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FAA’s MOSIAC Rule Change Could Pave Way For Ultralight, eVTOL Certification

Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part series on FAA certification of light sport and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The first can be found here.

The FAA is proposing a rule modification for certifying light sport aircraft called the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification, or MOSAIC, to incorporate the development of emerging technologies, in particular electrically-powered rotorcraft.

Two decades of data show that flying LSA-approved aircraft was safer than amateur-built kit and ultralight aircraft, according to Vertical Flight Society Director of Strategy Mike Hirschberg. This, he said, demonstrated that the LSA “experiment” was successful and could be modified to include larger aircraft, small rotorcraft and electric aircraft.

MOSAIC will enable companies targeting personal/private and recreational use of their aircraft because the proposed rule allows LSA pilots to fly for recreational purposes and not for carrying persons or property for compensation or hire. Hirschberg said companies with smaller one- and two-seat eVTOL aircraft would be able to sell their factory-built air vehicles for private or recreational use in the US, allowing some ultralight aircraft, which are more severely restricted by speed and weight, to be approved as compliant with MOSAIC requirements. This would allow larger designs with a higher expectation of safety.

AIR of Israel plans to have its AIR ONE two-seat multi-copter with collapsible wings approved for use in US airspace under MOSAIC if the rule is finalized as written. Roni Flouts, AIR CEO, told Avionics on Nov. 2 that approval under MOSAIC would allow the company to offer its aircraft in the US much sooner than competitors.

AIR also has the aircraft undergoing type certification. Flouts said the company plans to offer the AIR ONE not only as a recreation and commuting aircraft but also as a training platform. AIR wants to use the AIR ONE to train powered lift pilots for flying eVTOL aircraft being developed by companies such as Joby, Beta Technologies and Archer.

The FAA created the LSA category to establish rules for the manufacture, certification, operation and maintenance of light-sport aircraft such as airplanes, gliders, balloons, powered parachutes, weight-shift-control aircraft and gyroplanes weighing less than 1,320 lbs or 1,430 lbs for aircraft intended for operation on water. The FAA uses experimental amateur-built aircraft for the safety continuum or requirement, discussions since they are similar to light-sport category aircraft in the MOSAIC proposal.

Amateur-built aircraft are largely used for recreational purposes, are flown by sport pilots and pilots with higher grade certificates, and generally have the same flight envelope and occupancy limits. Amateur-built aircraft have no regulatory design requirements for the suitability of materials used, structural integrity, or instruments, equipment and systems. MOSAIC would prescribe design requirements for light-sport aircraft for these items.

The FAA said light-sport category aircraft, since 2004, have shown a lower accident rate than experimental amateur-built airplanes. As of 2021, there have been 984 accidents, or incidents involving light-sport category aircraft, with roughly half of those accidents or incidents occurring during the landing phase.

Of the 501 landing accidents, seven resulted in a fatality. The second highest number of accidents or incidents, 164, occurred during an emergency descent.

Carl Dietrich, Jump Aero Inc. founder and president said the safety record of light sport aircraft since the category was established is somewhat remarkable considering the durability issues these aircraft had in the field due to the weight limit in the existing definition. The FAA, he said, now has data from the past 20 years that the process of declaring compliance with industry standards results in a safety record that is almost as good as certified aircraft that have gone through the more burdensome FAA certification process.

The FAA considers that the safety record of light-sport category aircraft validates certification requirements originally established and provides support for expanding the scope of certification for light-sport category aircraft and operations.

“The FAA intends for these expansions to increase safety by encouraging aircraft owners, who may be deciding between an experimental aircraft or a light-sport category aircraft, to choose aircraft higher on the safety continuum and, therefore, meet higher aircraft certification requirements,” the administration said in its Federal Register notice.

The proposal would also expand the type of aircraft sport pilots can operate and allow them to use their aircraft for a wider range of operations, such as some aerial work. If MOSAIC is finalized, Hirschberg said, small eVTOL and electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) aircraft could be operated by sport pilots. Although sport pilots could operate aircraft designed with up to four seats, they would remain limited to operating with only one passenger.

