AAM / eVTOL / VTOL

Elroy Air plans to become a publicly traded company through a merger with special purpose acquisition company Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VII.

Hoper expands helicopter ride-share operations globally while preparing its platform for future eVTOL integration in urban air mobility.

Business aviation updates include fleet expansions, eVTOL developments and new safety initiatives across multiple regions.

China’s Aerofugia has developed a mobile charging station to support its AE200 eVTOL air taxi at remote sites.

GE runs hybrid engine; ambitious decarbonization pays off; NASA’s advanced airliners; channel-wing VTOL UAS; and a balloon-launched rocket.

SOFWerx plans to assess the capabilities of uncrewed aircraft with hybrid-electric propulsion and channel wings for vertical takeoff and landing.

South Korea has launched projects to develop a 4,500-lb. thrust-class high-bypass turbofan for collaborative combat aircraft and more-electric business jets.

Zuri progresses hybrid tiltrotor demonstrator testing for regional air mobility applications.

One theme united the first-quarter analyst calls by the publicly traded electric air taxi startups: the defense market.

Merlin is expanding its autonomous flight platform into the commercial cargo market with the launch of a new product line called Condor.

The United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority and Archer Aviation have agreed to move approval for the Midnight eVTOL to a restricted type certificate program.

Brief news items of interest to business aviation and AAM professionals.

The FAA is publishing proposed rules for restricting unmanned aircraft operations in airspace over key facilities.

Viasat has announced that avionics engineering house L2 Aviation has joined its Velaris service offering for sat connectivity with AAM and eVTOLs.

As Joby’s S4 advances toward certification, flight testing is shifting from controlled environments to real-world operations.

Autonomous flight system developer Merlin has raised $80 million in new funding through the sale of shares to an existing institution investor.

Joby Aviation has begun a series of piloted demonstration flights across New York City.

Brief news items of interest to business aviation and AAM professionals.

News in brief about Sino Jet, Rosen Aviation, SkyDrive and more.

Joby Aviation plans to conduct a demonstration flight of its S4-T uncrewed aircraft next week at its plant in California.

Regent has completed the first wing-in-ground effect (WIG) flight of its Squire seaglider drone.

Robinson has selected Rotor Technologies as the autonomy provider for its new line of remotely piloted R44s.

Rotor Technologies is advancing toward scaled production of unmanned R44 aircraft by integrating its autonomy system into Robinson Helicopter’s assembly line.

Israel’s AIR says it has booked more than 3,300 preorders for its AIR One two-seat personal eVTOL.

Appointments and promotions in the business aviation and AAM industry.

Near Earth Autonomy is to further develop the U.S. Marine Corps’ ability to fly uncrewed logistics missions.

Brief news items of interest to business aviation and AAM professionals.

AeroVironment said March 16 that it had acquired Empirical Systems Aerospace Inc. in a $200 million cash and stock transaction.

Alt Air has partnered with eVTOL manufacturer Eve Air Mobility and vertiports developer Skyports Infrastructure.

Robinson Helicopter aims to extend its lineup of autonomous uncrewed vertical lift capabilities with Sikorsky following the unveiling of the TurbineTruck.

Robinson Helicopter Company announced the launch of Robinson Unmanned.

Readers write about the FARA cancellation, crewed space exploration, the late Robert Liebeck and the world’s largest eVTOL air taxi.

The FBOs that support private and business aviation have a key role in enabling the rollout of AAM.

Joby Aviation said it made substantial certification progress in Q4, as it prepares to begin certification flight testing with its first conforming aircraft.

SkyDrive has signed a preorder agreement with 7A Drones for 10 SD-05 air taxis for emergency transportation of patients and medical staff in Taiwan.

Biggest eVTOL flies; ducted-fan ultra-STOL; axial-flux motor success; endurance UAS upgraded; and riblet service trial expands.

AIR EV advances to production with a new Israeli facility, preparing maiden flights of its cargo eVTOL and targeting scaled U.S. operations.

