Elroy Air Expands Executive Leadership

Elroy Air Expands Executive Leadership

The company attracts top industry executives as it reaches $3B in commitments for its autonomous eVTOL cargo aircraft systems

Elroy Air, the company developing the first end-to-end autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial cargo system, has announced that it has expanded its executive leadership to include Alex Blake as Chief of Staff and Zach Lovering as Vice President of Engineering.

lex Blake, uncrewed aerospace executive from Wing (formerly Google X), Amazon Prime Air, and Kittyhawk joins Elroy Air as Chief of Staff

“Alex’s many years of experience in moving new aerospace concepts from idea to proof-of-concept to operational reality brings an incredible set of strengths to our organization. We are extremely excited to have Alex join our leadership team!” said co-founder Clint Cope.

Most recently, Blake served as VP of Engineering at Kittyhawk where she played a central role in driving the development of a groundbreaking electric autonomous air taxi, backed by Google/Alphabet founder Larry Page. She was a member of the team at Google X that developed drone delivery and UTM systems, eventually splitting off as Wing, a subsidiary of Alphabet with operations on 3 continents. At Wing, Alex led aerodynamics, propulsion, reliability, and flight test, aiding in the 1st FAA operational approval for a commercial drone service in the US. She also served as a launch lead for Amazon Prime Air’s next generation drone delivery system, quality manager for Google’s high altitude solar drone Titan, manufacturing engineer for Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser space flight vehicle, and materials development engineer at Raytheon.

Joby completes submission of stage three certification plans to the FAA

Joby Aviation, a company developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for commercial passenger service, this week announced it has submitted all of its Certification Plans to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”), marking further progress toward completing the third of five stages required to certify its aircraft for commercial use.

In the third stage of the FAA type certification process (“Certification Plans”), Joby specifies the tests, analyses, and design reports the Company intends to perform to demonstrate compliance with each safety regulation that applies to the Company’s aircraft, as defined in the second stage (“Means of Compliance”).

In February, Joby became the first eVTOL company to complete the second stage of the certification process, after becoming the first to complete stage one and have its Certification Basis published in the Federal Register.

“Joby continues to lead the way on certifying eVTOL aircraft with the FAA, and today’s news is another step towards launching commercial service in 2025,” said Didier Papadopoulos, Head of Aircraft OEM at Joby. “We’re grateful for the FAA’s continued commitment to safely introducing next-generation aircraft into service.”

Archer hosts U.S. President Biden’s Federal AAM Interagency Working Group

Over 70 representatives from the DOT, White House, FAA, NASA, FCC, DOD, DHS, NTIA and other agencies attended the event.

Archer Aviation proudly hosted the Federal AAM Interagency Working Group at its flight test facility recently. The delegation of federal stakeholders featured more than 70 representatives from the DOT, White House, FAA, NASA, FCC, DOD, NTIA, and other agencies who met with over 20 Archer executives. As part of the visit, the attendees witnessed a live flight test, viewed Archer’s Midnight aircraft and learned more about Archer’s approach to aircraft design, safety and certification.

Archer showcased its fleet of eVTOL aircraft to AAM working group, including a test flight demonstrating safe, low noise operations.

The Biden Administration formed the Federal AAM Interagency Working Group to meet the requirements of the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act, which was passed by Congress and signed into law in October 2022. The working group supports the goal of achieving safe integration of Advanced Air Mobility into the national airspace and ensuring that the U.S. maintains its global leadership position in the aerospace industry. This is being done in order to grow new transportation options, amplify economic activity and jobs, advance environmental sustainability and new technologies, and support emergency preparedness and competitiveness.

Safran and Archer collaboration produces avionics technology for Archer’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft

Safran Electronics & Defense and Archer Aviation Inc. shared details of their ongoing collaboration on cutting-edge avionics technology, which kicked off back in 2021. This collaboration is focused on delivering groundbreaking solutions to Archer that utilizes Safran Electronics & Defense’s industry-leading components that have a proven track record of safety and performance. The two companies have initially focused their development and testing on Safran Electronics & Defense’s ultra-compact avionics platform (UCAP) flight control computer (FCC) and SkyNaute navigation system, which are both used in Archer’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft.

