January 2023 - Aviation, Inflight and Aero Connectivity Consultants

Satcom Direct Installs Prototype Ka-Band Antenna for Testing, Validation

Earlier this month, Satcom Direct announced that it has installed the first Plane Simple Ka-band antenna on an SD Gulfstream G550. (Photo: Satcom Direct)

Satcom Direct installed the first Plane Simple Ka-band antenna on an SD Gulfstream G550. The Ka-band antenna is a prototype terminal, the second in the SD Plane Simple antenna series, and it consists of two line-replaceable units (LRUs): the tail-mount antenna and SD Modem Unit. The antenna is operating under a supplemental type certificate (STC) specific to the aircraft.

Through this installation, Satcom Direct is evaluating the compatibility of the hardware with the Jet ConneX in-flight broadband service offered by Inmarsat. Jet ConneX is powered by Inmarsat’s Global Xpress constellation. The prototype terminal is already being tested and validated via regular flight operations, and SD’s team will collect data to inform the final design and ensure optimized functionality.

Once the Ka-band antenna is fully functional, it will provide support for high-speed data transfer to enable video streaming, teleconferencing, and other digital applications for passengers on mid- to large-sized jets.

“We’ve rigorously tested the Plane Simple Ku-band, which has performed beyond expectations,” commented Chris Moore, president of Satcom Direct, in the company’s announcement. “Now, with the validation of the Ka-band terminal, we’re adding more value to our offering.”

He added, “We have a long-standing relationship with Inmarsat, having evolved numerous connectivity services together to deliver superior experiences to users. We are excited to begin on-wing testing with them.”

Satcom Direct tested and validated the tail-mounted, Ku-band Plane Simple Antenna System throughout a series of transatlantic and European flights with the SD Gulfstream G350. (Photo: Satcom Direct)

SD expects customer in-service evaluation to start in the fourth quarter of 2023 and to have additional STCs confirmed by the end of the year.

The Head of Business Aviation at Inmarsat, Kai Tang, also commented on the news, saying, “We anticipate that SD hardware technology, combined with our enhanced next-generation satellite network, will reinforce our position as the premium connectivity experience for SD customers.”

In another announcement this month, Satcom Direct publicized the installation of a 1,200-panel solar farm at its headquarters in Florida. The facility is already providing power to SD’s daily operations. More than 97,750kWh per month will be generated by the photovoltaic modules.

“Renewable energy benefits everyone, and the solar farm will play a significant part in powering our business more efficiently,” explained Satcom Direct’s Chairman and CEO, Jim Jensen.

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The Surprising Market Demand for Regional Air Mobility

A NASA-funded study by Georgia Tech on regional air mobility finds untapped demand for shorter-distance flights in many under-served U.S. communities. (Photo: NASA)

Despite being on average less than 20 minutes away from a regional airport, most Americans spend time either driving to their final destination or driving to a large airport to fly on regional itineraries.

Regional airports are underutilized across the country for many reasons. Airline deregulation forced passengers to connect at about 20 hub-airports across the United States, making short flights unattractive. In parallel, airlines have retired turboprop aircraft that once efficiently connected these communities, in favor of larger regional jets that are better used on larger volume markets. Consequently, airlines no longer have the equipment to profitably serve these communities. Out of 5,000 public airports with runways exceeding 3,000 feet, only 500—just one in 10—are used by commercial air carriers.

“Regional air travel just doesn’t exist—those services have basically disappeared,” explains Cedric Justin, Ph.D., a member of the research faculty at Georgia Tech’s School of Aerospace Engineering. Consolidating flights to a few hubs has worsened aviation’s environmental footprint, creating air traffic congestion in and around large hubs, he adds.

Pictured above is Cedric Justin, Ph.D.

But advances in aviation electric propulsion systems could create a new market for regional air mobility offering additional traveling options for U.S. travelers, finds a NASA-funded Georgia Tech study.