MIT students advance uSTOL tech with ducted fan designs, achieving promising results in short-takeoff and high-speed flight with the Surge models.

United Aircraft debuted advanced UAVs at the Singapore Airshow, showcasing cutting-edge tech such as the R6000 tiltrotor and launching a global agent program.

P&WC advances hybrid propulsion; GE’s hybrid Passport success; Europe’s Clean Aviation launches ultraefficient regional projects; UAE orders uncrewed VTOLs.

Eve Air Mobility has secured $150 million in debt financing from a syndicate of financial institutions.

The long saga of XTI Aerospace’s effort to develop a ducted-fan vertical-takeoff-and-landing business aircraft has taken a dramatic turn.

The Spanish defense and aerospace electronics company says the acquisition will allow it to position itself in the growing uncrewed traffic management market and bolster its UK presence.

The UAS industry’s reaction to the FAA’s beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) notice of proposed rulemaking has been loud, swift, and at times divided.

Joby Aviation has partnered with Metropolis Technologies to develop an initial network of 25 vertiports across the U.S.

Investors were widely disappointed with UAV pioneer AeroVironment's financial results for the fiscal second quarter.

David Peng, vice president of Marketing at WeFly, sat down with Aviation Week to discuss progress on the startup’s five-seat W280 eVTOL aircraft.

Beta’s H500-series pusher motor has been selected for the Eve-100 eVTOL aircraft, with external sales seen as a potential source of early revenues.

Chinese air taxi startup AutoFlight has developed a vessel-based mobile vertiport.

Joby has sued its main competitor Archer over alleged theft of trade secrets and intellectual property by a former employee.

The Helicopter Company is expanding its global presence via acquisition and planning to branch out into Advanced Air Mobility operations.

Joby’s hybrid eVTOL; maritime drone demonstrations; Tokyo air taxis; and advancing additive manufacturing.

Followers of the emerging eVTOL industry often speak of the “Big Three” Western startups: Archer, Beta Technologies and Joby. But should there be a “Big Four”?

Joby Aviation plans to bring hybrid-electric propulsion to its commercial air taxis.

XTI Aerospace, a developer of vertical flight technologies and VTOL aircraft, has paid $40 million to acquire Drone Nerds.

Netherlands-based Ambitious Air Mobility Group has signed binding investment terms with Czech electric air taxi startup Zuri.

Joby Aviation appears to have powered up the uncrewed hybrid-electric version of its S4 vertical takeoff-and-landing air taxi.

Archer announced a pact to acquire Hawthorne Airport in Central Los Angeles, expected to form the operations hub of its planned air taxi network in the city.

Beta Technologies has raised more than $1 billion by listing in New York with proceeds set to support the electric aircraft startup's expansion.

Africa is no longer a passive consumer of drone technology – it is positioning itself as an emerging global force. The continent is placed to lead the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle revolution.

For the first time since its acquisition by Joby, Blade returned to NBAA-BACE 2025 to offer air shuttle rides between the convention center and Henderson Executive Airport.

Textron has eliminated its Textron eAviation innovation-focused subsidiary in a corporate reorganization.

Air taxi developer Archer Aviation announced it has won a competitive bid process to acquire the patents of insolvent electric aircraft manufacturer Lilium.

Boeing has unveiled a large, high-speed and vertical take-off-and-landing (VTOL), uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) for the U.S. Army.

The Coventry, UK, city council has deployed uncrewed aircraft systems on a wide variety of missions.

This is providing fresh capital to help onboard new employees and advance flight testing of the Laila uncrewed hybrid eVTOL.

As Joby Aviation accelerates on its path to type certification of its S4 eVTOL air taxi, Chief Product Officer Eric Allison sat down with Aviation Week.

Two documents serve to outline efforts to help develop the UK’s electric air industry by the country’s regulator and illustrate how contentious its work is.

News about Aerofugia, Eve Air Mobility, Nalwa Aero, Guardian Agriculture, Zero Gravity Aircraft Industry and more.

