September 2021 - Aviation, Inflight and Aero Connectivity Consultants

Volocopter Gets Order for 150 Aircraft, Expands into Chinese Market

Volocopter expands into China with new joint venture company. (Volocopter Chengdu)

The German urban air mobility company Volocopter has announced a joint venture company with a subsidiary of China’s Geely Technology Group, Aerofugia, to bring its UAM aircraft into China, according to a Sept. 22 release.

The announcement includes the purchase of 150 Volocopter aircraft and a member of Geely joining Volocopter’s advisory board, according to the release. The company will operate under Volocopter Chengdu.

“Geely has been a valuable partner since they became our strategic investor in 2019,” Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter, said in a statement. “Today marks another important milestone on our journey to bring affordable electric air mobility to China, the biggest single market opportunity for the UAM industry. With the joint venture company up and running and Daniel Li Donghui as the new Geely representative on our Advisory Board, we are in pole position to introduce air taxi services globally in a safe, sustainable, and practical manner.”

Volocopter will also produce its aircraft in China with a contract manufacturing agreement with Volocopter Chengdu and General Aviation Manufactory Base of Geely Technology. Volocopter’s aircraft could come to mainland China in the next three to five years through this deal.

“With its establishment, Volocopter Chengdu can accelerate the deployment of air taxis and UAM business,” Jing Chao, Chairman of Volocopter Chengdu, said in a statement. “UAM is an important part of the new aviation industry, which coincides with Aerofugia’s technical route and business plan of ‘new energy, vertical landing and take-off, and autonomous driving.’ As an investor for both Aerofugia and Volocopter, Geely looks forward to Volocopter Chengdu realizing urban air mobility in the near future.”

Volocopter is developing two electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, VoloCity and VoloConnect, and a heavy-lift drone, VoloDrone.

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Airbus Unveils New eVTOL Aircraft

The NextGen version has a distributed propulsion system powered by eight electrical-powered propellers, a V-shaped tail, and fixed wings. (Airbus)

Airbus announced the new version of its CityAirbus electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for the urban air mobility market, CityAirbus NextGen, at its Pioneering Sustainable Aerospace summit on Sept. 21.

“We are on a quest to co-create an entirely new market that sustainably integrates urban air mobility into the cities while addressing environmental and social concerns,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO, in a statement. “Airbus is convinced that the real challenges are as much about urban integration, public acceptance, and automated air traffic management, as about vehicle technology and business models. We build on all of the capabilities to deliver a safe, sustainable, and fully integrated service to society.”

The new CityAirbus NextGen comes after years of development with the companies demonstrator aircraft Vahana and CityAirbus. The NextGen version has a distributed propulsion system powered by eight electrical-powered propellers, a V-shaped tail, and fixed wings. It will have zero emissions and be capable of carrying four passengers.

“This is our fully electric four-seater,” Joerg P. Mueller, head of urban air mobility at Airbus, said during the summit. “It’s designed to the highest certification standards, in this case, its EASA SC-VTOL, and this is our answer to the urban mobility market that we see out there.”

Airbus is planning on flying a prototype of the CityAirbus NextGen by 2023. (Airbus)

Mueller said the eVTOL will utilize rotorcraft technology while still getting the advantages of aerodynamic flight with its wing.

“This is a rotorcraft so we using rotorcraft technology and rotorcraft capabilities, but it has a wing as well so it has an aerodynamic flight component,” Mueller said.

While the aircraft has a wing, it does not tilt. Mueller said the intent behind this is to keep the aircraft simple and efficient.

“It’s featuring a wing, it has no movable surfaces and no tilting parts,” Mueller said. “That’s very important because it makes it relatively simple and efficient still while providing a significant forward flight performance.”

Because this aircraft is intended to fly near where people work and live, Airbus has focused on limiting noise emissions. The CityAirbus NextGen will emit 65 decibels while flying and 70 decibels when landing, Mueller said.

“Noise is fundamental for such a design,” Mueller said. “We have run a number of test benches where we have set up propellers of different shapes and plate numbers, and we’ve optimized the design in that way. We have even overflown an urban area, have measured the propagation of sound in this city, and the effect it has on people on the ground, together with partners that allows us as well to see in which sense we need to optimize in such a vehicle.”

Airbus is aiming to launch its eVTOL with a range of 80 kilometers with speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour. According to Mueller, they will be able to reach 95 percent of targeting missions with their design.