The study identified how many long-distance travelers taking journeys greater than 100 miles would opt to fly if they had an option to fly to and from convenient regional airports near their origin or destination.

“In each region of the United States that we have studied, we have seen significant demand for those new regional air services,” says Justin.

The Northeast Corridor, for instance, is home to over 20% of the U.S. population. However, it received commercial air services at only 80 airports. The study indicates that operating a fleet of efficient electric and hybrid-electric regional aircraft could bring profitable air services at over 140 airports, connecting many more communities to the rest of the world. All told, the study identified over 4,200 Origin-destination markets connecting 980 airports nationwide with a minimum frequency of two flights per day.

Unlike eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft, which take off from heliports in densely populated urban areas for very short flights within metro areas, regional air mobility services connect regions together using the network of existing airports and runways, and using fixed-wing aircraft seating between 9 and 30 passengers.

Since this new industry of regional air mobility would rely on new electric and hybrid-electric powertrains, the environmental footprint from carbon emissions or from noise is much lower than conventional aircraft. That’s of interest to NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) Portfolio Analysis and Management Office (PAMO), which funded much of the Georgia Tech research.

“The results we’ve seen thus far are very promising. Dr. Justin’s work really establishes an order-of-magnitude increase in this type of transportation if it can be enabled at the costs and with the technologies that he has modeled,” says Nick Borer, Ph.D., Advanced Concepts Group lead in the Aeronautics Systems Analysis Branch at NASA Langley Research Center.

Justin is now collaborating with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, tapped to find ways to power these airports using solar-powered electricity.

“Working with the NREL, we see there are feasible changes that could be made for power delivery at these airports, especially a large increase in renewable energy that powers electrified aircraft,” continues Borer.

The first electric or hybrid-electric aircraft are expected to begin operating in the second half of this decade, with most industry experts predicting that the market won’t scale up before 2030.

“The demand is there,” concludes Justin. “Certification of these new electric vehicles and the supporting (charging) infrastructure on the ground remain the largest hurdles for the market.”

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Embraer Delivers Newly Certified Phenom 300MED to Launch Customer GrandView

The Phenom 300MED, pictured above, has received the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). (Photo: Embraer)

Embraer Executive Jets has delivered the first Phenom 300MED to Middle River, Maryland-based GrandView Aviation after the aircraft received its Supplemental Type Certificate (STC).

Both the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approved the STC for the Phenom 300MED, a medevac aircraft based on the Phenom 300 light jet. The medevac model is available for new and in-service Phenom 300s and is exclusively installed by Embraer.

The Brazilian manufacturer said the Phenom 300MED can accommodate two stretchers and additional medical equipment. The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW500 engines.

An aeromedical interior featuring an intensive care unit (ICU) was developed by German engineering firm umlaut, a subsidiary of Accenture, and Switzerland’s Aerolite, which provided the medical equipment. “As per the certification requirements, umlaut conducted an evacuation test to confirm two fully disabled patients could be evacuated,” Embraer said in a statement.

A new 300MED has a maximum speed of Mach 0.8 and a range of just over 2,000 nautical miles. It can fly at an altitude of 6,600 feet. (Photo: Embraer)

According to umlaut, “the certification included extensive analyses of the medical oxygen system and of the new interior cabinets and components to ensure the safety of passengers and patients on board.”

The company said it worked with Embraer to create multiple cabin configurations for the Phenom 300MED. “These configurations include cabin layouts either with one or two stretchers and different seating layouts,” umlaut said. “The intensive care units comprise electrical power supply provisions and [there are] integrated medical oxygen systems in each ICU. Additional medical equipment can be attached to mounting racks, ceiling rails or stored inside the new medical cabinet.”

The Medevac solution is available for new and in-service aircraft and is exclusively installed by Embraer’s Services & Support organization. (Photo: Embraer)

On-demand charter operator Grandview, which took delivery of the aircraft at Embraer’s Fort Lauderdale, Florida facilities, is the Phenom 300MED’s launch customer.