Archer’s use of Safran Electronics & Defense’s UCAP FCC and SkyNaute navigation system is a key element of its goal of achieving the most efficient path to certification. For Midnight, Archer is focused on sourcing leading technology from world-class aerospace suppliers with certification expertise. Safran Electronics & Defense is a global leader in safety-critical software and hardware for the aviation industry.

Equipped with a powerful multi-core processor, Safran Electronics & Defense’s UCAP provides high-performance computing capabilities, as well as high-integrity and safety features. SkyNaute adheres to the safety and reliability requirements necessary for certification by relying on mature and proven technologies such as HRG Crystal (Hemispherical Resonator Gyroscopes). This innovative navigation system achieves high performance and integrity while providing a 35% reduction in size and weight when compared to alternatives.

SKF announces electric aviation agreement with Lilium

SKF leads the way in bearing provision for the electric aircraft market

SKF confirmed this week that a supplier agreement has been signed with Lilium, developer of the first all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jet. SKF has supported Lilium on the design of electric motor bearings for the Lilium Jet's electric engine and has agreed to support the program by producing electric motor bearings for the type-conforming aircraft.

The emerging electric aircraft market has great potential to change the way we look at aviation and logistics, allowing for a more sustainable way of transporting people and goods. Market research shows that by 2030, the eVTOL market could potentially be worth up to 30 billion dollars.*

Greg Zimmerman, Director Aerospace Business Unit at SKF, says: "With electrification, the aerospace industry will experience a transformation in the coming years. We are pleased to be a part of this development by being the preferred bearing supplier on the electric motor bearings of the Lilium Jet. It supports our strategic focus on sustainability and our commitment towards the achievement of the goals set out in the Paris Climate agreement. We are the first bearing supplier to have a dedicated product portfolio, team and partnership experience in this exciting electric aviation segment." 

Supernal Partners with UMBRAGROUP on New Light-weight Actuation Technology for eVTOL Vehicles

Supernal Partners with UMBRAGROUP on New Light-weight Actuation Technology for eVTOL Vehicles

 

 

Supernal LLC and UMBRAGROUP announced this week at the Paris Air Show a continued partnership to leverage innovative technology that will enhance flight control operations in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. UMBRAGROUP will supply actuators and motor control electronics needed to deploy a safe system architecture for Supernal's future vehicles, which the Company plans to launch for commercial flights in 2028.

The collaboration aims to create new actuation standards, both for rotary and linear applications, that will deliver for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) manufacturers, which are concerned about size, weight, power, reliability—and, most importantly, safety. Traditional rotary actuators use a gearbox connected to a power source that then operates an aircraft's flight control surface. UMBRAGROUP's new line of actuators eliminates the use of the gearbox, making its product smaller, lighter and more efficient. Based on ball screws, this assembly can last beyond 20 years in commercial aircraft and is ideally suited for the AAM market where vehicles are often characterized by thin wings and limited component space.

"Supernal's approach is to drive innovation—not only at the aircraft level, but also at the system level," said Adam Slepian, chief commercial officer, Supernal. "UMBRAGROUP's actuation solutions will help us optimize our eVTOL vehicle design for maximum reliability in daily operations and enable Advanced Air Mobility to reach the same levels of safety as the commercial aviation industry."

SkyDrive reaches agreement with Suzuki to build eVTOL aircraft

SkyDrive, a leading Japanese eVTOL aircraft manufacturer announced at The Paris Air Show 2023, it had signed a basic agreement deal with Suzuki Motor Corporation for cooperation in manufacturing the SKYDRIVE eVTOL aircraft. 

SkyDrive will establish a wholly owned subsidiary (hereinafter "the manufacturing subsidiary") for the purpose of manufacturing its eVTOL aircraft "SKYDRIVE." With Suzuki, the manufacturing subsidiary will utilize a production facility owned by the Suzuki Group in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and aims to start building the SkyDrive "SKYDRIVE" eVTOL aircraft by spring of 2024. Suzuki will also cooperate with the manufacturing subsidiary in securing human resources and making other preparations for the start of manufacturing. More specific terms and conditions will be agreed upon through ongoing discussions.

The "SKYDRIVE" eVTOL aircraft, to be built at Suzuki's production facility, is a three-seat, electric-powered lightweight aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.

