BT connects the skies with UK’s first Drone SIM

BT releases SIM to connect Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)  

 

The week BT announced the launch of the UK’s first Drone SIM to unlock the true potential of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOs) drone operation across the UK.   

Designed to function at altitude using the EE network, Drone SIM offers unlimited data plans and continuous connectivity in the sky. Drone SIM is built to endure vibration, temperature and humidity extremes, supporting all-season drone use. BT business customers will be the first to benefit from the Drone SIM which has the potential to transform industries, from urgent delivery of medical supplies to infrastructure monitoring and transportation of goods. 

Using BT Group’s EE network, Drone SIM benefits from high priority and ultra-responsive connectivity, enabling safety, control, telemetry and realising ultra-high definition (UHD) video streaming at altitude. This enables drone users to capture detailed, survey-quality imagery and video for a wide range of purposes, from search and rescue to infrastructure inspection. 

Drone SIM is pushing the limits of drone flight. With the largest geographic coverage in the UK, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) can now fly significant distances at their full capability whilst remaining in constant communication with their remote pilots and safety systems; a dramatic shift from a world where they were limited by line-of-sight radio transmission or local Wi-Fi. This innovation presents a key opportunity across industry, from urgent delivery of medical supplies to infrastructure monitoring and transportation of goods.  

Rain announces $9.7M in financing to enable rapid wildfire response with prepositioned autonomous aircraft

Rain, a leader in aerial wildfire containment technology, announced an oversubscribed seed round, closing $9.7 million in financing earlier this year to provide fire agencies the ability to contain wildfires before they grow out of control with prepositioned autonomous aircraft. DBL Partners led the round, with participation from VoLo Earth Ventures, Kapor Capital, and Convective Capital. Other investors include Immad Akhund, Brian Bjelde, Steve Blank, John and Patrick Collison, Edward Fenster, Dylan Field, Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Geoff Ralston, and Blake Scholl. The funding will be used to advance pilot projects in the United States.

Founded in 2019, Rain draws on fire agency insights and personal experience with extreme wildfire to create the first autonomous rapid wildfire suppression system, addressing the urgent need to scale, expedite and modernize response to the growing number of wildfires.

Rain adapts autonomous aircraft with a wildfire intelligence system to rapidly perceive, understand and suppress early-stage wildfire ignitions, capabilities not yet seen in wildfire technology. This technology enables the prepositioning of firefighting aircraft in high wildfire risk areas and works with existing wildfire detection systems that remotely dispatch Rain-equipped aircraft as soon as ignition is detected, deploying the aircraft within seconds and reaching a nascent fire within minutes. New research shows that a 15 minute improvement to wildfire response time could generate an economic benefit of $3.5-8.2 billion dollars in California alone. In the U.S. total annualized costs associated with wildfire average $348 billion per year. With extreme wildfires estimated to rise 14% by 2030, the collective problem is only getting worse.

Ameriflight gets exemption to operate drones

Ameriflight Receives FAA Approval to Operate Matternet M2 Drone, Offering Solution for Unmanned, On-Demand Small Package Delivery

Ameriflight has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate drone aircraft, making Ameriflight the first existing Part 135 Cargo airline in the U.S. to receive such exemption. 

The newly granted exemption allows Ameriflight to conduct UAS operations and approval to add the Matternet M2 to its fleet, enabling the launch of the first fully operational, large-scale drone operation in the United States.

Through its partnership with Matternet, the developer of the world’s leading urban drone delivery system, Ameriflight intends to operate the Matternet M2 drone for commercial delivery, focusing on health care and e-commerce deliveries to customers located in dense urban and suburban environments across the country. 

Ameriflight will deploy the M2 fleet of drones using Matternet's software platform from a central remote Network Operations Center, allowing the company to safely expand its network, while maintaining the highest level of pilot operator supervision and flexibility. Ameriflight intends to operate its uncrewed aircraft as a supplement to its crewed operations, not replacing the current flying operation, aircraft, or pilots.

“Adding this state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly aircraft and launching our UAS division allows us to expand our service offerings to off-airport alternative sites for time-sensitive small package needs,” said Ameriflight President and CEO Alan Rusinowitz. “Matternet’s technology is at the forefront of autonomous innovation and provides a revolutionary solution for customers. We’re looking forward to launching our first M2 flights very soon, and, as we move forward into future flight, developing additional areas of drone delivery.”