“The Medevac solution provides superior value, benefiting from a market-leading product such as the Phenom 300 series, combining its unique capabilities with a fully-comprehensive medical solution,” Embraer VP-Worldwide Executive Jets Customer Support & Aftermarket Sales Marsha Woelber said.

Grandview said it will be able to convert the 300MED between its medevac configuration and a VIP configuration “in a matter of hours, providing the company with unmatched operational flexibility.”

A new 300MED has a maximum speed of Mach 0.8 and a range of just over 2,000 nautical miles. It can fly at an altitude of 6,600 feet.

“The Phenom 300MED benefits from the platform’s heritage of best-in-class cabin pressurization, low operating costs, high mission flexibility, state-of-the-art avionics, plus its speed and range capabilities,” Embraer said.

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Commercial Air Traffic On Track to Meet Pre-Pandemic Levels by June

“Aviation has survived a pandemic-driven two thirds fall in demand. It is now ready to thrive.” (Photo: Avolon)

As many individuals make their New Year’s resolutions, commercial aviation companies have some predictions of their own. A report published by international aircraft leasing company Avolon set the stage for an optimistic 2023. The report predicted global air traffic will be back to pre-pandemic levels by June. It also highlighted opportunities to innovate the industry for economic gain and to make air travel more sustainable.

2022 was a recovery for airlines after the pandemic. There was a 70% increase in commercial air travel last year, primarily driven by increased passenger demand in North America and Europe. This increased demand made the airline industry profitable again, after 180 billion was lost in the airline sector in 2020 and 2021.

“Aviation demonstrated its resilience in 2022 as it rose above the crisis. 2023 starts off in a high-speed climb as the industry returns to ‘flight level,’ en route to profitability and growth again.” (Photo: Avolon)

Interestingly, airlines’ financial recovery progressed further than their capacity recovery last year. Air traffic was 25% lower than in 2019, but revenues were only 13% lower. The report indicated that airlines flexed their financial power since passenger demand was larger than available seats on flights.

“Boeing’s rebuild progressed in 2022 with increasingly steady 737 deliveries and a return to delivering the 787 after nineteen months tackling production quality issues,” the report states. “Airbus is facing its own challenges certifying the A321XLR but its commercial aircraft portfolio is well positioned, with four popular families delivering today and the A350F in development.”

Looking ahead to 2023, Avolon expects passenger demand to grow even more. With China’s recent reopening, passenger air travel will continue to increase in 2023, with the growth concentrated in Asia. It’s predicted that for every two new airline seats of airline capacity added, one will be added in Asia.

The report is unclear about if airlines will try to increase available seats to meet that capacity or simply raise their prices, though it does indicate there are opportunities for lessors, who now make up 53% of the commercial market, to lease more aircrafts to major airlines.

“Aerospace’s innovation cycle is facing the reality of a highly regulated industry. While almost 700 electric aircraft projects have been launched, only a small number are on a pathway to deliver a commercial product to customers.” (Photo: Avolon)

Finally, the report calls for airlines to double down on their sustainability commitments in 2023 and beyond. While sustainable airfare production tripled in 2022, it’s only at 1% of the target level by 2030. To reach the 2030 target, a $250 billion investment is needed over the next year.

The airline industry isn’t as smooth flying as it was in 2019 yet, but numbers are on track to hit pre-pandemic levels later this year. The increased passenger demand—combined with opportunities to innovate air travel to be more sustainable—could lead to a stronger recovery for both the industry and the climate.

Check out the full report from Avolon here >>

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Argus International Announces Ground Tracking Feature for TRAQPak

Argus International, an aviation service company, has recently announced that it is adding ground tracking to its TRAQPak FBO software. (Photo: ARGUS)

Argus International, an aviation service company dedicated to providing the aviation industry with information needed for efficient management with minimal risk, has recently announced that it is adding ground tracking to its TRAQPak FBO software. This addition will allow Argus to better serve its customers through offering more tools that can be used to support a smoother operation.