French startup Beyond Aero has bench tested a full-scale hydrogen-electric powertrain.

Revealing it is developing a 19-seat electric aircraft to follow its six-seat Alia, startup Beta Technologies has filed for an initial public offering.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is to manufacture startup Elroy Air’s Chaparral for delivery to U.S. commercial and defense customers under an exclusive agreement.

Vertical Aerospace says it needs no more than $700 million in new funding to certify its VX4 electric air taxi in 2028.

The U.S. Marine Corps is looking for a new autonomous, vertical take off and landing system to supply austere locations.

Leaders at the African Drone Forum (ADF) in early September had a clear message to share: Africa is no longer a passive consumer of drone technology—it is positioning itself as an emerging global force.

Drone manufacturer and operator Dronamics has announced the selection of Kawasaki Motors as its preferred engine supplier.

Co-axial uncrewed air vehicle developer Ascent AeroSystems has named former Joint Chiefs of Staff Air-Sea Branch Chief Paul Fermo as its new president.

Leading U.S. eVTOL air taxi startups announced plans to enlist in the U.S. Transportation Department's newly created eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP).

The U.S.' recent proposed rulemaking to advance beyond visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) civilian drone operations was hailed by industry as a major breakthrough.

China’s Liaoning General Aviation Academy has flown the RX1H, a two-seat electric helicopter.

A series of teaser images suggest Shield AI's VTOL aircraft is a tailsitter with swept wings and an internal weapons bay large enough to carry two cruise missiles.

Founded in 2019, Jump Aero is developing the JA1 Pulse, a single-person tailsitter eVTOL.

Startup Alauda Aeronautics has received experimental certification for the Airspeeder Mk4 crewed racing eVTOL aircraft from Australia.

Announced earlier in August, the deal is intended to provide Joby with access to Blade’s customer base and terminals in key markets.

Among the standouts of China's eVTOL landscape is Shanghai-based Vertaxi.

Lilium would-be investor Ambitious Air Mobility Group (AAMG) and the electric aircraft company’s administrator have hit a snag in their negotiations.

A leading advocacy organization for uncrewed aircraft has welcomed the FAA’s proposed rules for flying beyond visual line of sight, but highlighted concerns.

Archer says it has three Midnight eVTOL air taxis in final assembly at its plant in San Jose, California, with three more on the way.

Archer has announced a pair of strategic acquisitions that it says will accelerate efforts to field a hybrid VTOL aircraft for the U.S. military.

Beta Technologies' engine-first strategy is beginning to pay off.

Joby-L3Harris hybrid eVTOL; low-boom X-59 taxis; Skydweller three-day flight; collaborative autonomy framework.

The FAA has released the long-awaited draft rule governing the operation of drones beyond visual line of sight of the operator.

Joby's decision to buy Blade Air Mobility’s passenger transport business represents the clearest path to early revenues yet among any of the air taxi upstarts.

Joby Aviation has partnered with L3Harris to develop a hybrid eVTOL aircraft for defense applications—an optionally piloted, turbine hybrid version of its S4.

Emerson Xu, CEO and co-founder of NexAvian, sat down with Aviation Week to share his insights.

A U.S. court on July 21 denied a motion to dismiss a stockholder suit challenging Archer’s $1.7 billion 2021 merger with Atlas Crest Investments.

Electric seagliders could enable distributed, stealthy operations across the Indo-Pacific theater.

AAM Briefs: VoltAero, Hydroplane and More

Spurred by Chief Executive John Lee’s 2024 policy address last October, Hong Kong is staking its claim in China’s growing low-altitude economy.

China's United Aircraft Group is showcasing its 6-ton-class tiltrotor aircraft, the Lanying R6000, at the 55th Paris Air Show.

Autonomous air taxi startup Wisk has acquired SkyGrid, a third-party service provider for advanced air mobility aircraft, as a subsidiary.

Factorial Energy has shipped its first solid-state lithium-metal battery cells for drone use to Avidrone Aerospace, a developer of long-range UAS.