“That allows us relatively simple design, while still providing a significant time advantage for the traveler that overflies a city and is often stuck in traffic,” Mueller said. “Traffic jams can be below 10 kilometers an hour average speed, so overflying them, shortcutting, and having a certain flight speed will allow you to provide really a significant advantage. We try to keep the vehicle as light as possible also to keep the hurdles manageable.”

Airbus plans to fly a prototype of the CityAirbus NextGen by 2023. They are also predicting certification by 2025.

“We have set a goal to fly a prototype by 2023 and this prototype will pave the way for certification that could be as early as 2025, roughly, with a successive entry into service there after building up all the ecosystem and everything that’s needed to make an urban mobility service viable,” Mueller said.

The post Airbus Unveils New eVTOL Aircraft appeared first on Aviation Today.

GOL to Launch eVTOL Network in Brazil with 250 VA-1X Aircraft from Avolon

Vertical Aerospace’s eVTOL, the VA-X4, has a range of over 100 miles with a top speed of 202 mph and a five-person capacity. (Vertical Aerospace)

Brazil’s largest airline GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. is planning to launch an electric air taxi network in Brazil following the acquisition of 250 aircraft from aircraft leasing company Avolon, according to a Sept. 21 press release from the company.

Grupo Comporte, a shareholder, will provide the investment for the project.

The airline will use Vertical Aerospace’s VA-X4 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. In June, Avolon ordered 500 aircraft from Vertical Aerospace in a deal totaling $2 billion. GOL plans to launch its network in mid-2025 after the aircraft is certified, according to the release.

With its new VA-1X air taxi design, a significant departure from its previous ‘Seraph’ multicopter, Vertical Aerospace targets 2024 for for its aircraft to be ready to start commercial operations. (Vertical Aerospace)

The VA-X4 has a range of over 100 and can reach speeds up to 200 mph. The aircraft will have a five-person capacity and is expected to be certified in 2024. Rolls-Royce is building the electric power system for Vertical Aerospace’s eVTOL aircraft, the company announced in March.

GOL is planning to use the eVTOL network to open new routes to underserved domestic markets, according to the release. The eVTOL aircraft are also part of GOL’s strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2020.

The partnership will begin with a feasibility study on aircraft certification and infrastructure.

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Telespazio Selects Hughes HeloSat for Leonardo Helicopters Connectivity

The Leonardo SW-4 Solo helicopter. (Leonardo)

Telespazio, a satellite launch and in-orbit control services joint venture between Thales and Leonardo, has selected the Hughes Network Systems HeloSat helicopter satellite communications (SATCOM) system for Leonardo helicopters, the companies announced Monday.

The SATCOM solution will provide connectivity for Leonardo helicopters operating commercial and military missions across Italy and Europe, according to Hughes.

The HeloSat system has demonstrated the ability to enable in-flight full motion video and high throughput data. HeloSat consists of a Hughes HM100 gateway and HM400 modem. The system was validated in 2020, when Hughes performed multiple demonstrations on Black Hawk helicopters.

Telespazio said that HeloSat will be installed on helicopters like the Leonardo SW-4 Solo optionally piloted/rotorcraft uncrewed system, to enable connectivity through-the-rotor using the Athena-Fidus Ka-band satellite capacity via the Telespazio ground station in Fucino, Italy.

Italiana Ponti Radio, a radio frequency communications supplier based in Varese, Italy, will also contribute a 12-inch Ka band antenna to the project.

The option of HeloSat as a new connectivity-enabler for Leonardo’s helicopters marks the latest step in the Italian rotorcraft manufacturer’s efforts to provide better in-flight data services for helicopter operators, following their progress in 2020 with advancing predictive maintenance for their customers.

In a Sept. 20 press release, Alessandro Caranci, vice president and head of Telespazio’s SATCOM division said that the HeloSat system’s advanced waveform is capable of delivering “multi-megabit-per-second speeds through rotary blades without packet loss.”

“Our approach was to solve all problems connected with satellite avionics solutions by providing teleport services, on-board satellite antennas, baseband technology and space capacity on the satellites most suited to the proposal,” Caranci said. “When we searched for a technology that could ensure connectivity under the rotor of a helicopter we asked our strategic partner Hughes for a proof of concept; together with them we designed a solution that is currently unique in the market.”

This article was first published by Via Satellite, a sister publication to Avionics, check out the original version here.