Dronamics cargo drone completes first flight.....future of deliveries one step closer

Dronamics, the world's first cargo drone airline has confirmed the successful completion of the first flight of its flagship aircraft, the Black Swan, at Balchik Airport in Bulgaria. This success demonstrates the potential for the logistics industry to enhance efficiency in the transportation of products. 

Born out of two brothers' desire to find a quicker, greener and more affordable way to deliver goods, Dronamics is on a mission to enable same-day delivery for everyone, everywhere. This significant milestone is the culmination of months of ground testing and subscale flights. The Black Swan aircraft was remotely piloted by two commercial airline pilots from the Dronamics ground control station.

The successful flight test validates the company's licensed cargo drone technology for commercial flights in Europe, set to begin later this year, serving a variety of industries, with a fast and cost-effective solution to meet evolving consumer needs.

"Since the day we first imagined what the Black Swan aircraft could look like, we've worked towards this flight. Today we've made history and are proud to have demonstrated the validity of our drone technology," said Konstantin Rangelov, Co-Founder and CTO of Dronamics.

"It's taken an enormous amount of hard work, belief and drive to prove that what we envisioned works. We can now focus on the next step, the roll-out of our commercial operations, and we couldn't be more excited," said Svilen Rangelov, Co-Founder and CEO of Dronamics.

New cargo eVTOL programme launched by former F1 technical director

Specialist consultancy company MGI Engineering has launched its cargo UAV technology demonstrator programme. MGI CEO and Founder Mike Gascoyne officially unveiled its fully functional technology demonstrator at the eVTOL Insights’ London Conference on Wednesday 19 April 2023.

This announcement will thrust the well-established specialist engineering consultancy firm into the newly-emerging cargo eVTOL industry and promises to bring a fresh viewpoint on how to develop the latest aerospace technology for these novel vehicles. MGI is applying Formula 1 development philosophies and mindset to the cargo eVTOL UAV market. Lightweight composite structures with a highly-efficient, fast-paced iterative design processes are key elements of the company’s approach to tackling the challenges that the cargo eVTOL industry presents and it aims to provide these consultancy services throughout the cargo eVTOL industry. MGI Engineering’s prowess stems from its decades of experience at the pinnacle of motorsport, F1 - a tenure that is reflected through its senior staff and its CEO, Mike Gascoyne - who has previously worked at McLaren, Tyrrell, Sauber, Renault, Toyota before setting up the Lotus F1 Team through MGI in 2009.

MGI Engineering was founded by Mike Gascoyne in 2003. Mike has worked in Senior Management and as a Technical Director level in Formula 1 for over 25 years. The company leverages its extensive and unrivalled experience of utilising cutting-edge technologies to offer complete engineering and project management solutions - in incumbent and newly emerging industries such as cargo eVTOL to maximise sustainability and future-proof viability with a mission-led engineering approach.

Former F1 Technical Director launches cargo eVTOL programme

Specialist consultancy company MGI Engineering has launched its cargo UAV technology demonstrator programme. MGI CEO and Founder Mike Gascoyne officially unveiled its fully functional technology demonstrator at the eVTOL Insights’ London Conference on Wednesday 19 April 2023.

This announcement will thrust the well-established specialist engineering consultancy firm into the newly-emerging cargo eVTOL industry and promises to bring a fresh viewpoint on how to develop the latest aerospace technology for these novel vehicles. MGI is applying Formula 1 development philosophies and mindset to the cargo eVTOL UAV market. Lightweight composite structures with a highly-efficient, fast-paced iterative design processes are key elements of the company’s approach to tackling the challenges that the cargo eVTOL industry presents and it aims to provide these consultancy services throughout the cargo eVTOL industry. MGI Engineering’s prowess stems from its decades of experience at the pinnacle of motorsport, F1 - a tenure that is reflected through its senior staff and its CEO, Mike Gascoyne - who has previously worked at McLaren, Tyrrell, Sauber, Renault, Toyota before setting up the Lotus F1 Team through MGI in 2009.

MGI Engineering was founded by Mike Gascoyne in 2003. Mike has worked in Senior Management and as a Technical Director level in Formula 1 for over 25 years. The company leverages its extensive and unrivalled experience of utilising cutting-edge technologies to offer complete engineering and project management solutions - in incumbent and newly emerging industries such as cargo eVTOL to maximise sustainability and future-proof viability with a mission-led engineering approach.