Argus International is a part of SGS Group, one of the world’s leading firms for testing, inspection, and certification. In addition to helping businesses operate with integrity and efficiency, SGS owns a majority stake in Argus. It has various offerings for its customers to assist in auditing and evaluating their business practices and operations. These include things like aviation consulting, auditing services, and safety solutions. It also runs Argus Academy, which offers training for auditors and safety managers, all while allowing customers to design custom training programs that best align with their needs.

Beyond services, Argus also offers TRAQPak, a software designed to help aviation companies manage operations. The company recently announced that this program now features a ground tracking tool aimed to better assist customers in their daily operations.

TRAQPak is a software that tracks flights and features a database that provides information relevant and useful for various companies within the industry. With the addition of ground tracking information to this system, customers now have access to real-time tracking of aircraft as they taxi through a given airport. With better information available to them, FBOs can now operate more efficiently and with a better understanding of its airport’s operations.

The practical application of TRAQPak and its new feature extends well beyond FBOs. Ramp agents working at service companies such as ground transportation and catering can now better understand how long taxi times can be and how to plan accordingly for a more efficient operation.

Travis Kuhn, Senior Vice President of Market Intelligence for Argus International, best highlights how this addition answers its customer’s needs, explaining, “Bringing our ground tracking to the marketplace has been an active collaboration between our customers and our TRAQPak team. I am proud to be a part of a team that continues to work tirelessly to meet and exceed the standard of service our industry expects. This new offering is the first of multiple changes we’ll be bringing to the marketplace as we move throughout 2023.”

Through the addition of ground tracking, Argus aims to create a better experience for its customers. FBOs, catering services, ground transportation services, and a plethora of other aviation companies will be able to enjoy the benefits that this real-time program offers. Argus International has demonstrated this technology at NBAA’s Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Also at NBAA S&D this week, Argus announced that Embassair joined the Base Operations Audit Program. The soft opening for the Embassair FBO is scheduled for Feb. 1, according to a press release from the company.

Left to right: Ed Wandall (ARGUS), Jose Cabrera (Embassair), Kathy Gokce (ARGUS)

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OPINION: It Was Never About Package Delivery

The CEO of Skyfire Consulting offers a positive outlook on the drone industry, explaining that the end goal is much greater than simple package delivery. (Photo: Skyfire)

This article was contributed by Matt Sloane, founder and CEO of Skyfire Consulting.

There is a bloodletting happening in the technology sector right now, from Google to Microsoft to Meta and dozens of other companies, but the one that caught my eye last week was Amazon announcing it was laying off 18,000 workers—and specifically, upwards of 80% of its flight operations personnel at Amazon Air, their drone delivery business.

Another report just a few weeks ago from management consulting behemoth McKinsey & Company found that as it is organized today, package delivery by drone is not nearly as cost-effective as electric vehicles doing multiple deliveries in a single run, or even as cost- and carbon-efficient as a single electric vehicle delivering a single package.

All of that—for drone company investors, drone company employees, industry watchers, and drone CEOs like me—could be looked at as bad news, or at the very least, as a signal that the industry is not “there yet.”

Truth be told, that was my initial reaction. The more thought I gave it, the more I realized that we have it all wrong.

Decades of research in microprocessors and tiny cameras, radar sensors, and unmanned traffic management systems… and all we get is dog food delivery in 30 minutes or less from a flying Amazon van?

If that was the end-state goal, is it even worth the risk of putting “toy airplanes” potentially in the way of commercial airliners or medical helicopters?

When you put it that way, the answer is a resounding “hell no.”

Cool as that would be, and as futuristic and Jetson-like as it sounds, it was never about package delivery.