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CAE and BETA Team Up on eVTOL Pilot Training

ALIA is a distributed, direct-drive electric propulsion system with eight lifting motors used for vertical lift and two internal motors used for cruising. (BETA)

BETA Technologies announced a new partnership with CAE for pilot and maintenance technician training for its ALIA electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, according to a Sept. 15 press release.

The program will be developed to meet the specific needs of BETA’s eVTOL and will be built alongside the aircraft’s certification journey, according to the release.

“CAE has a rich history in participating in the development and launch of many innovative aircraft,” Kyle Clark, founder and CEO at BETA, said in a statement. “Flying and maintaining electric aircraft requires an understanding of electric systems and flight dynamics that are new to aviation. Our team is thrilled to be bringing in CAE’s expertise into the fold as we work hand in hand to teach the next generation of pilots and mechanics the unique aspects of flying and maintaining electric aircraft.”

ALIA uses a distributed direct-drive electric propulsion system with eight lifting motors for lifting and two internal motors for cruising. BETA plans to certify its eVTOL under Part 23 with the Federal Aviation Administration. The company already received military airworthiness from the Air Force, becoming the first manned electric aircraft to do so. BETA claims to have flown over 200 miles with its manned full-scale test aircraft.

Air taxi missions will present unique operating environments for pilots, Timothy Schoenauer, director of global training solutions BAT/HAT at CAE said during the July 7 call. (CAE)

CAE has been advocating for eVTOL manufacturers to start considering their pilot training programs in order to meet predicted launch dates.

“It’s really, really important, if the OEMs, want to get their aircraft into service on time, that they’re thinking about this training piece, two to three years out is what we’re suggesting right now,” Christopher Courtney, director of advanced air mobility at CAE, said during a call with reporters on July 7. “We have been doing this for a very long time, so we know what it takes to get there and the last thing you want is a cool we’re getting closer and closer and now we’ve got to figure out how to develop a simulator training program…and it’s going to cause delays.”

CAE and Volocopter also have a partnership to develop a pilot training program.

“CAE is a high technology solutions company at the leading edge of digital immersion, and we are committed to supporting the continuing needs of BETA and its operators throughout the lifecycle of the program,” Nick Leontidis, CAE’s Group President of Civil Aviation Training Solutions, said in a statement. “This marks the first step to what we believe will be a long-term partnership with BETA, and another example of our commitment to future aviation technologies and sustainability”.

BETA recently announced $368 million in new funding from investors including Fidelity Management & Research Company, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, and RedBird Capital. The company already has deals in the passenger market with Blade Urban Air Mobility, the logistics market with UPS, and the medical market with United Therapeutics.

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Airbus is Developing a New Enhanced Flight Vision System Option for A320s

Airbus has selected an enhanced vision system sensor from Collins Aerospace as part of an enhanced flight vision system that they’re developing as an option for A320s. (Collins Aerospace)

Airbus is developing a new enhanced flight vision system (EFVS) for its A320 family of aircraft, that will eventually be adapted to other models, representatives from the aircraft manufacturer’s headquarters in Toulouse have confirmed with Avionics International.

Development of the new system took a step forward in August, with the selection of a next-generation enhanced vision sensor to be supplied to Airbus by Collins Aerospace. The EFVS currently under development consists of the sensor, a multi-special camera system, head-up display (HUD), and cockpit controls, and eventually could be adapted to other Airbus aircraft models in addition to the A320.

Thales will be supplying the HUD where the vision system image symbology will be displayed, with Airbus handling integration into the A320.

“The EVS sensor will be part of a more global EFVS concept of operations that will be optional for A320 models on top of the Head-Up Display (HUD) option already available for all Airbus aircraft. This EFVS capability may be deployed on other Airbus aircraft. Airbus has planned to offer EFVS on production aircraft but also to propose a retrofit solution for in-service aircraft,” a representative for Airbus told Avionics.

The introduction of the new system as an option for A320s marks the latest advancement in vision systems and cockpit display development at Airbus. The A320’s first head-up display system was certified in 2005 in a single configuration, and 10 years later in 2015 in a dual configuration. Several years later, a harmonized primary flight display that allows head-up display symbology to be displayed on a primary flight display—or head-down display—achieved regulatory certification in 2018.

