Tag: eVTOL

Lilium Jet to be Fitted with Toray Industries High Performance Composite Materials

17 July 2020 || 4 min read

Lilium, a German aerospace company developing the all-electric Lilium Jet, and Toray Industries, the world’s leading manufacturer of carbon fiber, announced that the two companies have signed an agreement for the supply of higher performance carbon fiber composite. The Lilium Jet is a five-seater, emissions-free aircraft that can take off and land vertically and is designed to provide high-speed regional...

Lilium Jet to be Fitted with Toray Industries High Performance Composite Materials

17 July 2020 || 4 min read

The Lilium Jet is a five-seater, emissions-free aircraft that can take off and land vertically and is designed to provide high-speed regional connections of up to 300km in under 60 minutes. The aircraft’s primary structures, such as the fuselage, wings and flaps will all be made from carbon fiber.

Lilium looks to resume flight testing as stay at home restrictions around the world are eased.

Toray Industries is recognized as a global leader in aerospace materials and their carbon fiber products played a critical role in the success of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. “Securing this supply agreement marks an important step in the maturity of our supply chain and in our preparations for serial production,” commented Daniel Wiegand, co-founder and CEO at Lilium.

In the first instance, the material will be supplied directly to Lilium for use in the production of further technology demonstrators, before being delivered directly to suppliers who will manufacture parts for prototypes and serial production.The agreement also paves the way for further collaboration between the two companies, both in the provision of other high-performance materials and the establishment of research and development partnerships.

Photo // Lilium

Commenting on the partnership, Yves Yemsi, Chief Program Officer, Lilium said: “Toray’s wealth of experience in the world of high-performance carbon fibers and composite materials speaks for itself and we’re proud to be counted amongst the aerospace companies they supply.

“We look forward to developing a close collaboration with Toray in the years ahead and to building a resilient and agile supply chain for the Lilium Jet, together with other well-established and reliable aerospace suppliers across different fields of technology.”

Discussing the partnership, Minoru Yoshinaga, Toray Senior Vice President, General Manager of Torayca and Composites Division, said: “We are pleased to be selected as a partner by Lilium, one of the most promising companies in this emerging market sector.

“We look forward to working with Lilium to solve the environmental issues in urban areas, contributing by the power of materials.”

Lilium’s vision of air mobility encompasses a network of vertiports spread across an entire region, providing high-speed, point-to-point routes. Each additional vertiport added to the network would connect directly with all others within a 300km radius, leading to a fast scaling network that can provide regional connectivity at a fraction of the cost of traditional infrastructure such as high-speed trains. Lilium expects commercial operations to commence in 2025.

Lilium recently shared its vision of a scalable, high-speed regional transportation system for aerial mobility, capable of accommodating a variety of locations such as near existing transportation terminals, next to shopping centers, or within residential areas, similar to a bus stop. Credit // Lilium

Why its important: News of the partnership comes just weeks after Lilium confirmed it had welcomed Baillie Gifford, Tesla’s largest shareholder, as a new investor, bringing total funds raised to date to over $375m. The fresh funding will support the further development of the Lilium Jet as well as underpinning preparations for serial production in Lilium’s newly completed manufacturing facilities.

Related:

Source // Lilium press release

Kitty Hawk’s New Project Heaviside Prioritizes Noise Reduction

05 October 2019 || 4 min read

Kitty Hawk’s Heaviside eVTOL is designed to be fast, small, and exceedingly quiet. Based in Palo Alto, CA, aircraft manufacturer Kitty Hawk has added a third vehicle to its developmental fleet. Project Heaviside joins the Flyer, a recreational vertical takeoff and landing rotorcraft with a single-seat configuration, and the Cora, Kitty Hawk’s two-passenger autonomous aircraft designed to fit the requirements of...

Kitty Hawk’s New Project Heaviside Prioritizes Noise Reduction

05 October 2019 || 4 min read

Kitty Hawk’s Heaviside eVTOL is designed to be fast, small, and exceedingly quiet.

Based in Palo Alto, CA, aircraft manufacturer Kitty Hawk has added a third vehicle to its developmental fleet. Project Heaviside joins the Flyer, a recreational vertical takeoff and landing rotorcraft with a single-seat configuration, and the Cora, Kitty Hawk’s two-passenger autonomous aircraft designed to fit the requirements of aerial mobility applications. Cora holds an experimental airworthiness certificate and is currently being tested in New Zealand, with the backing of Boeing as a recent strategic partner for the project.

Learn more about the Kitty Hawk Cora by visiting the Hangar.

