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PLANA Wins iF Design Award

eVTOL developer PLANA received the iF Design Award in the Professional Concept category. The company also launched a revamped version of its website this week and revealed the codename for its hybrid eVTOL, the CP-01. (Photo: PLANA)

On April 17, 2023, South Korean aircraft developer PLANA announced that it won a highly-coveted iF Design Award. Winning in the Professional Concept category, this recognition highlights the developer’s commitment to its goal of creating sustainable air travel with electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Hosted annually in Germany, the iF Design Awards are widely viewed as one of the top award recognitions for designs (along with the Red Dot Design and IDEA). Due to its popularity, the program received thousands of submissions: the Professional Concept category in which PLANA competed received over 11,000 entries. Winning the award is a testament to PLANA’s advanced design, which includes a highly aerodynamic exterior and an interior aimed to create a comfortable and safe customer experience through the use of wide doors, bucket seats, and a variety of storage options. Winning this award also means PLANA has become a part of a small group of eVTOL developers, like Lilium and Vertical Aerospace, to receive this recognition.

PLANA is an advanced air mobility (AAM) developer. Its focus, which includes both urban air mobility (UAM) and regional air mobility (RAM), has become an area of great interest in the industry as manufacturers and carriers alike seek new ways to connect regions and destinations that cannot be profitably served using existing aircraft and infrastructure. PLANA’s new eVTOL design will be significantly more environmentally friendly than today’s conventional aircraft since it boasts over 80% less carbon dioxide emissions when compared to existing helicopters. The aircraft will have a range of 310 miles (500 kilometers), and with the company just recently opening offices in the United States, is undergoing certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. PLANA hopes to introduce this aircraft into commercial service by 2028.

The development of PLANA’s new eVTOL aircraft has made tremendous progress in the past few months. In October 2022, the company raised $9 million in a pre-series A fundraising round to give the company much-needed capital to further design and plan the concept. In November 2022, the company selected Electric Power Systems to create battery systems for its design. And finally, just last month, the company signed an MoU with South Korean wireless carrier LG Uplus to conduct a joint research effort focused on 5G-based data communications and its application to UAM. Furthermore, PLANA also signed an MoU with South Korean low-cost carrier Jeju Air to collaborate and create an advanced air mobility ecosystem.

PLANA’s recent achievement reflects the company’s dedication and ability to use eVTOL technologies to make air travel cleaner and more accessible to more remote areas of the world. As the company continues to grow and develop its prototype, it comes closer to fulfilling the promise of sustainable, short-haul air travel.

The eVTOL developer also launched an updated version of its website this week. PLANA introduced the codename for its hybrid eVTOL on the new site—CP-01. Additionally, PLANA’s team is participating in the World IT Show 2023 this week in Seoul.

PLANA’s new website (Photo: PLANA)

The company recently opened offices in San Jose and Irvine, California, as part of its U.S. expansion. This gives PLANA more access to the FAA and prospective American partners.

The post PLANA Wins iF Design Award appeared first on Avionics International.

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Q&A With the New CFO of Overair

“With Hanwha’s financial backing, we’ve really been able to focus on engineering and technical development. We believe that that’s going to allow us to position Butterfly as the most capable eVTOL aircraft with the most efficient path to FAA certification.” (Photo: Overair)

Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Overair recently announced the appointment of a new CFO, Tom Whayne. He previously served as chief strategy officer of Maxar Technologies and as CFO of OneWeb. Whayne also has more than 20 years of experience in investment banking. “His finance and operating background in orbital platform companies positions him perfectly to help Overair prepare for rapid scaling,” remarked Ben Tigner, CEO and co-founder of Overair.

Overair’s headquarters are located in Santa Ana, California, and they have a flight test facility complex in Victorville.

Korean conglomerate Hanwha Systems, a strategic partner of Overair, invested $145 million in funding for eVTOL development last June.

Tom Whayne discussed the company’s goals and current efforts in a recent interview with Avionics International. Check out our question-and-answer session with Overair’s new CFO below.