Pivotal, developer of the BlackFly and Helix single-seat tilt eVTOL with fixed rotors and tandem wings, supports MOSAIC. Kristina Menton, company COO, told Avionics on Nov. 8 that Pivotal is specifically in support of adopting a performance-based requirement for LSA.

Pivotal, she said, also endorses allowing increased aviation training device credit for simulator time beyond the 2.5 hours that would be permitted for sport pilots under MOSAIC. This is because not only are modern simulators highly realistic to actual flying of alternate types of aircraft, but flying on a Cessna or similar fixed-wing aircraft is not the best training for flying a BlackFly or Helix. The FAA does not currently permit the use of flight simulation training devices (FSTD) or aviation training devices (ATD) to meet sport pilot experience requirements for a certificate or rating.

Not everything is potentially positive for electric aircraft developers under MOSAIC. Hirschberg said that if light-sport aircraft under the proposed rule amendment are not sufficiently airworthy, or their pilots are not sufficiently risk-adverse, they could tarnish the image of rotorcraft and electric aircraft in the minds of the public and the FAA.

The administration announced on Oct. 4 that it extended the comment period for MOSAIC through Jan. 22.

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Daher, Safran, Airbus Demonstrate EcoPulse Hybrid-Electric Propulsion System

EcoPulse, the hybrid-electric distributed propulsion aircraft demonstrator jointly developed by Daher, Safran and Airbus to support aviation’s decarbonization roadmap, has successfully performed its first flight test in hybrid-electric mode, the companies announced on Dec. 5.

The demonstrator flew with its electrically-driven “ePropellers” activated, powered by a battery and a turbogenerator.

EcoPulse took off from Tarbes Airport, in southern France near the Spanish border, on Nov. 29, just after 10:30 a.m. local time. The test flight lasted nearly two hours.

During the flight, the crew engaged the electric propellers and successfully tested the aircraft demonstrator’s flight control computer, high-voltage battery pack, distributed electric propulsion and hybrid electric turbogenerator, Airbus said.

EcoPulse’s first hybrid flight follows extensive ground tests and 10 hours of flight tests of the aircraft with the electrical systems inactive.

Based on a Daher TBM aircraft platform, EcoPulse is equipped with six integrated electric thrusters or e-Propellers supplied by Safran, distributed along its wings. Its propulsion system integrates two power sources: an electric generator driven by a gas turbine also supplied by Safran, and a high-energy density battery pack supplied by Airbus.

At the heart of the aircraft architecture is a power distribution and rectifier unit, or PDRU, that protects the high-voltage power distribution network.

The battery pack designed by Airbus is rated at 800 Volts DC and can deliver up to 350 kilowatts of power. Airbus also developed the flight control computer that controls aircraft maneuvers using the ePropellers, and synchrophasing to support future aircraft acoustic recommendations, the company said.

The demonstrator aims to evaluate the operational advantages of integrating hybrid-electric distributed propulsion, with specific emphasis on carbon emissions and noise-level reduction. This disruptive propulsion architecture enables a single independent electrical source to power several engines distributed throughout the aircraft.

“We confirmed today that this disruptive propulsion system works in flight, which paves the way for more sustainable aviation,” said Eric Dalbiès, Safran’s executive vice president of strategy and chief technology officer. “The lessons learned from upcoming flight tests will feed into our technology roadmap and strengthen our position as leader in future all-electric and hybrid-electric propulsive systems.”

“The flight campaign will give Daher invaluable data on the effectiveness of the onboard technologies, including distributed propulsion, high-voltage batteries and hybrid-electric propulsion,” commented Pascal Laguerre, Chief Technology Officer at Daher. “We’re working to converge practical and significant know-how on design, certification and operation to shape our path toward more sustainable aircraft for the future.”

Unveiled at the 2019 Paris Air Show, EcoPulse is one of the major collaborative projects in Europe to reduce the aviation industry’s reliance on fossil fuels. It is supported by the French Civil Aviation Research Council, and co-funded by the French Civil Aviation Authority through a French government economic recovery plan and NextGeneration EU.