Heaviside, named after renowned physicist and electrical engineer Oliver Heaviside, is designed to quickly takeoff and land from nearly any location, but at a noise level acceptable for urban and densely-populated environments. According to Kitty Hawk, the electric aircraft is “roughly 100 times quieter than a regular helicopter.” This would make it almost completely indistinguishable from the background noise of a city or suburb.

Kitty Hawk has not only been working on optimizing the Heaviside vehicle’s noise efficiency, however; it is also designed for rapid, low power output flights. This would make it capable of a 15-minute flight that uses less than half the energy of a car. Damon Vander Lind, the physicist and electrical engineer who has been leading the project, put a strong emphasis on the “land anywhere” feature for vehicles designed with aerial mobility in mind. This would in fact eliminate the need for additional structure or dedicated helipads, and in return facilitate the implementation of these vehicles at a more attainable cost.

The team of engineers has conducted tests directly comparing the decibel level output of their Heaviside prototype, which was been in development for two years, and a typical helicopter. The results showed that, while the maximum decibel level of around 85 was similar for both, the Heaviside aircraft maintained that noise output for seconds compared to minutes during the helicopter’s takeoff. During hovering flight, their prototype was heard at an impressive 40 dB, even less than the typical air-conditioned office. These tests are currently being conducted autonomously, as Heaviside still has a long regulatory road ahead of it. Kitty Hawk CEO Sebastian Thrun has recuruited the expertise of Mike Huerta, who served as FAA Administrator from 2013 to 2018, to help navigate this process.

Credit // Kitty Hawk

Why it’s important: As one of the longstanding concerns in aerial mobility, noise has been placed at the forefront of Kitty Hawk’s focus for the Heaviside Project. With tangible comparisons to more noisy counterparts, the team’s prototype vehicle shows promising results and has potential to gain public acceptance for future implementation.

Sources // Kitty Hawk; TechCrunch

Lilium’s 36-Engine Air Taxi Completes First Test Flight

18 May 2019 || 4 min read

Munich-based air taxi startup Lilium has now flown a five-seat version of their electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. With the help of top engineers and business professionals from the automotive and aerospace industries, Lilium has been flying a two-seater prototype for over two years now. However, it was just earlier this month that the full-scale version, which is...

Lilium’s 36-Engine Air Taxi Completes First Test Flight

18 May 2019 || 4 min read

The Lilium jet features a propulsion system much different than you’d see in your typical commercial jet – it uses not two, not four, but 36 electric jet engines to provide a maximum of 2000 horsepower. These engines tilt on the flaps of the aircraft for vertical thrust throughout takeoff and landing, then rotate to a horizontal orientation for cruise, during which they draw only 10 percent of the maximum output of the electric motors.

For more technical specifications of the Lilium Jet, visit the Hangar.

While Lilium is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for the five-seat air taxi, the company also plans to operate a network of ride-sharing aircraft in a similar fashion to Uber; vehicles will be requested via a smartphone app. Lilium intends to use a fleet of their jets to transport customers around metropolitan areas and between neighboring cities as a faster, less traffic-riddled alternative to automotive transportation. While the price of this service is not expected to be comparable to an UberX or other car ridesharing, it is promised to save the customer time. For example, the flight from Manhattan to JFK – a route that VTOL aircraft operator, BLADE, already flies – takes only six minutes, compared to around an hour by car.

Photo // Lilium

Additionally, the regional flights Lilium plans to offer are predicted to be priced comparably to current commercial flights, but will likely be more environmentally friendly due to the production of zero emissions with the use of electric motors. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that flying cars prove to be more energy efficient than gasoline powered cars on trips 21 miles or more in length. The Lilium jet ultimately is expected to have a range of nearly 200 miles, making it one of the most capable air taxis coming to the market in the near future.

Also notably, Lilium recently hired former executives from Rolls-Royce, Airbus, Audi, and even Ferrari/BMW.

Why it’s important: The new five-seater iteration of the Lilium jet marks the aircraft’s base design as it moves forward to mass production. Given this, the aircraft is currently undergoing rigorous testing in order to discover any potential for improvements before the design is finalized. The first flight, while seemingly short, takes a major step toward providing an entire fleet that can be hailed at customer’s fingertips.

Sources // The Atlantic; Lilium

Boeing’s Autonomous Cargo Drone Takes Flight

04 May 2019 || 3 min read

Boeing NeXt, the company’s disruptive mobility arm, has been focused on a global airspace integration effort to create a world in which autonomous and piloted air vehicles safely coexist. To create the transportation systems of the future, Boeing has been developing the Passenger Air Vehicle (PAV), and the Cargo Air Vehicle (CAV). Both are autonomous systems designed to fill a...