XTI Aerospace has signed a memorandum of understanding with hybrid-electric powertrain developer VerdeGo.

As Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) begins to take flight, the industry must prioritize safety and reliability at every step.

Chinese drive/fly eVTOL, logistic resupply autonomy, FAA’s AAM testing center and cryo-compressed hydrogen.

Jet VTOL UAS; CycloRotor flies; cargo gyroplane; and electrified trainer.

MAYMAN AEROSPACE, CA completed test flight of its RAZOR P100 unmanned VTOL with SKYFIELD advanced AI-driven autonomous flight control system to enable aircraft to adapt to changing mission parameters and environmental factors.

Pipistrel has launched flight testing of its most advanced design to date, the Nuuva V300 hybrid-electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing uncrewed cargo aircraft.

Developers of electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft targeted at alternative use cases are feeling increasingly vindicated.

Beta Technologies and the North Carolina Department of Transportation have installed a Charge Cube Level 3 fast charger at Raleigh Executive Jetport.

Multi-feedstock SAF production tested; Australian e-aircraft programs advance; ZeroAvia to study large hydrogen UAS; Vertiport design mitigates eVTOL downwash.

ZeroAvia and Reliable Robotics are studying the integration of hydrogen-electric propulsion onto a Cessna with automation tech to make an uncrewed aircraft.

Little attention has been paid to the use of small, unmanned aircraft, or drones, presumably because they will not carry passengers.

Eve Air Mobility and South Korean operator UI Helicopter have signed a memorandum of understanding to help develop an AAM ecosystem in South Korea.

Advanced air mobility ambitions, crewed-uncrewed teaming, drone production and an expanded rotorcraft family are key thrusts in Robinson’s growth plan.

Brazil has the world’s second largest agriculture market for aerial application behind the U.S.

Robinson Helicopter Company debuted in the index’s No. 8 slot, with a score of 7.5/10.

One particularly promising solution to battling wildfires like those in Los Angeles is the use of aerial firefighting with uncrewed helicopters.

Jaunt Air Mobility has revealed plans to go to the market with an uncrewed, hybrid version of its Journey eVTOL compound helicopter.

Solving that challenge is doubly important for the U.S. Department of Defense.

KRW40 billion ($27.8 million) was invested in the facility and the designing of the center in 2022.

The latest news of products and services in the Advanced Air Mobility industry.

Certifying an electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing air taxi is prohibitively expensive. With markets tight, some startups are changing course.

U.S. startup Odys Aviation has completed a series of initial transition flights using a subscale prototype of its Laila hybrid eVTOL drone.

Skyfly Technologies, an eVTOL aircraft developer, has been selected to join a UK defense initiative that aims to develop heavy-lift uncrewed aircraft systems.

The bevy of AAM news from Zhuhai Airshow is the clearest signal yet of the seriousness with which Beijing is proceeding in its push to create a nationwide low-altitude economy.

Three of the modular systems would produce 1.2 megawatts, enough to power a regional aircraft, the Toulouse-based company says.

The UAE is vying to be the market leader in e-VTOL operations as two leading industry manufacturers make their presence known.

The €13.7 million ($14.9 million) project is being led by Thales and also includes Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters and Spain’s Indra.

Next steps for wake surfing; measuring e-SAF emissions; solar stratospheric UAS upgrade; and uncrewed medical eVTOL.

Many players in the growing eVTOL scene have successfully transitioned with a variety of aircraft configurations.

Lift Aircraft has won a U.S. Army contract to develop and demo a modular medical payload that enables its Hexa eVTOL to deliver blood and evacuate a casualty.

With a maximum takeoff weight of 2,500 lb. (1,133 kg), the company describes the aircraft as the “largest civilian drone available for purchase today.”

Honeywell and Odys Aviation, a developer VTOL aircraft, have signed an MOU to design new Ground Control Stations to support the rollout of Odys Aviation’s hybrid VTOL aircraft in the Middle East and Pacific.

Whisper Aero has unveiled a prototype glider powered by its largest electric ducted-fan thruster to date.