Comment by Toshihiro Suzuki, Suzuki Motor Corporation President "We are excited to cooperate with SkyDrive as we ambitiously work towards creating valuable products that contribute to the realization of a world where people use the sky for their daily transportation."

Comment by Tomohiro Fukuzawa, SkyDrive Inc. CEO "At Suzuki, all manufacturing activities are based on a concept, 'Smaller, Fewer, Lighter, Shorter, and Neater,' and SkyDrive is developing lightweight air mobilities. Suzuki and SkyDrive have been collaborating since March 2022 and we are very excited that SkyDrive will utilize the production facility of Suzuki to build our eVTOL 'SKYDRIVE.' In our pursuit to consistently manufacture safe and high-quality aircraft for the world, we are grateful for the valuable know-how we will learn from Suzuki, a global leader in automobile mass production. Suzuki and SkyDrive will work closely towards the shared goal."

SkyDrive was formally established in July 2018 after testing flying car concepts and prototypes from 2014 with the mission of "taking the lead in the once-in-a-century mobility revolution." Its vision is to create a future where everyone has access to eVTOLs as their daily transportation in Japan and across the world. 

Vertical Aerospace expands presence in Asia-Pacific

Kakao Mobility pre-orders up to 50 VX4 aircraft, adding South Korea to Vertical’s customer launch list market

Kakao Mobility has over 30 million registered users for its existing Mobility-as-a-Service ride-hailing and will bring this expertise to create a seamless air-to-ground passenger journey

Builds on Vertical’s existing consortium partnership for the Korean government-backed K-UAM Grand Challenge

Vertical Aerospace a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering zero-emissions aviation, today announces that South Korean mobility technology company, Kakao Mobility, has pre-ordered up to 50 of Vertical’s VX4 aircraft, adding South Korea to Vertical’s list of customer launch markets.

Kakao Mobility, the largest Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform in South Korea with more than 30 million registered users, is the mobility subsidiary of South Korean internet giant, Kakao Corporation. Kakao Mobility runs the country’s most popular taxi-hailing app, Kakao T, providing taxi-hailing, designated driver booking, parking space search, and Kakao Navi app providing real-time traffic information services.

Vertical and Kakao Mobility will establish a Joint Working Group (JWG) to drive the commercialisation of AAM services in South Korea, including the exploration of network and fleet planning, infrastructure requirements, regulatory development, and consumer awareness of eVTOL mobility solutions.

South Korea is one of the largest economies in the world and is home to globally leading technology companies. Seoul, as well as other regions including Busan, is expected to have a significant Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market potential.

Archer gets ready for flight test by rolling out first Midnight aircraft

One of the leading electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developers, Archer Aviation has confirmed the final assembly of its first Midnight aircraft has been completed.

Last week the aircraft was shipped from Archer’s Palo Alto facility to its flight test facility in Salinas, California and reassembled. Archer will now take this aircraft through a series of ground tests leading up to its planned first flight this summer. The Midnight aircraft has recently garnered significant attention from the U.S. Department of Defense given its payload capabilities.

This Midnight aircraft will enable Archer to perform critical “company testing” to accelerate and reduce risk on its certification program with the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) in advance of “for credit” certification testing that the company plans to begin early next year with piloted Midnight aircraft.

This aircraft will now fly to many of the same test points that will be needed during piloted “for credit” flight testing in order to further validate the aircraft before the FAA witnesses and participates in the testing. Component manufacturing is already underway for Archer’s conforming Midnight aircraft. Archer is targeting the completion of the final assembly of its initial conforming Midnight aircraft in Q4 2023 and to begin piloted flight test operations in early 2024.

“Today we announced our exciting progress that the final assembly of our first Midnight aircraft is now complete and it is preparing for its flight test program,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer’s Founder and CEO. “This aircraft will accelerate and reduce risk on our certification program paving the way for our team to focus on building and conducting piloted operations with conforming aircraft to support the goal of entering into service in 2025.”

Archer’s industry-leading team, alongside its key strategic partners, Stellantis and United Airlines, continues to advance its aircraft development and commercial operations with impressive speed and efficiency.

With a range of up to 100 miles, Archer’s Midnight aircraft is designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time in between. Archer’s goal is to transform inter-city travel, replacing 60-90 minute commutes by car that can take over an hour in traffic with ~10-20 minute electric air taxi flights that are safe, sustainable, low noise and cost competitive with ground transportation.