“This is a major milestone for our industry and we’re proud to have powered the EcoPulse demonstrator first flight with our new battery systems,” said Sabine Klauke, chief technical officer at Airbus. High-energy density batteries will be necessary to reduce carbon emissions from aviation, whether for light aircraft, advanced air mobility or large hybrid-electric aircraft. Projects like EcoPulse are key to accelerating progress in electric and hybrid electric flight, and a cornerstone of our aim to decarbonize the aerospace industry as a whole.”

FAA’s proposed MOSAIC rule for Light Sport Aircraft could slash electric aircraft development costs

Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series on FAA certification of light sport and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The second can be found here.

A proposed rule modification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could benefit electric aircraft developers as it would allow new types of aircraft to fly without costing hundreds of millions of dollars for certification.

Mike Hirschberg, director of strategy at the Vertical Flight Society (VFS), told Avionics on Nov. 25 that the proposed Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) rule amendment for light sport aircraft (LSA) should allow larger aircraft to be approved to fly under the category. This, he said, will make them much cheaper to certify, manufacture and purchase than existing type certificated aircraft.

Hirschberg said the cost of flying, such as operations and maintenance, among others, will also be less with major changes like electric propulsion, which has generally been seen as costing less to fly and maintain than traditional light sport aircraft that use piston-powered propulsion systems.

MOSAIC could greatly accelerate the adoption of electric aircraft for small air vehicles as well as help attract more fixed- and rotary-wing pilots to the industry. Hirschberg said MOSAIC would open up new designs and technologies that are safer and cheaper compared to existing light sport aircraft, kit-built and ultralight designs.

“The Vertical Flight Society is very excited to see the FAA leaning forward on such a progressive approach to allowing smaller aircraft to fly in the national airspace system,” Hirschberg said.

The FAA on July 24 issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would expand the definition of LSA and amend rules for the manufacture, certification, operation, maintenance and alteration of light sport aircraft. Under the proposal, the aircraft’s weight limit is based on its stall speed.

By permitting higher stall speeds of 54 knots calibrated airspeed (CAS) for airplanes, the proposal would bring aircraft weighing around 3,000 pounds within the LSA regulatory framework. This would more than double the weight of aircraft under the current LSA definition of 1,320 lbs, allowing larger and stronger aircraft to qualify as LSA, according to an FAA statement.

Light-sport aircraft are currently limited to 45 knots CAS at the aircraft’s maximum certificated takeoff weight and most critical center of gravity. MOSAIC would retain the 45 knots CAS maximum stall speed for gliders and weight-shift-control aircraft.

Carl Dietrich, Jump Aero Incorporated founder and president, told Avionics on Nov. 27 that there is a large gap under the current LSA regulatory construct, which was created in 2004. At one end is Part 103 ultralight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that do not need to meet any standards.

At the other end is certified Part 21.17b “special projects”, the process being used to certify eVTOL air taxis that has extensive bureaucratic requirements and very high certification costs. Dietrich said MOSAIC will open a new middle ground between these two pathways to market that should inspire both additional investment in product development and increased customer demand.

Additionally, Dietrich said MOSAIC would reduce the cost of flying eVTOL and light-sport aircraft since the cost to bring a new product to market will be lower than under the current construct. As such, manufacturers will not need to amortize as large of a development cost, resulting in more product options for consumers.

This, in turn, would lead to more competition and lower prices. Jump Aero is developing a biplane standing tail-sitter with high lift-to-drag ratio and low frontal area to be used for emergency medical services.

If MOSAIC is finalized as written, Dietrich expects to see many more products that will excite general aviation consumers with the most significant possibility being a true commuter eVTOL. Previous Part 103 ultralight aircraft, he said, cannot be legally flown to places people want to go, but light-sport aircraft can go to those locations. This opens a tremendous opportunity that many eVTOL developers are looking into.