Sergio Cecutta is a founder and partner at SMG Consulting.

The Hyundai Motor Group subsidiary’s first full-scale demonstrator is currently being assembled at its facility in Irvine, California.

Israeli startup AIR has unveiled an unmanned cargo version of its AIR ONE personal electric-vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

A successful demonstration of the first unmanned air taxi trial in Mecca is said to pave the way for future implementation of smart mobility solutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

When it comes to speed and payload, there is a large gap in the transport network between the capacities of fixed-wing aircraft and ships, trucks and trains.

The Pentagon’s advanced research agency has selected six teams to develop preliminary designs for a shipborne VTOL uncrewed aircraft.

DARPA has selected six of nine concepts studied under Phase 1A of the Ancillary program to proceed into the 10-month Phase 1B.

The fly-off is intended to lead to a follow-on engineering and manufacturing development phase and initial production.

Chevron Pipe Line and American Aerospace Technologies won a waiver from the FAA to conduct Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights of a drone to inspect pipelines.

Lilium CEO Klaus Roewe has slammed German politics for putting the future of the company and the infant advanced air mobility sector in jeopardy.

Electric trainer tested; design tools for hydrogen aircraft; uncrewed amphibian; turbine hybrid; and cargo eVTOL.

EHang returned to the top slot in the April 2024 edition of the AAM Reality Index, with a score of 8.5/10.

China’s AVIC is preparing to fly the HH-100, an uncrewed cargo aircraft developed by the civil aircraft division of Xi’an Aircraft.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has linked up with Aerotor to propose a large, VTOL uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) to perform a range of military roles.

The project involves Thales, TXT and the Universite Laval.

EHang reported improved sales and deliveries alongside its financial results for the fourth quarter.

Brief news items of interest to business aviation professionals.

Having seized the pole position in electric vehicles, Chinese industry is racing ahead in advanced air mobility.

Russia’s Siberian Research Institute for Aviation has performed the first test flight of Partizan, its ultra STOL transport aircraft demonstrator.

U.S. startup Advanced Aircraft Company (AAC) has secured a follow-on contract award from the U.S. Air Force’s AFWERX innovation program.

U.S. startup AIBOT has been gaining attention for its plan to integrate AI into its planned family of eVTOL vehicles.

Spanish startup Crisalion believes it has created a unique air taxi design.

Natilus, the developer of a blended-wing body unmanned cargo aircraft, has unveiled its concept for remote pilot control stations,.

A team of government and industry partners led by Wisk Aero has announced the successful completion of a series of unmanned flight trials in New Zealand.

AI leaders cooperate; Cargo eVTOL flies; UK extends R&D funding; and China’s firefighting eVTOL.

Hybrid eSTOL flies; sea-based high-speed VTOL; China’s electric regional; Piasecki’s tilt-duct ARES revived.

The AAM Stock Composite ticked up 3% during the week ending Nov. 24, as strong gains from EHang canceled out a lackluster performance from other air taxi OEMs.

EHang is laying the groundwork for the imminent commercial launch of its EH216-S unmanned multicopter.

Fan-in-wing high-speed VTOL; JAL eyes hydrogen-electric; China’s firefighting eVTOL; Wright hybrid-electric testbed; and Islander to fly 5G.

Chinese startup AutoFlight has flown a prototype of a firefighting version of its CarryAll electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing uncrewed cargo aircraft.

Embraer spinoff Eve Air Mobility has announced plans to launch electric air taxi services in Bangalore, India.

Embraer spinoff Eve Air Mobility said it is on track to complete its first full-scale prototype by year’s end.

Joby Aviation reported continued progress on the path to type certification for its S4 electric air taxi.

EHang has forged a partnership with the Hefei Municipal Government, to help build out what a “low-altitude economy” for drones and eVTOL vehicles.

A Near Earth Autonomy-Kaman team and Piasecki Aircraft have won contracts to demonstrate UAVs for the U.S. Army’s HVTOL program.