“We’re focused, first and foremost, on developing a superior aircraft with the most payload capacity: our Butterfly.” (Photo: Overair)

Avionics: What brought you into the new role with the company?

Tom Whayne: I joined Overair for two principal reasons. It’s an opportunity to be part of an effort that is going to launch a whole new mode of transportation. The industry in general, and Overair in particular, is revolutionizing transportation. We’re creating sustainable solutions for advanced air mobility. To be part of that opportunity really excited me.

The second big thing is the team. The team at Overair is definitely stellar. Our co-founder and CEO Ben Tigner, and our co-founder and Chief Technology Advisor, Abe Karem, have been partners for a long time. They really pulled together an amazing team at Overair, including the recent appointment of Dr. Valerie Manning, a former senior executive at Airbus, as our Chief Commercial Officer. That team is incredibly strong.

The leadership team’s track record in innovation, which is well known in the industry, really drew me in—particularly as the whole team approaches the debut of our first aircraft by the end of this year.

What do you hope to achieve in the short- and medium-term as CFO, and what do you see as your priorities moving forward?

Whayne: I have three main priorities. The first thing is scaling the company for commercialization. Second, exploring partnerships with various players on both the commercial side as well as the manufacturing side, which will be important to us going forward. Finally, working with the entire Overair management team to build the foundation to execute upon and prepare for future financings which the company will need to undertake.

How would you describe the current state of the eVTOL industry? How do you see it evolving over the next five or ten years?

Clearly, the eVTOL market provides an opportunity for multiple companies, in our view, to have very successful businesses—given the significant market potential. There are industry observers like Morgan Stanley that expect this eVTOL industry to represent an addressable market in excess of a trillion dollars (or greater than that) by 2040. That’s going to create enormous opportunity for multiple players.

There’s a lot of support from governments. There’s rising investment from other sectors focused on eVTOLs. One of the great things about this industry is increased collaboration amongst a number of industry partners on multiple dimensions.

We think there’s going to be a sharp increase in consumer demand, as these vehicles are introduced, [because of] increased traffic congestion, pollution, noise, and all the other pain points in current modes of transportation.

As emerging companies, we are subject to market turbulence and financing issues that have been created by that market turbulence. I don’t see that going away. One of the things that will be very important for eVTOL companies in general, and Overair in particular, is to be very, very careful about cash management.

What do you see as Overair’s greatest obstacles or opportunities related to finance?

We’re actually in a great position right now. We have the benefit of being an independent company that’s privately owned. We’re focused, first and foremost, on developing a superior aircraft with the most payload capacity: our Butterfly. Being private allows us to focus on the continued development of our aircraft without the distractions of being a public company.

We have a very important strategic partner in Hanwha. They’ve made a very important strategic investment in Overair over the last few years, which really recognizes the progress of our technical team as well as the growth prospects that the company has. With Hanwha’s financial backing, we’ve really been able to focus on engineering and technical development. We believe that that’s going to allow us to position Butterfly as the most capable eVTOL aircraft with the most efficient path to FAA certification.

Could you speak to the company’s efforts to ensure safety and reliability for the aircraft and how those considerations might factor into the bigger picture of the financial strategy?

Butterfly, by design, will be an extremely safe vehicle given the fundamentals of our designs and the redundancy of the Butterfly aircraft’s systems. eVTOLs in general, and Butterfly in particular, have the advantage of having very few moving parts. There’s no liquid hydraulics and no single point of failure. They have simplified vehicle operations for pilots, which really speaks to the focus on safety. Our commercial strategy is to build the best aircraft on the most efficient path and certification, and to be a fast follower to market. Our financing today has really positioned us really well to execute on that strategy.

Overair was spun out of Karem Aircraft. When we were spun out, we were brought out with with Hanwha as a strategic partner. Part of that agreement with Hanwha was to prioritize technical development and engineering in our early years. In our view and Hanwha’s view, that is how you build a superior aircraft to be a long-term economic winner.

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The post Q&A With the New CFO of Overair appeared first on Avionics International.