Civil aviation regulatory policy updates over the last decade have also provided incentives for more business and commercial operators to consider adopting EFVS technology, including the EFVS rule FAR 91.176 first enacted by the FAA in December 2016 that allowed business jet pilots to start using EFVS to land their aircraft down to touchdown and rollout. Other more recent regulatory developments from the FAA have also signaled that this was the right time for Airbus to introduce a new vision system option for airlines flying the A320.

“National authorities such as CAAC or FAA, are regularly issuing new documentation related to the use of Vision systems. CAAC issued a HUD Roadmap mentioning EFVS in 2012. FAA has just drafted [Advisory Circular] AC 20-167B which provides guidance for gaining airworthiness approval of EFVS. More and more customers are interested in Vision systems and new technology like EFVS. Airbus has considered it is the right moment to launch EFVS development,” the representative for Airbus said.

Airbus will introduce the new EFVS as an option for in-production A320 cockpits, such as the one pictured here. (Airbus)

FAA’s publishing of AC 20-167B notes that the guidance developed by the agency for installing an EFVS is primarily intended for Part 25 aircraft, although it is also applicable to Part 23, 27, and 29 category aircraft. While the new guidance is awaiting publicly submitted comments, the agency is also encouraging EFVS installation applicants to “propose alternative methods to their Aircraft Certification Office (ACO) to integrate new and novel safety-enhancing vision system functions into their aircraft.”

The agency defines an EFVS as an installed aircraft system that uses a “HUD or equivalent display to present aircraft information, flight symbology and electronic real-time sensor image of the forward external scene.”

Operationally, the use of the new vision system could provide several navigation enhancements to A320 pilots.

“Flying with EFVS will provide greatly improved situational awareness for pilots. During night approaches, the system will allow the flight crew to better perceive potential threats like obstacles, terrain, and airport environment. Together with the HUD symbology, it will give additional confidence to the crew about their aiming point,” the representative for Airbus said. “On top, EFVS function will provide operational credit to airlines by enabling flight crew to dispatch, start the approach and land in visibility that would usually prevent the operation. EFVS will actually be used as a supplement to the pilot vision by providing landing reference cues where pilots cannot see with their eyes.”

In an Aug. 10 press release announcing the Airbus selection of its EVS sensor for the A320, Collins Aerospace describes how the sensor will be mounted on the nose of the aircraft and use multiple infrared and visible light cameras to create an augmented reality view of the outside world. Night visual meteorological conditions as well as lateral alignment on the runway are among other navigation improvements noted by Collins.

“Airbus operators who adopt EFVS will enjoy a competitive advantage that directly translates into improved on-time performance, operational cost and fuel savings,” Dave Nieuwsma, president of avionics for Collins Aerospace said in the release.

Airbus has not yet provided a timeline or indicated when the EFVS system will become available for in-production A320s, however, Airbus plans to reveal more information about their vision systems technological roadmap during the upcoming Aerospace Tech Week event in Toulouse.

The post Airbus is Developing a New Enhanced Flight Vision System Option for A320s appeared first on Aviation Today.

Urban Aeronautics Raises $10 Million for Wingless Air Taxi CityHawk

Urban Aeronautics is developing a wingless air taxi dubbed CityHawk. (Urban Aeronautics)

Urban Aeronautics has raised $10 million toward the company’s next funding round for its wingless air taxi concept, CityHawk, the company announced on Sept. 14.

The funding comes on the heels of a successful test flight of the company’s demonstrator aircraft in July.

“This is kind of the first step within the $100 million round that we’re raising,” Haran Ben-Eliahou, vice president of business development, told Aviation Today. “We’re working with financial institutions and banks to be able to raise these funds…The next funding round that we just took the very first step on will allow us not only ramp up in terms of engineering and marketing and finding the right partners but also start building the first prototypes.”

The CityHawk is an aircraft without wings. It uses a full-enclosed fancraft rotor system to fly. Urban Aeronautics is betting that this unique design will lend well to the aircraft’s intended purpose of being used for city transit or emergency response transport.

“There’s a very unique characteristic to the design because it doesn’t have the wings or the exposed rotors, and in that respect, we really feel that this is the right tool to fly into cities,” Ben-Eliahou said. “When you bring in all of the limitations of size and places where vehicles could land, if you really want to bring that promise to save people time, you need to bring them closer to their final destination…The small form factor with the safety characteristic of our vehicle can allow this to bring the promise. This is what goes into this unique design. This is why it, it looks like it looks, and it will fly like nothing else.”