Boeing’s Autonomous Cargo Drone Takes Flight

04 May 2019 || 3 min read

The Boeing CAV is 17.5 feet long (5.33 meters), 20 feet wide (6.1 meters) and 5 feet tall (1.52 meters), and weighs 1100 pounds. It is electrically powered by six pairs of counterrotating propellors expected to carry a maximum payload of 500 pounds. In a 2018 interview, Boeing CTO Greg Hyslop explained the Cargo Air Vehicle as a “convergence of technology in terms of hybrid-electric propulsion, vertical takeoff and landing, and autonomy that is going to unlock air travel in ways that we have not seen it before.”

To learn more about the technical specifications of Boeing’s CAV, visit the Hangar.

Earlier this week, Boeing completed its first test flight of the CAV in an outdoor environment, where the vehicle successfully took off, hovered, transitioned to forward flight and then landed safely. Until now, Boeing NeXt has been completing test flights of its propulsion system in controlled environments such as the Boeing Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) Wind Tunnel in Ridley Park, PA. After a rigorous program of indoor testing, flight simulations and lab research, the eVTOL is now ready to move to the next stage. Boeing has plans to continue advancing the development of the CAV with test flights focused on forward flight, loads analysis and vehicle performance.

Why its important: Boeing shows great initiative in urban air mobility technologies with the in-house design and development of both the Passenger and Cargo Air Vehicles. Its venture arm, HorizonX, continues to search for partnerships and synergies within the industry to leverage the advancements that Boeing is making in this technology of the future.

Source // Boeing press release

A Helicopter Operator’s Perspective on eVTOL Adoption

14 April 2019 || 4 min read

For 35 years, Helijet has been providing regional helicopter flights around British Columbia, Canada. The company is now publicly traded and regarded as the world’s largest scheduled helicopter airline, having carried more than 2.5 million passengers with an exceptional reputation for safe and on-time flights. Helijet currently operates over 300 weekly urban flights between mainland Vancouver and Victoria on Vancouver...

A Helicopter Operator’s Perspective on eVTOL Adoption

14 April 2019 || 4 min read

One of Helijet’s founders, and current President CEO Danny Sitnam, described the leap of faith it took to begin operations of scheduled helicopter flights in a financially sustainable way. Now, Sitnam says the company is developing a plan to integrate eVTOL operation in to Helijet’s business model; first they must focus on gaining increasing access to vertiports by working with city planners and communities in order to “gain the understanding, trust and respect needed for new eVTOL landing sites, so they can be designed to stick around for the long haul like airports.”

A Helijet vertiport in British Columbia, Canada // Helijet Photo

Helijet sees eVTOL technology as an opportunity to fill a gap in the currently available routes the company provides. Many passengers live in sprawling, suburban areas and commute to downtown areas, both in which vertiport access may be difficult. Sitnam envisions eVTOL aircraft as the solution to this problem: “Deplane helicopter, transfer onto an eVTOL, and get into your suburbia areas in very real, effortless time.”

Sitnam also sees the rising eVTOL technologies as an opportunity for Helijet to continue operations in a more environmentally sustainable way. By operating electric-powered vehicles, the company could minimize both noise and air pollution caused by traditional helicopters.

Additionally, Sitnam emphasized the potential for eVTOL aircraft to play a role in providing aid to environments where people are in more critical need of the technology, whether it be due to war, inadequate resources, or other fundamental needs. In these scenarios, Sitnam pointed out, people are far less likely to question the technology which is supporting them and providing resources, and could be a faster road to gaining public acceptance of UAM operations.

Why its important: Helijet President and CEO Danny Sitnam has articulated the potential of eVTOL technologies in the urban air mobility industry, but also the development that must occur prior to implementation. From an operator’s perspective, public acceptance must still be gained, infrastructure and accessibility must be improved, and trust in long-lasting eVTOL transportation must be established.

Source // Wings Magazine

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Honeywell to Equip Volocopter with Autonomous Landing Systems

13 April 2019 || 4 min read

Honeywell is a Fortune 100 technology company with products that reach every corner of people’s everyday lives. The company has an “extensive aviation hardware and software product portfolio, including advanced navigation technologies and fly-by-wire flight controls tailored for the unique needs of UAM aircraft.” Now, Honeywell plans to have their technology aboard the Volocopter, an 18-propellor electric VTOL aircraft based...

Honeywell to Equip Volocopter with Autonomous Landing Systems

13 April 2019 || 4 min read

Honeywell is a Fortune 100 technology company with products that reach every corner of people’s everyday lives. The company has an “extensive aviation hardware and software product portfolio, including advanced navigation technologies and fly-by-wire flight controls tailored for the unique needs of UAM aircraft.” Now, Honeywell plans to have their technology aboard the Volocopter, an 18-propellor electric VTOL aircraft based in Bruchsal, Germany.