OPINION: Freedom and Flexibility Drive the Future of Airline Customer Service

“We’re seeing airlines leverage customer service innovations to enhance the customer experience.” (Photo: Jessica Reed)

Rahul Jolly, President of Global Travel and Hospitality at digital business services company Teleperformance, delves into the latest consumer travel demands and why businesses need to act now to drive digital transformation and hang on to their customers.

The travel industry is seeing a resurgence with global tourism expected to increase by 30% this year. This surge is driven by the desire to make up for lost travel time over the past few years. However, airlines are facing the challenge of catering to increasing consumer demands and making up on sales lost to the pandemic.

To help meet the seasonal demand, we’re seeing airlines leverage customer service innovations to enhance the customer experience. We are helping many of the world’s leading airlines understand and meet travelers’ evolving needs and preferences, and provide flexible support options when customers need it most.

Teleperformance has observed that airlines that leverage digital services to reduce customer friction during times of heightened demand are winning at customer experience. Digital transformation is crucial for customer service in the airline industry, especially during soaring demand and times of continued staffing challenges.

Matching Flyers’ Flexibility

One of the most significant changes and challenges in the travel industry since the pandemic is the growing demand for flexibility among travelers. Airlines must seize this opportunity, tailoring their services to meet the new expectations.

U.S. domestic flights are up 25% over 2022, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This rise in demand is driving travelers to search for creative ways to cut flight costs, such as staying closer to home, booking further out from dates of travel, and traveling mid-week to avoid higher costs associated with flying on weekends. This, in turn, introduces unique staffing challenges for travel companies, because longer lead times create more avenues for service disruption. With more travel moving into weekdays, airlines and travel companies can expect customer service call patterns to also shift.

This is juxtaposed against the ongoing post-pandemic staffing challenges faced by airlines. The pandemic triggered mass layoffs in the aviation industry leading to delays and cancellations in the past few years. In fact, almost 400,000 workers were lost by airlines during the pandemic.

To help airlines address these expected outcomes, Teleperformance is collaborating with travel clients to proactively model expected volume shifts and build delivery plans. We have also acquired a global digital recruiting firm PSG Global Solutions, and our airline and travel partners quickly scale up customer service support in anticipation of higher service volumes and new volume patterns in the coming months.

Virtual Assistants Provide Additional Service Support

However, human-powered customer support isn’t always enough. To provide even more flexible and efficient support options for travelers when, where, and how they need it, we work with clients to provide a combination of high-tech and high-touch support by way of virtual assistants or conversation bots to reduce wait times during the busy travel season. While some of these digital support solutions have been used for years, Teleperformance overlays these solutions with additional smart tech to help airlines identify, segment, and route travelers’ less-complex inquiries—such as claim processes during cancellations and delays—to automated and digital self-help service channels, which frees up human-powered support for the most complex inquiries.

The growing use of virtual assistants and digital smart help channels is at the forefront of enhanced customer service, especially during peak travel seasons and the upcoming summer period. Virtual assistants and digital self-help channels provide businesses and their customers with more options—something which is sought after in a post-pandemic world. In fact, 50% of customers now expect businesses to be available 24/7, and these emerging digital channels can quickly and efficiently respond to customers queries at all hours, regardless of time zones, geographical location, or language.

Our research center, the Teleperformance Business Insights Lab, is dedicated to monitoring consumers’ changing behaviors and expectations globally to help airlines and other clients improve their customer service strategies. In a recent study, the Business Insights Lab surveyed over 4,800 travelers in 16 countries. Nearly 70% of travelers who contacted airline customer service before and after the pandemic say their interactions with airlines have now changed to alternate digital channels like mobile apps; self-service including searching the airline’s website or browsing online; and instant messaging. Since 2020, in-app contacts saw the biggest growth in adoption, followed by channels automated chat and SMS.

Customers no longer must wait on hold to speak to airline support staff. Instead, they can pick from a variety of channels at their disposal, depending on the complexity of the ask to resolve their issue. By leveraging AI and data analytics, a virtual assistant can gauge the tone and mood of a customer, to navigate which mode of communication will be best matched to resolve the customer’s issue.