Urban Aeronautics CityHawk will be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell developed by HyPoint.

The CityHawk will also not be following the electric air taxi route and instead be powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Urban Aeronautics has partnered with Hypoint to develop this technology. Ben-Eliahou said the decision to go with hydrogen was made because they believe batteries will not provide enough power for their weight capacity.

“When we look at the future and we understand the possibilities of going into an urban environment, you have to go away from combustion engines or jet fuel engines into electric vehicles,” Ben-Eliahou said. “For us, batteries are not sufficient in power compared to the weight. So, the vehicle just won’t take off if you put the necessary batteries for the power needs. In aviation, as you know, everything is about you give away some weight in turn to gain some more performance and you always play with this challenge. Hydrogen just gives you a greater promise in terms of range and ease of use…it’s just the next generation of aviation fuel for large aircraft and also small.”

Urban Aeronautics is currently testing its aircraft with a jet engine but will begin testing with a hydrogen fuel cell in 2022, Ben-Eliahou said. The company is planning to have its first production-ready prototypes by 2024.

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Air Wisconsin Airlines to Upgrade CRJ Fleet with Envoy Data Link System

Air Wisconsin is upgrading its Bombardier CRJ fleet to the Spectralux Avionics’ Envoy data link system. (Spectralux Avionics)

Air Wisconsin Airlines, the regional subsidiary of United Airlines, will install the Envoy data link system onboard it’s fleet of Bombardier CRJ aircraft, under a new deal that includes ongoing co-development activities that have already been for product life cycle support.

Envoy is a digital data link communications system consisting of three integrated avionics modules, including a communications management unit, VHF data radio, and multipurpose display. Developed by Redmond, Washington-based aircraft systems supplier Spectralux Avionics, a unique aspect of Envoy is its dual-stack data link capability, which means it is compatible with both the communications mediums for domestic Controller to Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) data link in European airspace—Aeronautical Telecommunication Network (ATN) Link 2000+—and the Future Air Navigation Systems (FANS) 1/A architecture used by the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S.

Now, a year after the FAA issued Technical Standard Order (TSO) approval for Envoy, Air Wisconsin will deploy Envoy across its CRJ fleet. The airline became the launch customer for Spectralux’s previous-generation data link communications system, the Dlink+.

“The Spectralux Dlink+ system has served our airline exceptionally well,” Bob Frisch, Air Wisconsin’s Chief Operating Officer, said in a statement. “We now look forward to implementing the latest Spectralux product to further improve our operational efficiency and analytics of CRJ operations in North America.”

Air Wisconsin operates a fleet of 64 Bombardier CRJ aircraft. (Air Wisconsin)

Spectralux has also included a directional A739 interface that allows it to display and control a separate avionics module that can be displayed and controlled by a separate multifunctional display. According to the company’s description of the technology, Envoy is also capable of wirelessly broadcasting stored aircraft system data and messages, “transmitted at specific intervals and received by an application running on a mobile device such as a tablet or smartphone.”

Upgrading to the Envoy system for Air Wisconsin will mean its pilots can keep taking advantage of the FAA’s Data Comm program, which is now operational at a total of 55 U.S. airports and 62 total air traffic control (ATC) towers. Data Comm services are also operational at three Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs), including Kansas City, Indianapolis, and Washington. The deployment schedule for the remaining 17 ARTCCs was put on hold due to COVID-19 and is being re-planned.

“Air Wisconsin continues to be a valued customer for Spectralux, and we appreciate the continued confidence they have in our data link products,” said Spectralux CEO Elwood Hertzog. “Envoy will bring a new level of safety and efficiency for global Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) and Air Traffic Management (ATM) to Air Wisconsin and all our regional airline customers.”

Air Wisconsin operates a fleet consisting of 64 CRJ-200 jets, with flights occurring in midwestern and eastern U.S. airspace. The regional carrier expects its first Envoy-equipped CRJs to achieve initial entry into service early next year.

The post Air Wisconsin Airlines to Upgrade CRJ Fleet with Envoy Data Link System appeared first on Aviation Today.

Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand Moves Toward Certification on an Autonomous Flight System

Merlin Labs received a certification basis for its autonomous flight system. (Merlin Labs)

The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand has awarded its first certification basis for an autonomous flight system to Merlin Labs marking a key step on the road to certifying autonomous systems, the company announced on Sept. 16.