United Airlines and Archer Announce first commercial electric air taxi route in Chicago

United Airlines and Archer have selected O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Vertiport Chicago as the next point to point route in which the two companies will utilize Archer’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft as part of their urban air mobility (UAM) network buildout

Chicago has a long-standing reputation as a major transportation center and leader in mobility innovation and, with ORD being United’s largest operations hub, it provides an ideal location for United and Archer to ramp their UAM operations

This announcement is an important step forward as United and Archer work with partners, like the City of Chicago, Chicago Department of Aviation, World Business Chicago, the State of Illinois, ComEd, and Vertiport Chicago to ensure the appropriate infrastructure is in place around the Chicago Metropolitan Area to support the safe integrating of eVTOL aircraft operations into the City’s transportation ecosystem in 2025.

Archer Aviation and United Airlines today announced plans to launch the first air taxi route in Chicago, between O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Vertiport Chicago. Vertiport Chicago, North America’s largest vertical aircraft takeoff and landing facility, is located in the Illinois Medical District near the Chicago Loop. This site was selected as the takeoff and landing site for this airport to city centre route because of its unparalleled convenience, access and service. From there, passengers will be able to travel to and from ORD via Archer’s Midnight aircraft in approximately 10 minutes. A similar trip by car can take upwards of an hour or more during rush hour traffic.

United and Archer’s goal for its UAM network is to provide residents and visitors in the Chicago Metropolitan Area with a safe, sustainable, low-noise, and cost-competitive alternative to ground transportation beginning in 2025. Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States, a centre for business, innovation and investment, and home to United’s headquarters. This makes it a unique city for Archer and United to build out. The early launch routes will focus in on airport to city centre transportation services, which are referred to as “trunk” routes. Once the trunk routes have been established, the next step will be to build out “branch” routes to connect to surrounding communities.

"Both Archer and United are committed to decarbonizing air travel and leveraging innovative technologies to deliver on the promise of the electrification of the aviation industry,” said Michael Leskinen, President of United Airlines Ventures. “Once operational, we’re excited to offer our customers a more sustainable, convenient and cost-effective mode of transportation during their commutes to the airport.”

"Technological innovation thrives here in Chicago, and this venture between Archer and United is yet another example of this strength," said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "This exciting new technology will further decarbonize our means of transportation, taking us another step forward in our fight against climate change. I'm pleased that Chicago residents will be among the first in the nation to experience this innovative, convenient form of travel."

Airbus and Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation to develop CityAirbus NextGen’s future medical missions in Norway

Airbus and Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation to develop CityAirbus NextGen’s future medical missions in Norway

Airbus Helicopters has partnered with the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation to develop CityAirbus NextGen’s future missions for medical services in Norway. To this end, the parties will jointly measure the added value of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for a selection of medical services use cases across the country to integrate the operational requirements right into the configuration of Airbus’ eVTOL.

Focusing on how eVTOL aircraft can be used for different types of air medical missions, Airbus Helicopters and the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation will elaborate a comprehensive roadmap toward reducing emergency response time through the researched scenarios in Norway. In order to improve patient outcome and the overall performance of the Norwegian Emergency Medical Services system, the signatories will follow a long-term strategic approach to research the complementarity of existing assets, such as conventional helicopters, and eVTOLs when the technology enters into service. This approach could be further expanded in the region through collaboration with other countries to optimise operations beyond the national healthcare system.

Prof. Hans-Morten Lossius, Secretary General of the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, said: “Airbus’ aviation expertise across the board is a major asset to help us combine different aircraft for medical services. Complementarity is a key driver in this endeavour: helicopters remain essential to perform EMS missions, whilst eVTOLs can bring additional capabilities to support first responders, for instance by transporting medical specialists to accident scenes or organs from one medical site to another.”

Balkiz Sarihan, Head of Urban Air Mobility at Airbus, said: “The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation has always been at the forefront of medical innovation, most recently with dedicated research to integrate a CT scanner into a five-bladed H145 helicopter. We’re looking forward to working with the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation as a strategic partner to further develop the exact missions where our eVTOL’s capabilities would contribute to protecting citizens and making sure they can access effective healthcare in Norway.”