The Volocopter is regarded as one of the safest and most fully-developed eVTOL aircraft in the skies today – it features a two-passenger configuration, a max range of 27 km, and a max velocity of 100 km/h. It has already caught the eyes of many potential customers, especially during an earlier flight demonstration in Dubai:

The Volocopter is currently undergoing various tests in hope of certification by Europe’s regulatory agency, EASA. Whereas many UAM companies are looking abroad for certification in order to more rapidly bridge the gap between prototyping and commercial production, Volocopter has opted to stay local. This comes as a byproduct of the company striving to deliver a new breed of cleaner, safer and smarter air vehicles.

To see more about the technical specifications of the Volocopter 2X, visit the Hangar.

To do this, Volocopter has partnered with Honeywell to implement and test Honeywell’s autonomous sensing and flight technologies, including inertial measurement units, attitude heading reference solutions, and potentially other urban air mobility (UAM) innovations. The testing will include various sensor-based navigation and landing systems, with the goal of flying a “Honeywell inertial measurement-based attitude reference system solution in one of our Volocopters in 2019”, according to Volocopter CTO, Jan Hendrik Boelens.

Fraport recently announced it is partnering with Volocopter for flying taxi infrastructure. Volocopter also plans to initiate demonstrator flights in Singapore later this year.

The president of Electronic Solutions at Honeywell Aerospace, Carl Esposito, recently expressed his excitement regarding the partnership: “Alongside Volocopter, we will be building on our fundamental expertise of navigation sensor solutions plus other landing expertise, moving us closer to the reality of urban air mobility. This collaboration has allowed us to explore the challenges, opportunities and safe integration of technologies and aircraft in civil airspace.”

Why it’s important: Urban air mobility solutions will provide urban areas with a faster and more efficient way of moving people around, simultaneously increasing the safety of transportation and relieving traffic congestion. By adopting automated navigation and landing systems made by Honeywell, Volocopter is advancing the development of autonomous, on-demand air mobility across the world. These solutions will also enable faster turnaround times and the integration of autonomous navigation in civil airspace.

Find the latest news on Volocopter here.

– This information was first published in a press release by Honeywell –

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Samad to Fly Business eVTOL Jets with Strand Aerospace’s Help

05 April 2019 || 3 min read

“Starling Jet is a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) hybrid-electric propulsion aircraft for civil aviation use. It is an embodiment of our dream at SAMAD Aerospace — to revolutionise the way humans and goods fly around the globe. It will change the way you see the world and how you view your opportunities. What once seemed impossible will become routine.” – Samad Aerospace Samad has placed...

Samad to Fly Business eVTOL Jets with Strand Aerospace’s Help

05 April 2019 || 3 min read

“Starling Jet is a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) hybrid-electric propulsion aircraft for civil aviation use. It is an embodiment of our dream at SAMAD Aerospace — to revolutionise the way humans and goods fly around the globe. It will change the way you see the world and how you view your opportunities. What once seemed impossible will become routine.” – Samad Aerospace

Samad has placed on emphasis on tackling many of the same transportation deficiencies other UAM companies are trying to solve. Some of the key features of their Starling aircraft fleet are electric propulsion for low carbon dioxide emissions, door-to-door travel contributing to 60% time savings, seamless refueling stations, and an exceptional in-flight experience. To achieve this, Samad has initiated an exclusive collaboration with Strand Aerospace Malaysia (SAM), a company specializing in the design, engineering, and certification of aircraft.

Photo // Samad Aerospace

The eStarling will be powered by four strategically places electric fans, and one auxiliary engine on the tail for extended range. One pair of the fans is seamlessly integrated in the blended wing body (BWB) of the aircraft and is used exclusively for vertical thrust. The other pair is located on the trailing edges of the aircraft, and pivot 90 degrees to provide thrust in both the vertical and horizontal flight phases.

While the drive generator – which provides power to the fans and charges the batteries – aboard e-Starling is expected to be fully electric by 2030, Samad is currently in talks with both Pratt and Whitney Canada and Honeywell in order to supply the gas turbine generators. The company expects that, as battery technology improves in the coming years, the e-Starling will phase out the use of the gas generators in favor of electric-powered.

Samad recently flew a 20% scale model vehicle in order to complete hover and transition tests, and many more test flights are planned for the near future. As seen in the timeline of major milestones, Samad plans to have a manned test flight of a full-scale prototype some time this year.

Additionally, for a visual representation of the capabilities and technical specifications of the e-Starling, check out the video below.