Global Search & Rescue Drone Market Estimated To Exceed 3.25 Billion By The End Of 2023

Photo by Emiliano Arano

The deployment of drones has increased in recent years for a variety of purposes. Drones offer unique capabilities used by emergency responders around the world. They can be used on land and at sea or at night or in low visibility. They are saving many lives by participating in various general emergency and security operations and their use in search and rescue operations has proven to be one of the most potentially life-saving applications. Equipped with sensors and powerful cameras, drones can cover a large area in a short time. 

Search and rescue drones can also be equipped with special equipment such as infrared cameras and speakers. This allows user to locate missing persons and save lives. Helicopters and manned aircraft cost hundreds of dollars an hour to operate during rescue operations. Drones, only require an initial investment and have a low maintenance cost. The drone takes off from a safe location and scans from a high altitude. This leads to the safety of the team the as they stay back on the ground and get an idea of the rescue operation.  

A report from Fact.MR projected that the search and rescue drone market is estimated to reach valuation of US$ 3,254.4 Million in 2023 and will top US$ 11,648.1 Million by 2033, growing with a CAGR of around 13.6% from 2023-2033.  The report said: "Search and rescue drones are now becoming a popular product for responders conducting any type of emergency response. These drones are designed to provide aerial support to ground teams in searching for the locations of missing and injured people.  The team can rely on UAVs for search and rescue missions while other team members continue conventional search techniques or provide support elsewhere. Equipped with the right sensors and cameras, the drone can cover large areas quickly and efficiently, making it ideal for search missions."  Active companies in the markets this week include: Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO), Deutsche Lufthansa AG (OTCQX: DLAKY), Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY), The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS).

Fact.MR continued: "Drones can now fly farther and higher owing to developments in sensor technology, giving them a clearer view of hard-to-reach places. They will also have stronger cameras and other sensors, enabling them to gather more comprehensive data about possible victims and dangers.  Fact.MR anticipates that search and rescue teams will depend more and more on these adaptable and life-saving devices as drone technology advances. Manufacturers will also shift towards these innovations for generating higher profits… (Drones are) a safe, efficient, and cost-effective product to drive market growth for search and rescue drone."

Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO) BREAKING NEWS:  Draganfly Selected by Lufthansa Industry Solutions to Strengthen Marine Search and Rescue Infrastructure - Draganfly Inc. (FSE: 3U8) ("Draganfly" or the "Company"), an award-winning, industry-leading drone solutions and systems developer, is pleased to announce that Lufthansa Industry Solutions, an IT service provider and a subsidiary of Lufthansa Group has entered into a letter of intent with Draganfly to explore providing its drone solutions and Vital Intelligence (VI) technology for use into its existing infrastructure and customer solutions.

Draganfly's technology will assist in Lufthansa Industry Solutions' objective of providing the maritime industry with the highest information technology and performance monitoring standard. Draganfly's drone solutions will be integrated for deployment during marine search and rescue operations and for reconnaissance purposes, adding another layer of safety and security for crew members and passengers.

Draganfly's search and rescue drone can be utilized when a passenger aboard a vessel falls into the ocean. These specialized drones are high-endurance, multirotor UAVs capable of utilizing Draganfly's optical and infrared imaging solutions during an active emergency. The company's drone can be used to thoroughly map certain areas, locate survivors, and begin measuring core vitals.

The reconnaissance drones provided by Draganfly can carry out inspections of cargo and potential hazards on the water. This UAV is a high-endurance, drone that utilizes optical and imaging solutions.   These drones can even function in hazardous areas.

Lufthansa Industry Solutions plans to integrate Draganfly's Vital Intelligence technology into its Artificial Intelligence as a Service (AIaaS) platform, a package that offers a quick and easy solution for businesses trying to achieve digital transformation. Draganfly's Vital Intelligence (VI) is software that uses video feed from simple RGB cameras to measure biometric data and share human experience and health insights.

"We are thrilled to partner with Lufthansa Industry Solutions and provide our versatile AI technology for use in their current infrastructure," said Cameron Chell, President and CEO of Draganfly. "This partnership reflects the growing demand for our drone, AI and data solutions with Tier 1 customers."