In places like Chula Vista, California, and Brookhaven, Georgia, so-called “drone first responder programs” are getting drones on the scene of 911 calls within 120 seconds. (Photo: Skyfire)

There’s a saying in the drone industry—and probably dozens of others—that “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”

Dozens of people looking to fly COVID tests around town in mid-2020 were told as much by the FAA: if you can drive it, reasonably, drive it. The same goes for temperature monitoring in large crowds, and spraying disinfectant in heavily-trafficked public places. If you can do it from the ground, you should.

And while I don’t doubt there will come a time where I order something on Amazon Prime and stand eagerly on my front lawn, waiting for it to drop on the Prime Air landing pad, the point is that this shouldn’t be our only endpoint, our only measure of success.

From where I sit (or fly), drones hold the potential to bring automated external defibrillators to a cardiac arrest patient’s side in under three minutes. Did you know that the average survival rate for cardiac arrest outside of a hospital is less than 5%?

Drones could also bring an overdose reversal kit to a child wondering why their parent isn’t breathing, or reverse a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to a bee sting for a kid on a soccer field.

Is that worth adding a small amount of risk to our national airspace system calculus? You’re damn right it is.

Some of this is hypothetical, but much of it is already happening. In places like Chula Vista, California, and Brookhaven, Georgia, so-called “drone first responder programs” are getting drones on the scene of 911 calls within 120 seconds.

This is not Big Brother—but it may mean the difference between a kid playing with a toy gun getting shot by police, and those officers knowing before they even arrive that the child’s gun is a toy. Or it could mean a police officer knowing he or she was walking into an ambush long before they set foot on a dangerous crime scene.

The truth is, a drone is only as good as the camera or payload that you put on it, much like a tractor. Could you put an Amazon Prime box on it full of lightning cables that you must have in 30 minutes or less? Yes, but am I more concerned about having a drone in my community that could bring a defibrillator to my grandfathers’ side on the golf course when he collapses? Also yes.

So while it’s tempting to see news of Amazon Prime’s layoffs—and reports like the McKinsey paper about how drone delivery is cost-inefficient—as bad news, let’s instead all take a minute to reflect on how far this industry has come in only 10 years thanks, in part, to Amazon, Google, Mattternet, Zipline, and others. And let’s take this opportunity to call on the FAA, the Department of Transportation, and our local, state, and federal elected officials not to wait any longer to help our country’s first responders put that very same technology into effect without delay.

If those same investors, regulators, industry watchers, and drone company CEOs wait for package delivery as a signal that “the industry is ready,” we have missed the mark on so many important uses of this amazing technology.

Matt Sloane is the CEO and founder of Skyfire Consulting and its parent company, Atlanta Drone Group. He is an inaugural member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) technical committee on drones, a technical advisor to the International Association of Fire Chiefs technology council, and an FAA-certified pilot.

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USAF Selects Electra for up to $85M in Funding for eSTOL Development

The U.S. Air Force’s AFWERX program chose Electra for a Strategic Funding Increase award. This award secures up to $85 million for Electra to continue developing a full-scale pre-production prototype of its electric short take-off and landing (eSTOL) aircraft. (Photo: Electra)

Today, Electra announced that the U.S. Air Force’s AFWERX program has selected it for a Strategic Funding Increase award. This award secures up to $85 million for Electra to continue developing a full-scale pre-production prototype of its electric short take-off and landing (eSTOL) aircraft. The funding will come from private investments, government contributions, and matching SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) funding.

The Air Force will be able to use the prototype for validating requirements and operational use cases. Small eSTOL aircraft that do not require a runway could be valuable for contested logistics environments where operating larger fixed-wing or rotorcraft platforms is difficult. Using Electra’s fuel-efficient design could also help the USAF to reduce its carbon emissions.

Almost exactly one year ago, Electra publicized an investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures in its Series A funding round. In February, it announced the receipt of a Phase III SBIR contract from the U.S. Air Force. This contract was awarded through the AFWERX Agility Prime program.