The media and information on the Starling fleet were provided by Samad Aerospace’s website. Click here to visit and find out more about the company and its mission.

Why its important: The collaboration with Strand Aerospace is projected to help develop the UAM industry in Malaysia. Together, the two companies are working toward major milestones in the manufacturing and testing of full-scale prototype eVTOL jets. Expect to see more from Samad Aerospace and the Starling fleet in the near future.

CityAirbus Unmanned Air Taxi to Take Flight This Month

13 March 2019 || 4 min read

Alongside the Vahana and Pop.Up Next, Airbus is also taking on the endeavor of building the CityAirbus, an unmanned air taxi currently being prototyped in Donauworth, Germany. Since 2016, Airbus has been testing components and systems of the CityAirbus in order to validate its design and eventually fly a full-scale model. Airbus describes their vehicle as “a multi-passenger, self-piloted electric...

CityAirbus Unmanned Air Taxi to Take Flight This Month

13 March 2019 || 4 min read

Airbus describes their vehicle as “a multi-passenger, self-piloted electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) demonstrator designed for ubran air mobility with cost efficiency, high-volume production and a low environmental footprint in mind.” The company has taken a slower, more meticulous approach to the manufacturing and sub-scale testing of the vehicle due to its complexity and in hope that the design can be feasible for full-scale production in the near future. First flight of the prototype CityAirbus vehicle was originally planned for the end of 2018, but has since been postponed to some time in the upcoming weeks.

The 4 pairs of contra-rotating propellors, each 2.8m (9ft 2in) in diameter, are powered by 8 specially designed Siemens SP200D (100kW operating power, direct-drive) drivetrains with exceptional torque to weight ratio. The result is a cruising speed of 120 km/h while on flying with the autonomous system on fixed routes. According to Marius Bebesel, head of urban air mobility at Airbus, they are focused on perfecting the architecture and safety systems with the unmanned CityAirbus first, but plan to possibly include the option for piloted flight. Though, it will be initially operated by a pilot to “ease certification and public acceptance, paving the way to future fully-autonomous operations.”

Siemens is teaming with Airbus to provide the CityAirbus propulsion system // Siemens Photo

The propulsion system is designed for a max capacity of “four passengers over congested megacities to important destinations such as airports or train stations in a fast, affordable and environmentally friendly way. The innovative four-ducted propeller configuration significantly contributes to safety and low acoustic footprint,” according to Airbus. Meanwhile, Airbus is still perfecting its design with trade studies, such as the investigation of switching from wood to composite propellors, in order to be confident in the design as a high-volume production vehicle.

For more technical specifications of the CityAirbus, visit the Hangar.

Why its important: Airbus is showing a strong commitment to the urban air mobility industry by investing in a third concept design. The specifications of the CityAirbus are comparable to the vehicles of other leading companies, possibly demonstrating the convergence on an efficient design that will best fulfill the need this industry is attempting to address. The thorough design and testing process of the CityAirbus will be put to the test in the upcoming few weeks, as it first attempts to depart the ground.

Beta Technologies Exits Stealth Mode

23 February 2019 || 3 min read

Kyle Clark, Founder of Beta Technologies, has been quietly accumulating top talent from GE, Scaled Composites, Lord/Microstrain, Aurora Flight Sciences and other companies on the cutting-edge of aviation technology to develop and test the Ava XC prototype aircraft. Until an undisclosed amount of funding was received from United Therapeutics last year, Beta had been in “stealth mode” for almost two...

Beta Technologies Exits Stealth Mode

23 February 2019 || 3 min read

Martine Rothblatt, CEO of United Therapeutics Image: UCLA Newsroom

Beta Technologies teamed with United Therapeutics, a biotechnology company founded by Martine Rothblatt, to transport organs. The company, however, has additional goals beyond just emergency response. In a recent interview, Kyle explained how Beta envisions other uses for its eVTOL aircraft, beginning with an “aircraft that can fly within the current national airspace.” Beta is poised to first have a special R&D experimental airworthiness certificate for their vehicle, and eventually shape the way FAA regulatory changes are made to accommodate eVTOLs by gaining confidence with reliable and safe flight testing, according to Clark.

Ava XC is a fixed-wing eVTOL with eight propellers on 90-degree tilting nacelles which are powered by two 124 kWh lithium-ion battery packs. At first glance, Ava XC does not look too much different than a traditional winged aircraft, but Beta Technologies’ electric propulsion and battery-storage technologies are the driving force behind the design. For more about Ava XC and a video of the prototype during transition envelope testing, visit the Hangar.