BT Group’s incubation hub Etc. backs Altitude Angel to make the UK a global leader for commercial automated drone operations

Etc., the incubation team in BT Group’s Digital unit boosting the businesses of the future, today announces that it has entered into a £5 million deal with Altitude Angel, a leading UTM (Unified Traffic Management) technology provider, as the two businesses scale the UK drone industry and support the development of the UK’s drone superhighway, set to be the largest and longest network of its kind in the world.

UTM is the software platform and infrastructure needed to allow drones to fly safely, without a pilot, over large distances. The £5 million deal will accelerate Altitude Angel’s roll-out of its transformative ARROW technology, which detects and identifies drones, while also enabling drones to share the airspace with crewed aviation safely and securely. 

The deal is a critical stepping stone in enabling Altitude Angel to scale its technology to allow long distance drone flights, supporting the potential for faster delivery of essential and non-essential items and unlocking an industry estimated to be worth £45bn by 2030*. The deal is crucial to drone innovation, supporting commercial and retail use cases, but also enabling drones to transform how essential services function – from supporting the emergency services with real-time search and rescue, fast transportation of medical supplies, farming analysis, and architectural planning. 

Matternet launches World’s longest urban drone delivery route

New test route will showcase the potential for more efficient patient care through the on-demand delivery of diagnostic samples and will serve as a template for expansion networks in Europe, the U.S., and beyond.

                               Matternet, the developer of the world’s leading drone delivery system, announced it has begun test operations on a five-kilometer BVLOS (beyond-visual-line-of-sight) route over the city of Zurich, Switzerland. This route is the world’s longest drone delivery route over a major city and will be used to transport diagnostic samples between the Triemli and Waid Hospitals – both a part of Stadspital Zürich, a municipal central hospital owned by the city of Zurich.

“Launching this new service for Stadspital Zürich is an important moment for Matternet, but also for the future of both health care and logistics services,” said Andreas Raptopoulos, founder and CEO of Matternet. “Leveraging the longest urban BVLOS route to transport biological samples for diagnostic testing on-demand changes the way that hospitals and hospital systems can approach patient care, all while creating new efficiencies that can improve patient experiences and ensure that they keep pace with the demands of the 21st century.”

Using Matternet’s unmanned aircraft, transportation between the two hospitals and their laboratories takes just seven minutes. This test is demonstrating the potential for drones to provide fast, on-demand delivery for individual urgent shipments, without congesting Zurich roads or emitting CO2. Matternet drones to transport medical items with secure end-to-end chain of custody and operate autonomously with remote supervision through Matternet’s Mission Control centre in Zurich.

Remote Carrier demonstrator released and operated from flying A400M for the first time

Remote Carrier demonstrator released and operated from flying A400M for the first time

Germany’s Bundeswehr, Airbus, the German Aerospace Center DLR, and German companies SFL and Geradts have jointly carried out the world’s first successful launch and operation of a Remote Carrier flight test demonstrator from a flying A400M. Multiplying the force and extending the range of unmanned systems will be one of the future roles of Airbus’ military transport aircraft in the Future Combat Air System (FCAS).

“The excellent collaboration with our German customer and partners on the A400M UAV Launcher campaign is further evidence of how the development of FCAS will take innovation and technologies to the next level,” said Airbus Defence and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn. “FCAS as a system of systems is starting to take shape now.” The device for launching Remote Carriers from a flying A400M was developed in just six months. For the test flight, it was loaded onto the ramp of a Bundeswehr A400M, from which the Remote Carrier demonstrator, a modified Airbus Do-DT25 drone, was launched. After the release, the Do-DT25’s engines were started and it continued in powered flight mode. The crew on board the A400M then handed over control to an operator on the ground, who safely commanded and landed the drone.

 

Remote Carriers will be an important component of FCAS. They will fly in close cooperation with manned aircraft and support pilots in their tasks and missions. Military transport aircraft such as the A400M will play an important role: as motherships, they will bring the Remote Carriers as close as possible to their areas of operation before releasing up to 50 small or up to 12 heavy Remote Carriers. These will then join manned aircraft, operating with a high degree of automation although always under a pilot’s control.