As a result, the first step toward the creation of a medical eVTOL ecosystem will be the evaluation of the efficiency of the current emergency medical system in Norway, to then simulate different air medical services scenarios, integrating advanced air mobility assets. To develop the right concepts of operations for these complementary air medical missions, Airbus Helicopters and the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation will drive the definition of the foundational elements of the eVTOL ecosystem in the country, including for infrastructure, traffic management and energy sourcing and distribution.

Operating a mixed fleet of H135 and H145, the Norwegian Air Ambulance is Norway’s national Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) operator. With more than 40 years of experience in emergency medical response, the Norwegian Air Ambulance supports pre-hospital care across the country by delivering air ambulance services to provide patients with advanced medical solutions through state-of-the-art aircraft configurations and equipment.

Joby Aviation begins final assembly of its first company-conforming eVTOL aircraft

Joby Aviation, Inc. confirmed this week it has begun the final assembly of what is believed to be the world’s first company-conforming electric, vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The aircraft, which is the first to be produced at Joby’s pilot manufacturing facility in Marina, California, has been manufactured in accordance with a released design and built according to a complete implementation of a quality management system, qualifying it as a company-conforming aircraft - an important step on the path to achieving the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification required to begin commercial passenger operations.

“Beginning final assembly of our first company-conforming aircraft is a critical achievement for Joby and a landmark for the wider eVTOL industry,” said Didier Papadopoulos, Head of Aircraft OEM at Joby.

“It unlocks the path ahead and allows us to exercise our quality management system in preparation for type certification and a subsequent production certification,” he added. “There is an incredible amount of work that goes into getting to this point and I’m very grateful for the energy and commitment of the team behind this achievement.”

Wisk Aero has selected Dr. Brian Yutko as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2023 when Gary Gysin retires

Wisk Aero has selected Dr Brian Yutko as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2023, when Gary Gysin retires.

“On behalf of Wisk’s board, employees, and the broader advanced air mobility industry, I want to thank Gary for his dedication, commitment, and leadership since Wisk’s founding in 2019,” said Brian Schettler, Chairman of Wisk’s Board. “Gary’s authenticity, execution, and vision have established Wisk as a leader in advanced air mobility, built trust among the broader public, and advanced the industry as a whole.”

Schettler added, “We are excited to welcome Brian Yutko as Wisk’s new CEO. To date, Brian has already been instrumental to Wisk’s success - from helping to secure additional resources for Wisk from within Boeing, to championing the Concept of Operations, developed by the two companies. Brian’s deep expertise in aviation and passion for autonomy, as well as his existing familiarity with Wisk, will enable a smooth transition and allow Wisk to maintain its development timelines and trajectory within the industry with minimal disruption.”

Following an executive search process, Yutko was selected to join Wisk as the new CEO based on his experience with eVTOL aircraft and autonomous technology and his passion for Wisk’s vision. As a Board member, Yutko has developed a deep familiarity with Wisk, the company’s strategy, the Generation 6 program, and the company’s long-term goals. Yutko’s relationships, respect, and trust within the industry will help Wisk fulfil its commitment to bringing the first self-flying, eVTOL air taxi to the US. Yutko was selected by a unanimous Board vote

Jaunt Air Mobility continues to make strides......meeting certification requirements is the cornerstone of success for air taxis

Martin Peryea, EVP, and GM of Electric Air Mobility of the AIRO Group, continues to lead Jaunt toward success in the emerging world of eVTOL players. "The eVTOL [electric vertical takeoff and landing] industry in 2022 has demonstrated that the market for air taxis is indeed coming, and the regulatory community is facing the challenges head-on," says.

In 2022, the FAA redefined the certification rules for eVTOLs to include the powered-lift category. According to the FAA, the revised definitions represented an important step in making commercial air taxi's a reality. In tandem, rules for certifying pilots for powered-lift aircraft and new operational requirements were also defined. More recently, FAA Administrator Billy Nolen stated the agency did not expect operations by eVTOLs until early 2025 and said, "At any rate, it won't happen until the safety piece has been satisfied."

"Entering into this market, having certified several aircraft, the design of the Jaunt Journey was based on bringing the proven SRC [Slowed Rotor Compound] technology to market with a clear certification path as a rotorcraft," said Peryea. The powered lift does not impact Jaunt in certifying as a rotorcraft, as Parts 27 & 29 already address vertical takeoff and landing requirements. Regarding safety, Jaunt's proprietary SRC technology allows the aircraft to land via autorotation or by gliding in a controlled fashion should there be an unexpected total loss of propulsion. The pilot of the Jaunt Journey will be able to choose a safe landing spot and have complete control of the aircraft during descent. No ballistic parachute is required.