Image: VTOL Investor

What differentiates Beta Technologies from many other eVTOL OEMs is their pursuit to also install charging stations at specific locations with “solar- and grid-powered recharging pad technology”. Clark claims that the technology will provide “frequency regulation (short term power) and voltage management” and will use reclaimed aircraft batteries to cut costs and recycle materials. So far, Beta has already built a megawatt-scale recharging pad in Vermont and has plans for 50 more across the East coast for ancillary grid and recharging services.

Why it’s important: Later this year, Beta Technologies plans to debut its production aircraft, a highly anticipated milestone for the company. Kyle Clark’s experience in power electronics could bode well for Beta’s future success. Further, Beta’s investment in the development of high-performance charging infrastructure has the potential to both give the company a long-term competitive edge and advance the electric aviation industry as a whole.

Workhorse Group Acquires $35 Million to Fund Electric Vehicle Orders

08 January 2019 || 3 min read

Workhorse Group has secured funding from Marathon Asset Management, which will provide funds in two separate tranches. A $10 million lump sum will be paid out and used principally to satisfy repayment of the July 2018 senior secured notes. The remaining $25 million will function as a revolving credit facility from which Workhorse may draw down as necessary to meet existing...

Workhorse Group Acquires $35 Million to Fund Electric Vehicle Orders

08 January 2019 || 3 min read

In June of 2018, UPS had placed record-breaking order for 950 Workhorse electric delivery trucks, which jumpstarted the electric vehicle startup.

Marathon Asset Management is a global investment advisor based in New York, NY with approximately $15 billion of capital under management, according to a release. “The firm pursues credit through a broad spectrum of investments in global corporate credit, distressed and special situational credit, structured credit, emerging markets and leveraged loans. A perfect fit for Workhorse’s needs, Marathon is uniquely positioned to quickly create innovative financing solutions that fit within Workhorse’s existing capital structure and its business objectives.”

Visit The Hangar to read more about the Workhorse Surefly’s technical specifications.

Workhorse CEO Steve Burns remarked:

“Marathon is the right strategic partner for Workhorse’s current capital needs, and we plan to leverage their experience, size and resources to further support our growth as a company. This agreement provides meaningful, near-term funding that will go directly toward building and delivering vehicles to customers in 2019. Additionally, we have repaid, in full, our previous debt obligations from July, which will remove all covenants associated with that arrangement, including the obligation to sell our eVTOL aircraft, SureFly. Going forward, our primary goal for both current and future capital initiatives is to leverage the best available financing solutions that will provide liquidity and favorable economics.”

Further, Duane Hughes, Workhorse President and COO, added:

“Completing these financial transactions and developing these strategic relationships are additional key steps in our long-term capital strategy. We plan to implement these measures and other near-term initiatives in the coming months to help drive continued growth in both sales and profitability.”

Why it’s important: As Workhorse competes for market share with other electric truck and delivery vehicle companies, this additional funding enables continued company growth and order fulfillment. Furthermore, immediate access to additional capital satisfies existing obligations to debt repayment and widens opportunities for sale of the Surefly eVTOL octocopter.

Next Future Transportation Inc. Sets Sights on Affordable Door-To-Door eVTOL

30 December 2018 || 3 min read

Next Future Transportation co-founders are husband and wife, Guy and Maki Kaplinsky. Together they have assembled a diverse team, headquartered in Mountain View, CA with a center of excellence in Israel. The team is currently developing a multi-modal electric zero emission and advance hybrid system eVTOL capable of piloted or autonomous flight. The passenger flying car, with two or four...

Next Future Transportation Inc. Sets Sights on Affordable Door-To-Door eVTOL

30 December 2018 || 3 min read

Co-founders Guy Kaplinsky (left) and Maki Kaplinsky (right).

Additionally, the vehicle is designed to be powered by electric propulsion and an advance extended system, making it agile and adapted for cities. According to the founders, the NFT eVTOL drives like a comfortable, compact family car and can be easily parked on the street or in a garage, not requiring a sky port or other specialized accommodation. The target drive range is 62 miles | 100km and target fly range is 310 miles | 500km. Other key technologies include an Artificial Intelligence System, EV road driving system, and Blockchain platform.

NFT has a two-pronged approach to the possible applications of the company’s prototype vehicle. First is Guy and Maki Kaplinsky’s vision for an affordable, door-to-door solution to one’s everyday commute that minimizes wasted time spent in city traffic. To achieve this, NFT targets a sale price of $50,000 in order for the vehicle to be “accessible for regular people” as opposed to “a toy for rich guys”. As for the timeline of NFT’s eVTOL reaching the market, the company first plans to roll out the drive-and-fly vehicle as a cargo transporter, then for human transportation by 2025.