 

Getting the A400M UAV Launcher ready for testing

To get the A400M UAV Launcher ready for the test campaign, Airbus, the Bundeswehr Technical Centre for Aircraft and Aeronautical Equipment (WTD 61), DLR, SFL and Geradts applied new ways of working such as rapid prototyping and a joint flight testing approach. This enabled the multidisciplinary team to develop and integrate the system, bringing it into the needed systems-of-systems context in a very short time, ready for flight testing. Throughout the development, this flexible industrial setup and new collaborative ways of working were supported by the German procurement office, BAAINBw.

Airbus-led large-scale flight demo teams up fighters, a helicopter and drones

Airbus-led large-scale flight demo teams up fighters, a helicopter and drones

In Europe’s first large-scale multi-domain flight demo led by Airbus, two fighter jets, one helicopter and five unmanned remote carriers teamed up and accomplished a mission that could occur in real-life situations. The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) Manned-Unmanned Teaming Demonstrator project will now move to the next phase: further paving the way for FCAS by developing a flying remote carrier (RC)  demonstrator in the coming years.

 

“With the Multi-Domain Flight Demo, or MDFD, we demonstrated for the first time in Europe how manned-unmanned teaming capabilities and functionalities with up to ten connected assets work in a real-life inspired scenario and under near operational conditions,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus. "This is yet another example of how we push boundaries and pioneer technologies so that our customers can fulfill their missions: saving lives and ensuring a better future for us all.”

In the demo conducted in late summer 2022, the fighter jets, helicopter and unmanned remote carriers were connected via a meshed compact airborne networking data link (CANDL) that allowed them to seamlessly interact above Rovajärvi, Finland - and help to rid the world of a fictional rogue warlord.

Airbus’ multi-mission “cargo copter” is put to the test during a robotic military exercise

Photo Airbus

A sub-scale demonstrator of a future Airbus multi-mission unmanned aerial vehicle demonstrated its capabilities during a large robotic exercise organised last month by the Portuguese Navy and NATO, which brought together military forces, universities and selected industry partners.

By taking part in this exercise, the “cargo copter” operated in a dense robotic environment, validating the concept’s usefulness – particularly its modular design for easy, flexible and rapid swap-out of payloads and batteries.

 

          “This was a great opportunity to trial our small-scale

           demonstrator in realistic conditions”

                                                                                     Jens Federhen, X-Works, Airbus Innovation 

 

The demonstrator was developed by Airbus’ UAS New Programmes group in collaboration with the company’s X-Works rapid prototyping team. A system-of-systems approach was applied with the goal of meeting military mission requirements that range from cargo transportation and ISR duties (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) to serving as a communications relay and a combat force multiplier.

Photo  Airbus

Its validation occurred in highly realistic operational conditions during the REP(MUS)2022 military exercise, which was conducted in Portugal’s Troia Peninsula region from 12-23 September. Overall, REP(MUS)2022 brought together some 1,500 personnel to test the coordination of unmanned systems and experimental mission scenarios above the water, on the water and under the sea.

 

Duxion signs $500 Million Memorandum of Understanding for eJet motor Order

Image Duxion / Dymond

Duxion Motors Inc. has announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Dymond Aerospace Inc. to supply 200 patented eJet motors™ for use in Dymond’s new fleet of 100 unmanned cargo aircraft.

Under the terms of the MOU, Duxion will supply 20 eJet motors™ per year for ten years starting in 2026 for a total purchase of CAD$500 million. Each eJet motor™ will be built using Duxion’s patented technology incorporating a rim-driven motor which utilizes permanent magnet technology in a novel manner to deliver a world class thrust to weight ratio. The eJet motors™ for this application will be capable of producing 8,000+ lbs of thrust, similar to the thrust produced by the engines of 50-passenger CRJ100 aircraft. Each of Dymond’s aircraft will be outfitted with two Duxion eJet motors™, powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

CAL International have teamed up with Australian green tech start-up AirSeed Technologies to embark on a ground-breaking drone climate change initiative

Liverpool-based engineering and smart tech firm CAL International have teamed up with Australian green tech start-up AirSeed Technologies to embark on a ground-breaking climate change initiative, which will see the aerial platform technology aim to plant 100 million trees by 2024. 

The ground-breaking Anglo-Australian project and technology will not only tackle deforestation but also help in the major fightback against global warming.

CAL International working in partnership with AirSeed Technologies has designed and engineered a seed pod delivery system that sits as “the engine” of AirSeed’s unique tree-planting aerial drone technology. 

Over the past 30 years, the world has lost more than 300 million trees through deforestation, natural disasters and human consumption.  