"Jaunt is one of the most uniquely positioned companies in the eVTOL world. The fundamental aircraft technologies of the Slowed-Rotor Compound (SRC) have been proven over the past quarter century. The world-class team now has the backing of the highly respected AIRO Group and tie-ups with impressive global partners. Perhaps most importantly, there are already existing rotorcraft airworthiness standards for the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and Transport Canada (TCCA) under which the Jaunt Journey can be certificated. There's a lot of hard work ahead of Jaunt, but the company is well-positioned to meet its goals," wrote Mike Hirschberg, Executive Director of The Vertical Flight Society.

The company is very confident about the SRC system's technology maturity and its technology partners' ability to meet Part 29 requirements, which will also comply with the EASA Special Condition for VTOL (SC-VTOL) for "Category Enhanced." Compared to the requirements of Part 23 and Part 27, Part 29 requires that flight critical systems meet the requirements of the probability of catastrophic failure of less than 10-9 per flight hour.

Archer Completes Maker’s First Full Transition Flight

Archer Aviation Inc. announced on Friday that Maker successfully completed its first transition to full wing-borne flight on November 29, 2022. Maker has 12 propellers attached to six booms on a fixed wing. All 12 propellers provide vertical lift during take-off and landing. The forward 6 propellers tilt forward to cruise position to provide propulsion during forward flight, with the wing providing aerodynamic lift like a conventional airplane. During this flight, Maker’s tilt propellers were locked in cruise position for the first time and the aircraft flew at a calibrated airspeed of 91 knots (105 mph).

Full transition occurs when the aircraft “transitions” from lift generated by the propellers at low speeds to lift generated by the wing at higher speeds, and the tilt propellers are locked forward in the cruise position

Maker is one of a small number of full scale eVTOL aircraft in the world to achieve this feat

This is yet another significant building block as Archer continues its push to be the first company to certify an eVTOL aircraft in the US with the FAA

Achieving this full transition milestone is critical to validating the flight physics of Archer’s proprietary 12-tilt-6 propeller configuration that it uses on Maker as well as Midnight, which is the aircraft Archer recently unveiled at its Open House on November 16th and is working to certify with the FAA in late 2024. The success of the Maker flight testing program also demonstrates a number of the key enabling technologies for Midnight, such as the aircraft’s flight control system. The Maker flight test program has generated invaluable data that Archer has leveraged in the development and certification process for Midnight. Archer has made rapid progress on Maker’s flight testing program, completing this transition to fully wing-borne flight in less than 12 months after its first hover flight.

“From day one, Archer’s strategy has always been about finding the most efficient path to commercializing eVTOL aircraft,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer’s Founder and CEO. “The data and experience we’ve gathered from Maker’s rigorous flight testing program has been invaluable to the development and certification path of Midnight, and lends further confidence to our belief that Archer will be the first company to certify an eVTOL aircraft in the US with the FAA.”

“This significant achievement is a testament to the countless hours of design, simulation and wind tunnel testing that our team has conducted behind-the-scenes,” said Dr. Geoff Bower, Archer’s Chief Engineer responsible for overseeing Maker’s flight test campaign. Dr. Bower has over a decade of experience in the eVTOL aircraft industry, during which he has helped design and build four full-scale eVTOL aircraft that have successfully completed flight test campaigns. More technical details from the flight can be found in his recent blog here. “Looking forward to the commercialization of Midnight, we’ll continue to draw upon the incredible findings and lessons learned from Maker’s flight testing program.”

Archer Aviation selects battery suplier for its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Midnight.

Archer Aviation Inc. and E-One Moli Energy Corp. (Molicel), an industry-leading supplier of lithium-i
on battery cells have announced they have entered into a memorandum of understanding for Molicel to manufacture and supply the battery cells for Archer’s production electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Midnight.