The second application of the NFT all-electric prototype is said to be “on-demand aviation” – a network of VTOL craft that would make it possible for users to summon flying transport whenever they’d like to easily mobilize within and between cities. Guy Kaplinsky articulates NFT’s competitive edge to be the need for only one vehicle during the commute – one would simply hail a vehicle and it would transport them from point to point without the need for another car or intermediary transit method.

Why it’s important: Next Future Transportation Inc. represents the increasing competition in the urban aviation industry, specifically those concentrated in Silicon Valley, CA. The company is currently ranked 281 on CrunchBase, with $5M in confirmed seed funding. The company’s international sprawl also demonstrates the worldwide scale at which the industry continues to grow.

Western Sydney Airport May Include Provisions for UAM

29 December 2018 || 3 min read

The construction of Western Sydney Airport (WSA) began on September 24, 2018. The project in Badgerys Creek, Australia will be designed with 21st-century thinking in mind and will be completed by 2026. It shall have infrastructure to support various modes of transportation to get to and from the airport, with ride-sharing services as a primary option. Further, Western Sydney Airport will...

Western Sydney Airport May Include Provisions for UAM

29 December 2018 || 3 min read

Further, Western Sydney Airport will be constructed on a 1800-hectare plot of land, allowing for plenty of space for disruptive technologies, such as urban air mobility aircraft flights. WSA Chief Executive Officer Graham Millet is a strong advocate for the airport as a testbed for passenger and freight drones, as demonstrated by integrating this forethought into the planning of the new airport.

While the Australian city in which Uber Air’s aerial ride-sharing network will be stood up has not yet been determined, Western Sydney Airport has now made a case for Sydney as the host city. Uber has articulated that the ideal cities are those with high population density and heavy traffic, particularly to a big airport.

Similar to Singapore’s word-class Changi Airport, Millet aims for WSA to be a destination not just for travelers. It will host art exhibitions, gymnasiums, shops, and other attractions, all while keeping operational costs low and ground transport traffic as light as possible. Millet has also already reached out to Uber in hope to ignite discussions between the two regarding drone operations in Australia.

The Australian federal government is allocating approximately $5.3 billion to the Western Sydney Airport, and it is possible that a portion of the budget can be seen going toward sky ports. This is the first outspoken plan for an airport to plan a preemptive integration of drone air mobility operations and could subsequently jumpstart future worldwide efforts.

Image Source // Uber Air

Why its important: Western Sydney Airport sets a precedent as the first airport to plan for infrastructure to support passenger and freight drones – such as Uber Elevate sky ports – in an attempt to alleviate ground transport and jumpstart air mobility operations in Australia.

2019 Detroit Auto Show to Host Workhorse Group’s Surefly Octocopter Exhibition

22 December 2018 || 3 min read

The 2019 Detroit Auto Show, also known as the North American International Auto Show, provides a global stage for companies on the cutting edge of industry-shaping technology to debut brand-defining vehicles. It is one of the largest auto shows in the United States. The Workhorse Group tweeted on Tuesday December 18 to “get ready, Michigan because we’re bringing the #SureFly...

2019 Detroit Auto Show to Host Workhorse Group’s Surefly Octocopter Exhibition

22 December 2018 || 3 min read

The Workhorse Group tweeted on Tuesday December 18 to “get ready, Michigan because we’re bringing the #SureFly to ⁦@NAIASDetroit⁩ January 14th-17th!” On those dates, the Automobili-D show will gather over 200 companies showcasing innovations on topics such as urban mobility, smart cities, building a mobility workforce, and autonomous technologies. From the NAIAS website, “Detroit is where future mobility innovations meet the pavement” – or in Surefly’s case, the skies.

Surefly’s 4 arms and 8 contra rotating props allow maximum airflow and lift, achieving a top speed of 80 miles per hour.

Workhorse articulates the Ohio-based technology company to be “focused on changing the way the world works by providing sustainable and cost-effective transportation solutions. As an original equipment manufacturer, Workhorse designs and builds high performance battery-electric vehicles, including trucks, aircraft and drones.”

Given the Group’s strong rising presence in the automotive industry with the N-GEN and E-100 Vans, and W-15 Pickup, it is no surprise to see the team exhibiting their technology at the Detroit Auto Show in January of 2019. The Workhorse Group’s two-seat hybrid eVTOL octocopter is designed to be capable of passenger and cargo transit, as well as other applications such as first/emergency responders, military, agriculture, and more.

Safety is a top priority for Workhorse. Surefly is designed with a fully redundant system, a battery backup system that allows for 10 minutes of extended flight time, and a ballistic parachute located in the center of the arms for emergency landings.