The Knowsley-based company, run by entrepreneur and tech disruptor Cliff Kirby, was approached by Australian-based AirSeed Co-Founder Andrew Walker to assist in refining the planting systems for their drone technology. 

The mission brief was to take AirSeed’s existing delivery system and refine the design of the user interface and manufacturability of the seed pod delivery system The AirSeed drone, which uses artificial and data intelligence, is a payload and delivery system that identifies and locates designated target areas with GPS coordinates and then fires carbon pods onto the ground at a rate of two-per-second. 

The carbon pods are then pinpointed on the mapping system in line with the flight trajectory, which also considers wind variables and conditions on the day of planting. This allows the drone to return on a reconnaissance flight via the same route to then identify and map tree growth.

Using a two-person team, an AirSeed drone aims to plant 40,000 pods per day

The pods each carry a gram of carbon, which is collected from rotting and dying vegetation. The pod protects the seed whilst in the germination cycle from combative elements such as insects, rodents and birds. The seed pod is activated when it rains, with the carbon-absorbing the water and allowing the seed to germinate. 

World Economic Forum’s `Medicine from the Sky` Drone Delivery Programme Set for Take-off in Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh

Medicine from the Sky, a flagship initiative by the World Economic Forum, is to be launched in Arunachal Pradesh, north-east India, on Independence Day.

The aim is to document how health systems in remote parts of the state respond to the integration of drone-based supply chains. After numerous confidence-building pilot schemes across the country, the Arunachal Pradesh initiative focuses on a more elaborate agenda involving deeper operational planning and observations.

Medicine from the Sky – Arunachal Pradesh is a six-month project aimed at analysing the response of the state’s healthcare system when integrated with drones

The pilot project is a culmination of regional confidence-building measures in the healthcare sector following the liberalization of India’s drone economy in 2021

Under the Forum-Arunachal Pradesh collaboration agreement, village chiefs will create “drone ambassadors” to raise awareness among local youth

 

The six-month programme will be centred around four pillars:

Basic healthcare needs – regular services for vaccines; iron, folic acid, nutrition supplements; prophylactic and mass drug administration; diagnostic sample collection; emergency medications; blood and blood products

Ecosystem skill levels, terrain, weather considerations – identification of local stakeholders, including engineering, medical, paramedical, humanities and management colleges; technical and skill development institutes; find continuous source for weather data and real-time prediction

Survivability, scalability and sustainability – resource estimation, impact assessment and economics

Stress testing of drone platforms – ascertaining ability of available technologies to handle undulating terrain

“In mid-2021, we undertook a field study in Arunachal Pradesh, along with the Public Health Foundation of India, to learn more about the local health distribution system, disease profile and the nature of the terrain. Traversing the Seppa-Bameng belt by road, in particular, made it evident that drones were an absolute necessity,” said Vignesh Santhanam, Lead, Aerospace and Drones, World Economic Forum.

Volkswagen Group in China unveils passenger drone prototype

Volkswagen Group China has unveiled its first electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) passenger drone prototype, as part of its strategy to explore and break new ground in fully electric and sustainable individual mobility concepts. 

In 2020, Volkswagen Group China launched a Vertical Mobility project to explore the next generation of mobility solutions, including the urban air mobility market and the extension of urban traffic into airspace. After intensive research, conceptual work, and development, the project team has now developed its first validation model – the V.MO. This initial prototype has also been nicknamed the ‘Flying Tiger’ due to its distinctive black and gold livery, which was painted to commemorate its launch in the Year of the Tiger.

Urban air mobility is set to become a key market segment and the Group’s Vertical Mobility project in China is developing a new premium mobility concept aimed initially at high-net worth tech-savvy Chinese customers.

CEO Wöllenstein: “Our long-term aim is to industrialize this concept and, like a ‘Flying Tiger’, break new ground in this emerging and fast-evolving new mobility market.”

The prototype concept is based on existing autonomous driving solutions and battery technology for emission-free mobility. With a luxury x-wing configuration of 11.2m in length and a span width of 10.6m, the model features eight rotors for vertical lift and two propellers for horizontal flight. The Group will conduct several flight tests later this year to optimize the concept and an improved prototype will undergo further advanced test flights by late summer 2023. In its final future iteration, the fully electric and automated eVTOL could eventually carry four passengers plus luggage over a distance of up to 200km.

Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, Dr. Thomas Manfred Müller, Executive Vice President responsible for Group R&D, and the Vertical Mobility project team

Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, pictured above with the project team, said: “Through this pilot project, we are bringing Volkswagen’s long tradition of precision engineering, design, and innovation to the next level, by developing a premium product that will serve the vertical mobility needs of our future tech savvy Chinese customers. This is a pioneering project which our young team of Chinese experts started from scratch – they are working with new design concepts and materials while developing new safety standards, disrupting and innovating every step of the way. The launch of this stunning validation model – the V.MO – is the first of many remarkable milestones on our exciting journey towards urban air travel, and a perfect example of our ‘From China, For China’ mission. Our long-term aim is to industrialize this concept and, like a ‘Flying Tiger’, break new ground in this emerging and fast-evolving new mobility market.”

Volkswagen Group China is rapidly expanding local R&D and software expertise to respond faster to what customers want and significantly accelerate the pace of innovation. With all results monitored and shared with the Chinese government, the Vertical Mobility project requires interdisciplinary and innovative thinking in a new field, and the Group formed a team of young, local experts to drive it forward. They have been supported by Chinese partners including Hunan Sunward Technology, a subsidiary of Hunan-based manufacturing group Sunward. The company specializes in aviation product development, sales and services and is a market leader in the light sport aircraft industry.

Urban air mobility is a fast-emerging market which aims to utilize air space for short- and medium-distance connections, especially above and between large cities. In China, it is set to play a significant role in the future of urban and intercity transportation in its congested megacities. In the first phase of its commercial use, V.MO is likely to be pitched as a premium product for high-net worth tech savvy Chinese customers, for example for VIP air shuttle services. eVTOL air vehicles will be able to transport passengers more quickly and efficiently than current conventional means of terrestrial transport and with greater flexibility. As the Vertical Mobility project develops, Volkswagen Group China will work with the relevant Chinese authorities to achieve certification.

Following the launch of Volkswagen Group China’s electrical Vertical Take-off and Landing air vehicle (eVTOL) prototype – the V.MO, we speak to Zhou Jin, Project Manager & Product Owner, to find out more about the project and its next steps.

FedEx Plans to Test Autonomous Drone Cargo Delivery with Elroy Air

FedEx and Elroy Air work to launch test flights aimed

 at middle-mile delivery in 2023

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx and the world’s largest express transportation company, is teaming up with California Bay Area-based Elroy Air, the company building the first end-to-end autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial cargo system. As a first of its kind agreement in the U.S., FedEx Express will develop plans to test Elroy Air’s Chaparral autonomous air cargo system within the company’s middle-mile logistics operations, moving shipments between sortation locations. This is the latest initiative from FedEx in its effort to explore and adopt emerging technologies across its networks.

The exponential growth of e-commerce has accelerated the demand for reliable, efficient transportation and logistics solutions throughout all stages of the supply chain. FedEx believes that continued innovation and automation will improve safety, efficiency, and productivity for the company’s 600,000 team members as they continue to move the world forward.

“FedEx was built on innovation and we are always looking toward new technologies to help enhance the logistics industry through improved safety, efficiency and customer service,” said Joe Stephens, senior vice president, global planning, engineering and technology, FedEx Express. “We look forward to continued testing and learning throughout our collaboration with Elroy Air.”

Elroy Air announced its signature Chaparral autonomous aircraft in January 2022. The Chaparral aircraft is an eVTOL aerial cargo system that can autonomously pick up 300-500 pounds of cargo and deliver it by air up to 300 miles. The Chaparral is capable of longer-range flights without the need for additional infrastructure, such as airports or charging stations.

“We are proud to work with FedEx to build the next generation of express logistics,” said Kofi Asante, Elroy Air’s VP of Business Development and Strategy. “When you’re not limited by challenging infrastructure, traffic, or airports, logistics can reach more people, faster than ever before. We look forward to working together to create a new future for how we get goods to people around the world.”

FedEx and Elroy Air have been working together since January 2020 and will continue their collaboration to pursue certifications and begin flight testing in 2023.

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Airbus selects Avio Aero engine solution for Eurodrone

 

                                  Following a competitive tender process as well as an extensive technical analysis phase, Airbus has selected Avio Aero from Italy to power the Eurodrone unmanned aerial system with its engine and propeller solution, dubbed Catalyst.