Merlin Labs has developed a “takeoff to touchdown” autonomy system for aircraft that will perform all the duties of a human pilot. The system uses a “sense, think, act” control loop to complete these tasks, Matthew George, Founder and CEO of Merlin Labs, told Aviation Today. The avionics system uses GPS/INS, air data, and attitude and heading reference system (ADHRS) to update the system with a three-dimensional position of the aircraft and its attitude at all times.

The system uses a flight computer to do the thinking part of the autonomy which can be adjusted for a specific aircraft type.

“The thinking is done by our flight Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) computer which has knowledge of the desired flight path and information about airport approach and departure routes,” George said. “The flight plan has to be executed while taking into account regulatory flight rules, as well as aircraft performance limits. In fact, a significant part of our development process is focused on tuning our control system to the detailed flight dynamics of the specific aircraft type to be able to plan and fly trajectories like a pilot would.”

The system then performs actions using actuators connected to the aircraft which are directed by the flight computer.

“The flight computer commands a number of actuators that are mechanically connected to the aircraft,” George said. “Thus, the system can ‘act,’ by causing the physical surfaces of the aircraft to move, just as a pilot would do with the yoke, pedals or throttle levers. In this way, the flight computer can direct the aircraft through its entire flight path. The unique thing about our system is that our computer is sophisticated enough and our actuators are strong enough to fly an aircraft not just up and away (like typical autopilots), but also through all phases of takeoff and landing, stop to stop.”

Merlin Labs has completed 380 flight tests of its autonomous system. (Merlin Labs)

The system is still flying with an onboard safety pilot to function as the legal pilot in command. Merlin Labs has been testing its system for the last two years achieving 53,000 km of autonomous flight.

“The Merlin system has flown on four experimental test aircraft for a total of 380 sorties over the last two years, with over 53,000 km of autonomous flying,” George said. “This testing includes up and away patterns, waypoints, loiters as well as autonomous takeoff and landing on the 10 different runways in our FAA-designated test area.”

The certification project is a joint project with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to be able to gain certification for the system in New Zealand and the U.S. concurrently, George said.

“Now that we have an issued certification basis, we’ll continue to work with the regulator to validate our approach, culminating in entrance to commercial service,” George said. “There are various engagement points along the way that are agreed to in our certification plan and we will be following those. In parallel, we are continuing our work to advance the next steps toward full autonomy.”

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Volocopter Explores LA Launch with New Urban Movement Labs Partnership

Volocopter is exploring launching its eVTOL aircraft in Los Angeles with a new partnership. (Volocopter)

The German urban air mobility company (UAM) Volocopter announced a new partnership with Urban Movement Labs that will allow the company to explore launching its UAM vehicles in the U.S. market, the company announced on Sept. 15.

Volocopter will also attend the CoMotion in Los Angeles to educate the public on their UAM vehicles.

“Our partnership with Urban Movement Labs is a great entryway into the US with our innovative UAM services,” Christian Bauer, CCO at Volocopter, said in a statement. “By leading the conversation about urban air mobility with broad stakeholders in Los Angeles, Volocopter can strategically identify and address how our services can benefit cities in the country. More importantly, we are also gaining real insights into living transportation ecosystems in the US to build the best complimentary service to other modes of transportation for our future passengers.”

Urban Movement Labs is collaborating with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) on the Urban Air Mobility Partnership which intends to identify challenges and solutions for integrating UAM into the city.

“We are executing a community-first strategy to engage with community-based organizations and inform a policy framework that will guide the development of UAM infrastructure in the City of Los Angeles,” Sam Morrissey, Executive Director at Urban Movement Labs, said in a statement. “Through our partnership with Volocopter we can explore specific pilot projects to advance a future UAM network that reflects what we hear from Angelenos and establishes standards for future UAM operation.”

The new partnership between Volocopter and Urban Movement Labs will give Volocopter insight when creating a policy framework to launch its UAM vehicles in Los Angeles.

Volocopter is developing a UAM ecosystem that includes an inter-city air taxi, VoloCity, a heavy-lift drone, VoloDrone, and an intra-city air taxi, VoloConnect. The company is working on concurrent certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which would allow the company to launch in both markets. Volocopter recently received a prerequisite approval from EASA to begin producing its electric air taxi which took its first public flight in France at the Paris Air Forum.

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Monthly Archives: September 2021