“I believe the MOSAIC NPRM, if accepted as written, could be the single most positive regulatory change of this century in the general aviation industry,” Dietrich said.

Eve Air Mobility and NATS team to develop urban air mobility air traffic management systems

Eve Air Mobility and NATS Services, the commercial arm of the U.K.’s leading air traffic control services provider, announced at the Dubai Airshow they would partner to develop future traffic management services for urban air mobility (UAM) operators worldwide.

The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to reinforce the partnership designed to advance technologies for a faster, more efficient and sustainable urban air transportation system.

“Our first association with NATS began in early 2021 as part of the U.K. UAM Consortium with the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority Regulatory Sandbox, developing a concept of operations for the London environment, including air traffic management arrangements and proposing new regulatory solutions,” said Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve. “Our work with NATS throughout the years both fortifies our newly established relationship and supports our forthcoming projects and future endeavors designed to transform the urban air mobility sector globally.”

The Eve-led U.K. concept of operations was developed in partnership with the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and global companies, including NATS as well as six other members, using data to focus on the technologies needed for near-term UAM deployment in London. The CAA published the Phase 1 results of the Future Air Mobility Regulatory Sandbox project in October 2021, highlighting eVTOL strengths and the challenges that will inform future developments in the UAM industry.

Eve and NATS have also been part of the Future Flight Challenge through the Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium (AMEC) with leading British aviation companies since July 2022. Developed by U.K. research and innovation and delivered by Innovate U.K., the program is funded by the U.K. government and aims to accelerate the progress of new technologies and advanced aviation technologies while attempting to demonstrate the societal benefits of advanced aviation, the companies said

“We already work closely with Eve as part of the U.K. Future Flight Phase 3 AMEC project, working to prepare U.K. airspace for future UAM operations,” said NATS Services Managing Director Guy Adams. “Going forward, we intend to grow our collaborative efforts to explore future traffic management products and solutions worldwide and enable the introduction and scaling of UAM across many countries in a consistent, high-performance and safe approach.”

Eve’s Urban air traffic management software is an agnostic solution that will enable the integration of all airspace users in the urban environment, the company said, which is “critical to supporting the safety, efficiency, and improvement of the entire UAM ecosystem, including fleet and vertiport operators.”

Skyryse automates helicopter autorotation, but some pilots are skeptical it can outperform human pilots

Skyryse in July performed what it calls the first fully automated helicopter autorotation emergency landing procedure, according to a Nov. 9 company statement.

Skyryse’s technology is a highly automated flight control system. The company claims it is the first and only system that works with the pilot through a reimagined human-machine interface to manage complex emergency procedures — including during autorotation after an engine failure. Due to the complexity of current control systems, the company claims helicopters have been unable to automate this manuever until now.

Using redundant flight controls and a suite of sensors, the Skyryse system quickly recognizes a power failure, sets multiple procedures in motion, and uses a button push to make the landing uneventful, the company says. From entry to steady descent, it lowers the aircraft’s pitch, aligns the nose, manages stability, completes the flare and lands at the desired landing location, according to Skyryse.

A Skyryse video posted March 3 to YouTube shows National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg flying a helicopter with a tablet computer and a sidestick-type controller. Skyryse in July performed a fully-automated helicopter autorotation emergency landing procedure. PHOTO CREDIT: Skyryse/Youtube

Skyryse said it has completed dozens of automated autorotations since the initial demonstration. The milestone automated autorotation took place in a Robinson R66 five-seat rotorcraft outfitted with Skyryse technology at its Los Angeles-area flight test and performance facility.

Skyryse markets itself as making it easier for lay people to fly helicopters. As flying is complex and requires pilots to constantly log flight time to remain proficient and safe, Skyryse says its FlightOS software can boost pilot supply by simplifying the cockpit and flight controls as well as automating certain features. FlightOS, the company says, makes it easier to manage any aircraft and earn a pilot’s license.

Skyryse did not return requests for comment prior to publication.

