. It’s able to continuously deliver 45kW of electricity, and future models will be...

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Safran ENGINeUS

Dan Kodsi of the Paramount Miami Worldcenter project has just become one of the first real estate developers to fully commit to the future of flying cars. Dan Kodsi is CEO of the Royal Palms Companies, a real estate developer of condo residence complexes in Miami. The new building design for the Paramount Miami Worldcenter features a landing pad that...

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This morning (Tuesday October 23rd), Bell Announced a partnership with the Thales Group to further develop flight control systems for its VTOL aircraft, including the Bell Air Taxi. The Thales Group is a high-technology solutions provider specializing in many areas from aerospace to connected cars to deep-sea exploration. Part of its core value is helping to make the world safer...

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Bell Air Taxi Interior

On October 18th at the Autonomy and Urban Mobility Summit in Paris, the Volocopter team announced that it will collaborate with the government of Singapore to begin testing its eVTOL air taxis in the second half of 2019. The goal of Volocopter’s coming tests in Singapore is to validate feasibility of establishing air taxi services in an urban environment like...

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Volocopter Air Taxi Concept Photo

NASA has made its stance in the new flying car industry clear by recognizing Urban Air Mobility (UAM) as the next step in aviation innovation. In 2020, NASA will commence the first of it’s series of urban air mobility ‘Grand Challenges‘. These challenges will focus on allowing companies with new flight technologies to successfully demonstrate full system safety. Part of...

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Nasa Urban Air Mobility Grand Challenge

Air New Zealand Signs Agreement with Kittyhawk

19 October 2018 || 3 min read

This week, Air New Zealand and Kittyhawk signed an agreement to develop autonomous electric air taxi services for New Zealand’s cities. As a reminder, Kittyhawk is the developer the Cora, an electric vertical take-off and landing air taxi with a range of about 62 miles and a top speed of 110mph. This makes it perfect for short range trips that...

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Kittyhawk

On October 15th, the European Aviation Safety Agency opened its “Proposed Special Condition for small-category VTOL aircraft” up to the world for feedback. This stage of writing new certification law is called “public consultation”. The proposed new certification standards document has already been drafted, and from now until November 15th, EASA will take comments from the public on how the...

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Terrafugia and Pal-V take Pre-Orders

12 October 2018 || 4 min read

On the left is the Terrafugia Transition. On the right is the Pal-V Liberty. These are the first two flying cars to reach the market. Many VTOLs classify as ‘flying cars’ because they are personal-sized point to point vehicles that use the skies as their medium of travel. However, the Pal-V Liberty and the Terrafugia Transition can drive on the...

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Filipino Hip Hop Dancer Invents Flying Car

11 October 2018 || 3 min read

A professional hip hop dancer in the Philippines decided he wanted to fly. So he learned engineering, and built a personal passenger drone. His design and prototype were picked up by Australian electric vehicle company Star8, which will bring the aircraft into commercial production.    The “Koncepto Millenya” is modeled like a sports car, and getting into it is...

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Transcend Air has announced its plans for its air taxi service to launch in 2024. It’s not the first VTOL company to announce a date for service launch, with Uber committed to three cities by 2023 and Lilium committed to a 2025 launch. But Transcend Air is one of the first to offer a ‘business class’ style VTOL. The interior...

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Transcend Air Featured Image
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