The selection of Molicel represents another important step towards Archer’s goal of developing the supply base necessary to allow it to manufacture Midnight reliably and at scale

Archer is focused on building an aircraft tailored to the needs of intra-city travel, optimizing its Midnight aircraft to perform back-to-back short distance flights of about 20 miles with approximately 10-minute charging cycles in-between. Batteries are an important consideration in achieving Midnight’s desired payload, range and charging time. The ability to operate eVTOL aircraft in dense, urban environments requires state-of-the-art, reliable battery cells that can deliver high power, low impedance and fast charging capabilities.

Molicel’s advanced battery technology and fast growing production capacity make them an ideal partner for Archer as it continues on its ramp to commercialization. Last year, Molicel announced plans to establish its first Gigafactory in Taiwan, which is scheduled to ramp up production in 2023. The facility will have the capacity to produce 1.8 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery capacity annually. Molicel's high-performance cells also offer a significant cycle life when utilized in Archer's battery pack and, as a result, reduce the long-term operating cost for its Midnight production aircraft. Partnering with a world-class battery supplier that can reliably manufacture cells at scale, allows Archer to reduce its certification risk, as well as its development timelines and costs.

BAE Systems and Supernal to collaborate on flight control system for electric aircraft

BAE Systems and Supernal announced an agreement to design and develop the flight control computer for Supernal’s electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) vehicle.

In support of Supernal, BAE Systems will help define the architecture of a lightweight, fly-by-wire system for its autonomous-capable aircraft. The fly-by-wire controls will safely and efficiently control the aircraft during flight.

“The development of advanced, high-integrity controls is crucial to meet the demands of electric aircraft,” said Ehtisham Siddiqui, vice president and general manager of Controls and Avionics Solutions at BAE Systems. “BAE Systems is harnessing its investment in electrification and expertise in flight-critical systems to advance sustainable aviation. We look forward to working with Supernal to make this shared vision a reality.”

This next-generation system will be a compact solution that addresses the processing requirements and potential autonomy needs of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicles. It will also have the flexibility to meet the unique integration challenges of electric air taxis, as well as large regional electric aircraft.

"As an established aerospace and defense technology leader, BAE Systems will play a critical role for Supernal as we develop our eVTOL vehicle to the highest commercial aviation standards," said Ben Diachun, chief technology officer at Supernal. "Together, we will create a bespoke flight controls system that brings Advanced Air Mobility one step closer to reaching the masses in the coming decades."

The program will leverage more than 40 years of BAE Systems’ expertise in designing and certifying flight-critical fly-by-wire systems for commercial and military aircraft, including vertical takeoff platforms. Work on the flight control system will be conducted at the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Endicott, New York.

Wisk Unveils World’s First Self-Flying, Four-Seat, All-Electric, Vertical Takeoff and Landing Air Taxi

Wisk Aero, a leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company and pioneer in autonomous, electric flight, today revealed the world’s first self-flying, all-electric, four-passenger vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. As Wisk’s go-to-market aircraft, Generation 6 represents the first-ever candidate for type certification by the FAA of an autonomous eVTOL.

Wisk’s 6th Generation air taxi - the most advanced in the world - is designed to meet and exceed rigorous commercial safety standards, making it one of the safest systems in aviation

Generation 6 represents the first-ever candidate for FAA certification of an autonomous, passenger-carrying eVTOL air taxi

Autonomous flight with human oversight, industry-leading accessibility design, and an environmentally-conscious approach makes Wisk’s 6th Generation air taxi accessible, affordable, and sustainable

The most advanced air taxi in the world, Generation 6 combines industry-leading autonomous technology and software, human oversight of every flight, and an overall simplified design to deliver one of the safest passenger transport systems in commercial aviation.

“In 2010, we set out to find a way to skip traffic and get to our destination faster,” said Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. “That inspiration evolved into a mission to deliver safe, everyday flight for everyone. Over the past 12 years, we’ve pursued that mission through the development of five different generations of full-scale aircraft. Our 6th Generation aircraft is the culmination of years of hard work from our industry-leading team, learnings from our previous generations of aircraft, commitment from our investors, and the evolution and advancement of technology.”

Wisk is fortunate to be backed by two aviation leaders, The Boeing Company and Kitty Hawk Corporation. Additionally, through its strategic partnership with Boeing, Wisk has a competitive advantage leveraging 100+ years of Boeing expertise in aircraft development, scale manufacturing, and certification. In addition, Boeing’s eVTOL and autonomy engineering resources help further advance Wisk’s development.