An aeronautical engineer and helicopter pilot with roughly 1,000 flight hours is skeptical of Skyryse’s claims that its software will allow average people to safely fly rotorcraft. This pilot, who asked not to be identified by name, told Avionics on Nov. 15 that there are many different scenarios where having a human pilot in the loop is important to ensure safety.

The pilot said mechanical inputs translated into a tablet computer do not necessarily add layers of safety. He said they may also degrade safety in certain scenarios, such as a rotor stopping or a false indication of an engine failure.

In a false engine failure scenario, the light may turn on and a sound may resemble engine failure, but a human pilot would attempt to enter autorotation and troubleshoot to verify whether an engine died.

“If that happens, would the computer troubleshoot?” he said. “Once you start diving into details, there are complex scenarios where human decision-making is extremely important.”

The pilot said there is also too much complexity in a tablet-driven fly-by-wire system for human pilots to quickly respond in emergencies. He said if a bird came into his viewscreen, he would not move the autopilot to change the heading because there is far too much lag and the gain on the system is too low. The pilot said he would need to “get on the sticks” and move the flight controls rapidly and disconnect the autopilot.

The pilot pointed out how Skyryse over the last two years subtly transitioned from flying a helicopter exclusively with tablet computers to adding a sidestick-type controller to go with the tablets. The company posted a video on YouTube on Oct. 27, 2021, that showed actor Jon Hamm learning to fly an aircraft with just two tablets and Skyryse technology.

Skyryse on March 3 posted a video on YouTube showing Bruce Landsberg, U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) vice chairman, using one tablet with the sidestick-type controller.

Dan Patt, a senior fellow with the Hudson Institute’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology who has a PhD in dynamics and control, with helicopter applications, told Avionics on Nov. 13 that there is a lot of promise in the add-on automation approach used by Skyryse and others. It can make existing operations safer, build hours and reliability into systems, reduce pilot workload and create a path toward fully uncrewed operations, he said.

Icarus provides ‘smart’ view-limiting helicopter pilot training device to University of North Dakota

Icarus in mid-2023 delivered to the University of North Dakota five of its “smart” view-limiting helicopter pilot training devices that gives flight training instructors the ability to change flight visibility for students.

Nick Sinopoli, company founder and managing partner, told Avionics on Nov. 13 that the deal had a total value of $6,250 to outfit the university’s Robinson R44 four-seat helicopters. Icarus’ view-limiting pilot training device is a lightweight screen that the pilot wears in front of their eyes, either clamped to a hat or flight helmet or as part of a headset. The device helps pilots practice the critical transition to instrument flight and remain calm and in control of the aircraft, the Sinopoli said.

Icarus has also sold its device to the U.S. Army National Guard (ANG). Sinopoli declined to provide details, but said that 30% of states in the ANG use it.

A student pilot dons an ICARUS flight training device during a demonstration by a company employee. ICARUS photo

The device uses an electronic signal to change the opacity of the screen in front of the student’s eyes, simulating clouds or fog while flying. It can simulate different levels of flight visibility, from unrestricted to less than a half-mile.

When in use, the device can be changed by a flight instructor from transparent to opaque either gradually or instantly, simulating the aircraft’s entry into low-visibility conditions, according to a company statement. The device replaces the traditional hood for instrument flight rules (IFR) training and allows for inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions training. The screen is battery-powered and paired to the instructor’s iPad for remote control.

The technology used in Icarus’ device is polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PLDC) film, also known as smart glass, Sinopoli said. The idea for the technology came after he had a near miss with a bird under a paper hood and had just read about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner commercial fixed-wing jet airliner’s electrochromic windows, which Sinopoli said uses the same type of technology to electronically dim cabin windows.

The device is powered by a common small battery that provides six hours of power. The device is paired to the instructor’s tablet computer for remote control.

There is a cutout in the visor that Sinopoli said allows the student pilot to see the instrument panel. It is tailored to the aircraft to ensure the pilot does not receive any visual cues that they will not get in a cloud. Old hoods and foggles, he said, allow pilots to see outside, which leads to a massive training gap and a false sense of security. As the R44 has a small instrument panel, it has the smallest cutout.