In March 2022, the USAF awarded Electra—in partnership with MIT—a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract. This contract was awarded to the partners for advancing the development of flight control systems for Electra’s eSTOL vehicle. Electra now has a total of six active USAF SBIR and STTR contracts and has matured several technologies for its aircraft, including precision flight controls, distributed electric propulsion, blown lift aerodynamics and acoustics, and hybrid-electric powertrains.

Electra’s eSTOL model on display at NBAA (Photo: Jessica Reed)

2022 was a busy year for the eSTOL developer. Electra was selected by NASA as an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Campaign partner in June. That same month, the company also announced the acquisition of fellow eSTOL developer Airflow.

In October, Welojets signed a letter of intent with the company for 32 eSTOL aircraft. This put the company’s order book total over 1,000 aircraft, valued at over $3 billion. “We offer a lower cost per seat mile, we offer quieter operations than traditional aircraft in this class, and we offer the ability to take off and land from a field the size of a soccer field, or a 300-foot runway length,” Marc Ausman, Chief Product Officer at Electra, shared in an interview with Avionics.

With the Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) award announced this week, Electra can continue to strengthen its partnership with the Agility Prime program. In the press release, John S. Langford, Founder and CEO of Electra, stated, “This STRATFI award reinforces the Air Force’s commitment to dual-use eSTOL technology as a solution for national security and other government missions, and validates Electra’s aircraft design and engineering work to date.”

“[Our] eSTOL is ideally suited to serve as a small highly fuel-efficient airlifter that helps the Air Force execute its Agile Combat Employment doctrine and meet its operational energy goals to reduce aviation carbon emissions.” – Ben Marchionna, Director of Technology and Business Development (Photo: Electra)

Lieutenant Colonel John “Wasp” Tekell, Air Force Agility Prime Lead, also commented on the announcement, remarking that the technology could provide valuable logistics and mobility capabilities for the USAF. “It’s vital that we ensure new advanced air mobility technologies with dual-use applications are developed and manufactured here at home in the U.S.,” he said.

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Unmanned Traffic Management in 2023: Insights from the CEO of Unifly

Avionics recently interviewed the CEO of Unifly, Andres Van Swalm, to learn about what Unifly has planned for 2023. The enforcement of U-space (the European equivalent of UTM) regulations starts this year. (Photo: Unifly)

Unifly, an unmanned traffic management (UTM) system provider, has developed a platform for managing the integration of drones and other advanced types of aircraft into low-altitude airspace.

Avionics International covered some updates from the company in a recent issue of our magazine. We spoke with Unifly’s co-founder and CEO, Andres Van Swalm, last May following the news of a €10 million investment from Terra Drone Corporation and Japanese government fund JOIN. Unifly has partnered with ENAIRE, a Spanish ANSP, to develop an automated digital drone management platform. The UTM system provider also launched a UTM platform in collaboration with the Port of Antwerp.

Avionics recently interviewed Van Swalm again to learn about what Unifly has planned for 2023. He noted that the enforcement of U-space (the European equivalent of UTM) regulations starts this year, and their UTM system can be configured to be U-space compliant. However, it is not designed to only be U-space compliant. For example, Unifly’s RPAS Traffic Management (RTM) platform is used by the ANSP in Canada and complies with regulations there.

Van Swalm believes that 2023 will be when the drone industry truly takes off, and that UTM as well as U-space will play crucial roles in enabling the industry to scale. This year, Unifly plans to launch one of the first implementations of U-space in Spain in partnership with Indra and ENAIRE. This is one of the major objectives for the company in 2023.

In addition to working with Indra and ENAIRE, Unifly is also working with the Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA) and SkeyDrone, a subsidiary of the Belgian air traffic controller for manned flights. Additionally, Van Swalm shared that they are in talks with DFS (Deutsche Flugsicherung), the German ANSP. These will be the main focuses for Unifly in Europe in the near-term.