To learn more about the specifications and features of the Workhorse Surefly, have a look at our Surefly Vehicle Page.

Why it’s important: This is an opportunity for Workhorse to showcase the Surefly’s technology and capability on a global stage. There is great potential to raise public awareness of the Urban Aviation industry and even increase consumer reservations for the Surefly.

Lift Unveils Hexa All Electric Personal Flying Machine

11 December 2018 || 3 min read

Lift Aircraft, based in Austin, TX, has unveiled a flying production-design of its Hexa aircraft concept. The electric vertical take off and landing eVTOL flying machine, shown below, features impressive simplicity and redundancy that will enable personal use by tourists and amateur enthusiasts. Designed for 8-15 minute flights in scenic and uncongested areas, the aircraft relies on 18 propellers to get...

Lift Unveils Hexa All Electric Personal Flying Machine

11 December 2018 || 3 min read

Lift Aircraft’s Hexa flying machine

Designed for 8-15 minute flights in scenic and uncongested areas, the aircraft relies on 18 propellers to get its 432 lb carbon fiber airframe off the ground. Floats mounted underneath the seat allow the Hexa to land on water, unlocking a unique amphibious capability during operation. Safety measures, including an automatic ballistic parachute for emergencies and a semi-autonomous flight control system, make the personal flying machine especially attractive to the everyday user. All that is required of the pilot is interaction with a single 3-axis joystick and the seven-inch touchscreen interface.

hexa lift aircraft personal flying machine eVTOL urban air mobility

Classified under the FAA’s ultralight category, the Hexa will be available to the everyday user.

Lift plans to certify the aircraft under the FAA’s ultralight category, meaning users will not be required to have a pilot’s license in order to fly it. This limit’s the aircraft to an altitude of a few hundred feet, which Lift thinks is plenty to serve its core purpose: thrilling recreational flight.

Lift is currently preparing for a Series A funding round while considering the location in which to roll out its first personal flying experience. One city under investigation is Seattle, where the aircraft can be enjoyed by tourists seeking to explore the beautiful water features characteristic of the area. Life CEO, Matt Chasen is excited about the speed at which his team of eight engineers has reached this level of commercial availability. Chasen, who has flown the aircraft himself, is confident “[Hexa] will be flying years before anyone else.”

Why it’s Important: Multi-seat eVTOL air taxis require complicated regulatory approval and advanced battery technology. Simple and easy single-pilot aircraft like Hexa don’t have to wait for these issues to be worked out, and may be the first commercially viable eVTOL flying machines to market.

European Regulators Discuss Pathway to Urban Air Mobility at GAMA Talks

10 December 2018 || 3 min read

European Regulators Discuss Pathway to Urban Air Mobility at GAMA Talks

10 December 2018 || 3 min read

European aviation regulators and corporate officials from eight countries met last month to address growth in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) market. Talks led by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) took place in Brussels and Cologne. Discussion was centered around safely introducing the support structure necessary for “making flying more accessible to the public”. Talks included sessions on certification, maintenance, operations, licensing and airspace management. GAMA eVTOL sub-committee co-chair Anna Dietich released a statement previewing the determination of attendees to accommodate emerging aircraft technology. She said, “leveraging the body of existing rules and standards wherever possible while appropriately addressing the new aspects of this industry will help us efficiently achieve our shared goals for safe, innovative vehicles that provide significant value to society.”

Rolls Royce eVTOL flying taxi concept GAMA

British aerospace giant Rolls Royce’s electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) concepts. One of many futuristic flying taxi aircraft currently under development in Europe.

These talks are part of promising cooperation between European regulatory officials and the urban air mobility industry. One attendee of the talks, German Federal State Minister for Digitisation Dorothee Bär, affirmed regulatory intentions by stating, “I think there is tremendous potential for Europe and beyond, urban air mobility will become part of our daily life”.

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association is a professional organization committed to promoting interests of the aviation industry. Their mission as published on the GAMA website is, “to foster and advance the general welfare, safety, interests and activities of the global business and general aviation industry.” Members of the multi-national organization are companies and business units “directly responsible for and primarily engaged in the production or manufacture of general aviation products.”

Terrafugia TF-2 air vehicle concept docking GAMA

Terrafugia TF-2 air vehicle concept. Terrafugia was one of several companies represented in the talks.

Why it’s Important: As new urban air mobility/flying taxi concepts become commercially available, regulatory agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will need to manage regulatory policy to ensure safe operation within the existing airspace. Talks like this one are crucial to enforce collaboration between all stakeholders involved.

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European Regulators Discuss Pathway to Urban Air Mobility at GAMA Talks

European Regulators Discuss Pathway to Urban Air Mobility at GAMA Talks

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