Icarus’ device was granted fleet-wide airworthiness releases for the Sikorsky UH-60M/L Black Hawk and the Airbus Helicopters UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) earlier this year.

UND Aerospace has been evaluating the ICARUS device for the past year and found it extremely valuable. “We are always looking at innovative ways to improve safety and flight training, and the ICARUS has proven to be a key tool for instrument training,” said Wes Van Dell, chief flight instructor for the helicopter program at UND Aerospace. “Using the ICARUS in the aircraft combined with our GAT Helo spatial disorientation simulator on the ground, we aim to provide the highest level of instrument and IIMC training in the industry.”

Leonardo delivers first multifunction radar upgrade for U.K. Eurofighters

Leonardo has delivered the first prototype European Common Radar System Mk2 to BAE Systems for integration onto a U.K. Eurofighter Typhoon.

The new multifunction array radar will allow the Typhoon to better locate targets, perform electronic jamming attacks against enemy radars and stay further away while identifying and engaging potential threats.

Leonardo is developing the ECRS Mk2 in Edinburgh, where U.K.combat air radar capabilities are based, and Luton, where the company conducts advanced electronic warfare research, development and production.

The radar will now be integrated with a Typhoon, which will then undergo ground-based testing at BAE Systems’ flight-testing facility in Lancashire, U.K.., in preparation for its first flight tests on board the Eurofighter Typhoon next year.

“Delivery of the prototype radar to Warton is the latest key milestone in this exciting program,” said Lyndon Hoyle, head of the Typhoon Delivery Team at Defence Equipment and Support, the procurement arm of the UK Ministry of Defence. “It was only possible thanks to a lot of hard work and excellent collaboration across DE&S, Air Command and industry: ingredients for success that we shall take forward into the next phase of the program.”

The ECRS Mk2’s multifunctional array (MFA) can perform both traditional radar functions such as search and targeting, as well as electronic warfare tasks, Leonardo said. This means that Eurofighter Typhoon will be able to locate and deny use of an adversary’s radar with an electronic jamming attack while staying beyond the reach of threats, the company said.

“The ECRS Mk2 radar is one of a number of key capabilities which we are integrating to secure Typhoons as the backbone of air defense across the globe for decades to come,” said Richard Hamilton, Typhoon Program Director for Europe at BAE Systems Air. “Together with enhanced mission systems, advanced sensors, weapons and displays, we are delivering a sovereign capability which will keep RAF pilots safe and ensure the UK has the skills to continue to mature key technologies which support its future combat air ambitions.”

ECRS Mk2 is a wide-band array, which means not only can it detect its own active transmit-receive functions to detect targets, but it can also passively detect emissions through a far broader range of the spectrum, according to the Typhoon program, which published details of its radar upgrade program in July.

“It is able to track both airborne targets and surface-based emitters without having to discharge a signal itself,” the program explained. “It’s what’s called ‘a very high gain sensor’ which means it is able to emit across a wide frequency range and potentially disrupt hostile emitters whether they be surface or airborne. As an electronic attack and warfare tool the ECRS Mk2 will be incredibly capable — able to carry out sophisticated Electronic Warfare functions whilst performing its primary role as an air-to-air radar sensor.”

Northrop completes first flight of Australia’s Triton maritime surveillance drone, ahead of 2024 delivery

Northrop Grumman recently completed the first flight of Australia’s multi-intelligence MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance maritime surveillance aircraft.

The aircraft took off just before noon on Nov. 9, at Northrop’s Palmdale, Calif., Aircraft Integration Center. It flew for just under six and a half hours, the company said.

During the sortie, ground crews performed airworthiness evaluations, such as engine, flight-control and fuel-system checks, and conducted basic aircraft handling tests.

“We are leveraging our deep expertise in uncrewed high-altitude long endurance aircraft to enable Australia to establish a superior long-range maritime surveillance capability to monitor and protect Australia’s maritime interests 24/7,” said Christine Zeitz, Northrop’s chief executive and general manager of Australia & New Zealand.