As of January 2023, there are more than 180,000 drone operators using Unifly’s platforms. The company also estimates over 80,000 authorization requests have been granted, and more than 1.5 million flights have been validated using its web and mobile apps. (Photo: Unifly)

NAV CANADA, the ANSP of Canada, entered into an agreement with Unifly to deploy a fully digitized system for operating and managing drones. For drone pilots, the system makes the authorization request process both easier and faster. It can support current regulations for drones operating within visual line of sight.

Van Swalm remarked in the interview with Avionics, “Together with Nav Canada, we will look at how we can promote the UTM system even more. We will also launch a set of new features and functionalities for more extensive use of the UTM system and enabling more complex drone operations in Canada.”

He also drew attention to the fact that Unifly went live in NEOM—a smart city in Saudi Arabia currently in development. “They are very ambitious and want to start flying eVTOLs [electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft] as soon as possible, especially Volocopter.”

Unifly’s UTM platform will be used in NEOM, and the team will launch a new set of features there “to enable very complex eVTOL and drone operations.”

One current objective for the UTM system provider is to offer better support for automated operations that are conducted beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). Their system makes advanced flight planning for BVLOS operations much easier.

“We are continuing to build on our API,” said Van Swalm. “Unifly is there to enable autonomous aviation. It’s not just using our user interface. We’re working on user-friendly APIs where systems like Volocopter or drone operators can connect using an API—they don’t need to use our interface.”

Unifly hopes to offer its customers a higher degree of configurability in the coming year so that they are able to configure the system by themselves if they wish. Their customers have specifically requested this increased configurability, Van Swalm explained. “We will continue to build more advanced U-space functionalities, such as tactical deconfliction,” he noted.

According to Unifly’s CEO, there are two main challenges facing the drone industry. The first is standardization of UTM and U-space. “It’s quite API-driven; it requires connections, and it can only work if we standardize,” he explained. “There are a lot of standardization initiatives, but some standards need to be defined from scratch. To enable communication with each other, we need to work on standardization.”

The second obstacle is the need to develop the optimal business model for drones. Drone operators have small margins, and it is not yet clear what the best business model will be.

“We’re a technology company,” Van Swalm commented. “It’s more a challenge for our customers, but it’s also a challenge for us. Our customers need to know how they are going to earn money if they are going to provide the service.

“We are looking into how we can create a sustainable business model, and what are good prices for drone operators to pay,” he added.

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Aerus Signs Letter of Intent for 30 Electric Aircraft from Eviation

Aerus signed a Letter of Intent to purchase 30 all-electric commuter aircraft from Eviation. (Photo: Eviation)

Electric aircraft manufacturer Eviation announced last week that the airline Aerus signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for 30 commuter aircraft. Aerus, a regional airline in Mexico, plans to serve communities in the northern parts of the country including Nuevo León, Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and Veracruz. The airline will use Monterrey Airport as its regional hub to launch commercial operations this year.

Eviation’s Alice aircraft has nine seats and is fully electric. Two magni650 electric propulsion units power the Alice aircraft. It completed its first flight in September 2022 in Washington State, remaining airborne for eight minutes at 3,500 feet.

The Alice aircraft performs its first flight (Photo: Eviation)

Gregory Davis, CEO of Eviation, offered updates on the company in an interview with Avionics International last fall. The interview followed an announcement that GlobalX had signed an LOI to order 50 aircraft from Eviation. “We’re going to get to a point in the not-too-distant future where people are simply flying on all-electric aircraft,” Davis said.

“It’s going to be normal to get on a short-range flight, such as Alice, to go to your destination, or to use these aircraft to have your package delivered with zero specific impact on the environment.”

Davis commented on the announcement about the LOI signed by Aerus, saying, “Our aircraft is an ideal fit for Aerus as a large number of flights in northern Mexico are already less than 250 miles. We are always pleased to receive the endorsement of forward-thinking airlines that are keen to address the climate challenge and be part of the future of aviation.”

Javier Herrera García, CEO of Aerus, also remarked on the announcement that their objective is to create new opportunities for regional travel within Mexico and to ensure that these opportunities are both environmentally and economically sustainable. “Working with Eviation to bring a zero-emissions fleet to our region will transform the way we experience air travel and connect communities like never before,” he added.