“This selection is a decisive step forward and will ensure that the Eurodrone programme can proceed on time, on cost and in line with the specifications laid out by our customers. The Catalyst was identified as the best solution based on superior performance, lower developmental risk, better in-service economics as well as growth potential. In line with customer requirements, Catalyst will offer a truly European solution and will thus contribute to the overall role of Eurodrone as an enabler of strategic autonomy”, said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Aircraft at Airbus Defence and Space.

The Catalyst is an engine proven in flight, entirely developed and manufactured in Europe. As well as the Eurodrone programme, this engine has been conceived as 100% ITAR-free (International Traffic in Arms Regulation), thus enabling independence on export chances and avoiding additional requirements prior export clearance.

As part of its responsibilities as main subcontractor for this major collaborative European programme, Airbus Defence and Space is responsible for the selection of the engine supplier. 

Key aspects in the selection of Eurodrone suppliers are competitiveness, performance, the ability to meet the demanding delivery schedule and the capacity to meet the in-service demand.

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Airbus partners with Spirit AeroSystems to develop the wings of CityAirbus NextGen

Airbus partners with Spirit AeroSystems to develop the wings of CityAirbus NextGen

 Airbus has signed an agreement with Spirit AeroSystems through its subsidiary for the development of CityAirbus NextGen’s wings. This partnership will support Airbus’ exploration of disruptive aircraft design while complying with the most stringent regulations.

Spirit AeroSystems will be responsible for developing and manufacturing CityAirbus NextGen’s wings in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Both partners’ ambition is to achieve a minimum weight solution while ensuring the highest levels of safety. The structural concept of the eVTOL’s fixed wings will be able to transmit the related aerodynamic loads while being optimized for the right balance between hover and cruise efficiency. CityAirbus NextGen’s distributed propulsion system will contribute to reducing the influence of air turbulence.

“The partnership with Spirit AeroSystems is an important step for the development of CityAirbus NextGen and its wings are key structural components for flight efficiency,” said Jörg Müller, Head of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) at Airbus. “To build this vehicle, we are proud to work with Spirit as a strategic partner who benefits from a proven track record in this field, and extensive experience in component quality and airworthiness.”

With a significant UK footprint, particularly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, Spirit AeroSystems is one of the world’s largest suppliers of aerostructures and builds on years of manufacturing expertise in major aircraft components and architecture solutions. Its longstanding relationship with Airbus includes the provision of fully integrated wings and wing elements for multiple Airbus commercial aircraft. Extending existing collaboration between Airbus and Spirit AeroSystems, this partnership is a further sign of the Company’s commitment in the United Kingdom.

The fully electric CityAirbus NextGen is an eVTOL prototype equipped with fixed wings, a V-shaped tail, and eight electrically powered propellers as part of its distributed propulsion system. CityAirbus NextGen is being developed to fly with a 80km operational range and to reach a cruise speed of 120 km/h, making it perfectly suited for a variety of missions. Airbus is developing a UAM solution with eVTOLs not only to offer a new mobility service in urban areas and beyond but also as an important step in its quest to reduce emissions in aviation all over its product range.

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Airbus and OCCAR sign Eurodrone contract

Airbus and the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) have signed the Eurodrone global contract, which includes the development and manufacturing of 20 systems and 5 years of initial in-service support. Industry prime Airbus Defence and Space GmbH signed in representation of the three Major Sub-Contractors (MSC) Airbus Defence and Space S.A.U in Spain, Dassault Aviation in France and Leonardo S.p.A. in Italy, while OCCAR has signed on behalf of the four launch nations Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

“This signature kicks off the development of one of the most ambitious European defence programmes. Eurodrone is the result of collaborative work between the industry, OCCAR and the nations. It will deliver the most advance Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) in its segment, generate more than 7,000 high-tech jobs within the industry and will strengthen European industrial sovereignty, know-how and collaboration between nations”, said Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space.   

“This contract marks the determination of the European nations and industrial partners to achieve the political goals and to meet the technological challenges leading to European defence sovereignty. Innovative programmes with strong key technological foundations will guarantee the strategic autonomy of Europe by offering new alternatives to the on-the-shelf acquisition of non-European products. Thanks to a shared vision and a pragmatic approach, Eurodrone is carried by the choice of best in-house competencies and expertise of each company”, declared Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.