The flight marks a major production milestone toward delivery of Australia’s first Triton in 2024. Triton achieved a declaration of initial operating capability (IOC) and has been in service with the U.S. Navy since August.

Built for the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force, MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft performs persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting.

In September, the Australian government announced it would buy a fourth Triton that will enhance the resilience of its fleet and provide surveillance capability to monitor and protect Australia’s maritime interests.

All four Australian Tritons currently under contract are progressing as planned through their production schedules, Northrop said.

Australia’s security challenges run the spectrum of humanitarian and disaster relief to maritime monitoring of sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific

“Triton expands Australia’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability by providing reliable real-time intelligence and situational awareness. Persistent surveillance enables better planning, greatly enhancing joint military responses and operations,” said Air Marshal Robert Chipman, chief of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Once Triton enters service with the RAAF, U.S. and Australian defense forces will be able to share data collected by their respective aircraft, effectively doubling the intelligence collection capabilities of both countries.

Joby, Volocopter perform demonstration flights in NYC, which seeks to electrify its downtown heliport

Electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft developers Joby Aviation and Volocopter performed exhibition flights in New York City on Nov. 13 at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (DMH) as part of an announcement by the city of its intention to electrify the facility.

Joby flew its aircraft first with a pilot on board for roughly six minutes. The company flew its pre-production prototype, a previous generation of the aircraft it delivered to Edwards Air Force Base in California as part of a contract with the US Air Force (USAF), Joby spokesman Brian Garrett-Glaser said on Nov. 13. The aircraft delivered to Edwards, he said, is a production prototype because it came off an assembly line.

Joby also flew its aircraft in New York on Nov. 12, marking the first eVTOL flight in the city and the first time Joby has flown in an urban setting. Joby’s Nov. 13 flight was proceeded by several days of preparation flights at the HHI Heliport in Kearny, New Jersey, according to a company statement. Garrett-Glaser declined to say how long the aircraft flew during these preparation flights.

Joby’s preproduction prototype eVTOL flies over New York City on Nov. 13. Joby photo

JoeBen Bevirt, Joby founder and CEO, said during a Nov. 13 presentation that the company is nearing the conclusion of the third stage of its U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification process. Joby, he said, is deep into testing each of the aircraft’s components and systems so it can prove out the full type certification.

Volocopter followed with its Volocopter 2X, flying for nearly 5 and a half minutes with a pilot onboard. The Volocopter 2X also flew on Nov. 12 for under five minutes, company spokesperson Akiko Itoga said on Nov. 13, marking its first flight in the city.

Christian Bauer, Volocopter managing director and chief financial and commercial officer, said at the Nov. 13 presentation that the company wants to enter commercial service in the U.S. in 2025. Volocopter, he said, will be first certified in Europe and then in the U.S.

Itoga said the VoloCity aircraft is in the late stages of European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) audits and flight testing. The Volocopter 2X is a German ultralight, Itoga said, a size smaller than the VoloCity but with fundamentally the same design architecture: 18 rotors/motors and nine swappable lithium-ion batteries.

Beta Technologies was also represented at the presentation, though it did not fly an aircraft. The company had its four-foot-tall Charge Cube on display. The Charge Cube’s continuous 350-kilowatt power output will charge the company’s Alia aircraft in 50 minutes.

The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYC EDC) on Nov. 10 issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking an operator of the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, a public-use heliport comprising roughly 80,000 square feet along the East River waterfront. The city anticipates entering into an agreement with a winning bidder around the second quarter of 2024 for one five-year term with a five-year conditional option to renew and two additional five-year options to renew at the city’s discretion.

New York seeks proposals that support aerial use of the site, including, but not limited to, eVTOL aircraft and helicopters. It also wants proposals that will invest, install and activate the necessary support infrastructure to facilitate eVTOL use. The operator will be required to complete the build-out and activation of the necessary eVTOL infrastructure within the initial five-year term.

The city’s EDC anticipates the FAA certifying certain eVTOL aircraft as early as 2024. Proposals are due Jan. 12.