“Working with Eviation to bring a zero-emissions fleet to our region will transform the way we experience air travel and connect communities like never before.” (Photo: Eviation)

Air New Zealand has also signed an LOI with Eviation for up to 23 electric aircraft. The announcement, made public last month, followed news of Air New Zealand’s Mission NextGen Aircraft program launch.

According to Greg Foran, CEO of Air New Zealand, “Mission NextGen Aircraft represents a significant commitment to the development of sustainable aircraft and the supporting infrastructure needed to decarbonize our domestic flights. Eviation’s all-electric Alice aircraft is a natural fit for the program with its proven technology that is optimized for short-range flights.”

Last April, Eviation published news of a significant LOI signed by Massachusetts-based Cape Air—one of the largest commuter airlines in the U.S. Cape Air intends to purchase 75 aircraft from Eviation to operate a regional electric fleet.

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Alaska Airlines Selects Intelsat’s Technology to Offer Satellite Wi-Fi on Regional Aircraft

Alaska Airlines plans to upgrade its E175 regional jets with streaming-fast satellite Wi-Fi in partnership with Intelsat. (Photo: Alaska Airlines/Intelsat)

Alaska Airlines just announced that it plans to be the first global airline to offer high-speed Wi-Fi on regional jets. The airline chose Intelsat’s newest satellite Wi-Fi technology that uses an electronically steered array (ESA). The latest system from Intelsat has the capability to communicate with new Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites in addition to traditional geostationary (GEO) satellites.

Intelsat’s new system will first be utilized on Alaska’s sister airline, Horizon Air, early next year. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the system will be rolled out across Alaska Airlines’ fleet of regional jets—including those operated by the airline’s partner, SkyWest.

Intelsat is also installing its satellite Wi-Fi technology across the majority of Alaska Airlines’ mainline fleet. The airline shared in its announcement that it is on track to provide its entire fleet with consistent Wi-Fi—fast enough to enable streaming—by 2026.

Dave Bijur, SVP of Commercial at Intelsat, commented, “With Alaska, Intelsat brings a new IFC solution that’s especially well-suited to regional jets,” in a statement provided to Avionics International.

“By using both LEO satellites from OneWeb, in combination with Intelsat’s own fleet of GEO satellites, we can deliver the most consistent, reliable, streaming-quality inflight internet experience to airlines and their guests,” Bijur continued. “We are honored to be upgrading Alaska’s regional jet fleet with this new 90-pound antenna that isn’t just fast—it’s also a weight- and drag-saver.”

The ESA utilized by Intelsat’s new system enables easier maintenance due to the fact that it is a lightweight antenna without moving parts. The ability to communicate with LEO satellites at 300 miles from the Earth’s surface gives Intelsat’s system stronger connectivity and lower latency. Greater coverage is particularly valuable across the remote areas in Alaska.

“With an additional $25 million investment, this upgrade represents a major step forward in the travel experience for our guests, enabling higher speeds and more coverage in the air, particularly across areas in the state of Alaska,” the airline shared in the announcement.

An aerial view of Alaska (Photo: NASA’s Earth Science Project Office [ESPO])

Sangita Woerner, senior vice president of marketing and guest experience for Alaska Airlines, commented on the selection of Intelsat’s system. Woerner remarked, “Intelsat’s new system will give our guests the peace of mind that no matter whether it’s a short flight or longer journey, there will be reliable, affordable and convenient Wi-Fi.”

“With the growth in remote work, we know staying connected at 34,000 feet is more important than ever,” Woerner added.

Virgin Australia is another airline that has incorporated Intelsat’s satellite connectivity technology into its fleet. In October, Virgin Australia announced that the 2Ku satellite connectivity solution from Intelsat would be installed on its existing fleet of Boeing 737 NG aircraft as well as future 737 MAX aircraft.

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