With this aircraft, Wisk will redefine long-standing concepts of flight and usher in a safer, scalable, and more accessible era in aviation. Wisk’s newest aircraft will set the standard for the air taxi market and the future of travel by leveraging:

A Safety-First Approach

Through a multifaceted approach - including autonomous flight with human oversight, a simplified design with fewer moving parts, fully redundant systems, and no single point of failure - Wisk’s aircraft is being designed to exceed today’s rigorous aviation safety standards of a one-in-a-billion chance of an accident.

Autonomous Flight with Human Oversight

Wisk is one of the only AAM companies to pursue a self-flying first approach. This approach is core to the company’s overall strategy and is most importantly a critical element in bringing one of the safest systems to market in aviation. It is also the key to unlocking the scale and the full potential for the broader AAM industry. Wisk’s multi-faceted self-flying first approach includes:

Vertical Aerospace becomes the first British company in 20 years to lift off with a new aircraft

A Vertical test pilot walking towards the VX4 prototype.     Photo: Business Wire

Vertical Aerospace, a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering zero-emissions aviation, saw its VX4 eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft take off from the ground for the very first time over the weekend.  It becomes the first British company to start flight tests with a new aircraft in over 20 years, with its full-scale, piloted prototype.

Vertical Aerospace has celebrated “wheels up” for the first time as its electric VX4 prototype conducted its very first airborne test.

 

Vertical becomes the first British aerospace company to manufacture a new aircraft in over 20 years*

 

The moment marked a significant milestone as Vertical continues to progress successfully through its intensive flight test programme. The programme is expected to continue for several months, completing different stages which will involve reaching higher altitudes and speeds and demonstrating the transition from vertical to horizontal forward flight.

Engineers and flight technicians watched on as Chief Test Pilot, Justin Paines, took to the controls for the aircraft’s maiden take-off which saw the eight sets of aerodynamic propellers lift the aircraft from the ground at hover-thrust, while tethered to the ground for safety.

Vertical Aerospace Chief Test Pilot, Justin Paines said: “This test represented the culmination of many months preparation by a huge team and being at the controls of the VX4 for the first time was an honour and a proud moment for us all.”

The new phase in its intensive test programme saw the piloted aircraft lifted from the ground under tethered conditions

  

It is hoped the VX4 will be certified in 2025

  

The test took place following the company receiving its ‘Permit to Fly’ from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

The company, unlike many of its competitors, decided to conduct its first flight tests with a pilot on board to prove it could meet the most stringent safety standards. To do this, Vertical Aerospace received regulatory approval in the form of a ‘Permit to Fly’ from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), after demonstrating the test could be conducted safely.

United Invests Another $15 Million in Electric Flying Taxi Market with Eve

United Airlines signs purchase agreement for up to 400 eVTOL aircraft from Eve aiming to revolutionize the commuter experience in cities around the world 

United announced this week a major $15 million investment in Eve Air Mobility and a conditional purchase agreement for 200 four-seat electric aircraft plus 200 options, expecting the first deliveries as early as 2026. This marks another significant investment from United in flying taxis – or eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles) – that have the potential to revolutionize the commuter experience in cities around the world. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies intend to work on future projects, including studies on the development, use and application of Eve's aircraft and the urban air mobility (UAM)

"United has made early investments in several cutting-edge technologies at all levels of the supply chain, staking out our position as a leader in aviation sustainability and innovation," said Michael Leskinen, President of United Airlines Ventures. "Today, United is making history again, by becoming the first major airline to publicly invest in two eVTOL companies. Our agreement with Eve highlights our confidence in the urban air mobility market and serves as another important benchmark toward our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – without using traditional offsets. Together, we believe our suite of clean energy technologies will revolutionize air travel as we know it and serve as the catalyst for the aviation industry to move toward a sustainable future."

"United's investment in Eve reinforces the trust in our products and services and strengthens our position in the North American market," said Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve. "I am confident that our UAM agnostic solutions, coupled with the global know-how we have been developing at Eve and Embraer's heritage, are the best fit for this initiative, giving United's customers a quick, economical and sustainable way to get to its hub airports and commute in dense urban environments. It is an unparalleled opportunity to work with United to advance the US UAM ecosystem, and we look forward to it."