Companies’ Perspective on New Data Links and Waveforms Sought for SDA Tranche 3 Transport Layer

The U.S. Space Force Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Gamma satellites are to include Ultra High Frequency (UHF) S-band connections, an advanced tactical data link, and enhanced, anti-jam waveforms. But Tranche 2 does not appear to be the end of the SDA innovation trail. The agency is seeking industry ideas on new data links and waveforms for Tranche 3.

A Nov. 6 SDA request for information (RFI) “seeks to inform SDA’s roadmap of future datalinks and/or waveforms and to guide the integration of these capabilities into future Tranches.”

“This RFI seeks to align datalink and waveform capabilities for baselining and/or demonstration in Tranche 3 with launches planned to begin in FY 2028,” the business notice said.

Industry ideas on optical communications waveforms for PWSA Tranche 3 and above “would include risk reduction efforts to support low data rate links, and long-range links, specifically space-to-space geometries of low earth orbit (LEO) to medium earth orbit (MEO) (L2M) and low earth orbit (LEO) to geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) (L2G) ranges,” SDA said. “Responses to this RFI will specifically inform SDA’s Transport Layer Tranche 3 planning beginning in fiscal year 2024 (FY 2024) for subsequent acquisition efforts to slated to begin in FY 2025.”

SDA satellites are to have optical communications terminals (OCTs) to link with other satellites and ground terminals.

“While SDA has completed its internal review of potential additions to the Tranche 3 OCT standard, it is likely other military services, commands or other government agencies have completed architecture studies that have included industry or industry has internally studied or invested in this area,” the Nov. 6 RFI said. “Hence, SDA would like to leverage what has already been accomplished in cooperation with industry before making a final determination of optical standards that affect the Tranche 3 architecture. As currently envisioned, the Tranche 3 Transport Layer may have different space vehicle variants. Tranche 3 is expected to operate via multiple planes at approximately 1000km in 80–90-degree inclination orbits.”

On Oct. 30, SDA said that it had awarded Northrop Grumman a $732 million firm-fixed-price Other Transaction Authorities (OTA) contract to build 38 satellites for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer (T2TL)-Alpha constellation (Defense Daily, Oct. 30).

The 100 Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Alpha satellites are to transmit beyond line-of-sight Link 16 data to military forces from space, while the Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta satellites are to transmit over UHF S-band for tactical satellite communications, and the future Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Gamma satellites are to use an advanced tactical data link.

On Oct. 10, SDA awarded the first Alpha contract of $617 million to Denver’s York Space Systems for 62 satellites in eight orbital planes (Defense Daily, Oct. 23).

The satellites are part of SDA’s low Earth orbit-focused PWSA. The Transport Layer is to be the linchpin of DoD’s future Joint All Domain Command and Control infrastructure, which is to feature minimal lag time communications, sensor-to-shooter connectivity, and tactical satellite communication directly to platforms engaged in military operations.

In August, SDA awarded Lockheed Martin‘s Space division in Littleton, Colo., $818 million and Northrop Grumman’s Space Systems segment in Redondo Beach, Calif., $733 million–a total of more than $1.5 billion –for 72 Tranche 2 Transport Layer – Beta satellites–36 by each company (Defense Daily, Aug. 21). Lockheed Martin is to build those satellites at the company’s recently opened small satellite plant in Littleton.

While SDA had planned on 44 Gamma birds, SDA Director Derek Tournear told Silicon Valley Space Week’s Milsat Symposium on Oct. 19 that the requirement is now 24 Gamma satellites, as SDA is in discussions with a third, possible Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta vendor to put the advanced tactical data link on 24 additional Beta satellites.

SDA said that it expects to issue the Gamma solicitation by the end of this year. Tranche 2 is to have about 270 Transport and Tracking Layer satellites. The SDA Transport Layer satellites are to provide rapid sensor to shooter data, while the Tracking Layer satellites are to provide a significant leap in the detection and tracking of hypersonic and ballistic missiles.

This story initially appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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