Merge Tech with ‘High Touch’ for Personalized Service

While technology has enhanced many parts of the airline industry, human customer service agents are still crucial for offering a high level of customer support. Humans are able to offer support that automated methods cannot—particularly support that is individualized, adaptable, and empathetic.

It is important to note that while technology such as virtual assistants can assist airlines, humans will always be a critical part of the customer experience journey. For instance, an AI-powered chatbot could detect frustration from a traveler’s inputs due to a cancelled or delayed flight; the bot can connect the customer to a human agent who can empathize and find the best possible solution urgently. Teleperformance combines its integrated digital services with a human touch to create positive outcomes for the traveller.

Customers now have control over their whole travel experience. From food and drink options to seats selection and baggage allowance, air travel has evolved to prioritize customer choice to produce a frictionless experience achieved through a perfect blend of technology and human touch. Teleperformance has harnessed this critical pairing of high tech and high touch to help create differentiation by enhancing the customer experience for travelers’ inquiries as well. With customers choosing digital first and foremost, it is the airlines who embrace this that will win a bigger wallet share.

The post OPINION: Freedom and Flexibility Drive the Future of Airline Customer Service appeared first on Avionics International.

The FAA Proposes 5G Interference Tolerance Requirements for Helicopter Radio Altimeters

“The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive 2021–23–13, which applies to all helicopters equipped with a radio (also known as radar) altimeter.” (Photo: Honeywell)

The FAA on Wednesday published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) applying to all helicopters equipped with a radio, or radar, altimeter flying in areas where 5G C-band can interfere with the device’s operation.

To maintain safety in the National Airspace System (NAS), the FAA is proposing interference tolerance requirements for radio altimeters (RAs) that can be used across the affected fleet.

Rotorcraft meeting these proposed minimum performance levels would be allowed to perform the prohibited operations in the contiguous US airspace and would no longer be required to include the rotorcraft flight manual (RFM) limitations. After July 1, rotorcraft that do not meet the proposed minimum performance levels would be subject to the prohibited operations.

However, the FAA is not proposing to mandate radio altimeters meeting certain tolerance requirements for all helicopters, as proposed in the transport NPRM for airplanes. Operators will have the option to upgrade to a radio altimeter-tolerant rotorcraft if they wish to avoid the prohibitions in this proposed AD by July 1, according to the FAA.

Some operators may need to install filters between the radio altimeter and antenna to increase a radio altimeter’s tolerance. For others, the addition of a filter will not be sufficient to address interference susceptibility; therefore, the radio altimeter will need to be replaced with an upgraded radio altimeter, the FAA said.

At least 19 telecommunications are expected to expand their 5G networks beginning in June. Towers propagating the signal will be built throughout the US.

The concern is that when operating near a 5G tower, certain radio frequencies can cause inaccurate altitude readings for certain radio/radar altimeters, causing a risk to the aircraft and its crew while in flight.

5G C-band transmissions have started to expand and will likely expand further after July 1, with higher frequency transmissions closer to the spectrum allocation where radio altimeters operate, posing an increased risk of interference, according to the FAA.

Because of the potential extent of 5G C-band signals, using NOTAMs and assessing proposed alternative methods of compliance (AMOCs) on a case-by-case basis will become untenable, according to Helicopter Association International (HAI).

While current flight restrictions are limited to areas identified by notices to air missions, but on or before June 3 will apply throughout the contiguous U.S.

The FAA considers that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would be an interim action. The FAA also anticipates that rotorcraft incorporating equipment approved under the new radio altimeter TSO will be able to operate in the contiguous US airspace with no 5G C-band-related RFM limitations.

Once the new radio altimeter TSO is developed, approved, and available, the FAA might consider additional rulemaking.

The post The FAA Proposes 5G Interference Tolerance Requirements for Helicopter Radio Altimeters appeared first on Avionics International.

REGENT Unveils Full-Scale Model of All-Electric Seaglider Prototype

REGENT has revealed the full-scale mockup of its seaglider, an all-electric passenger vehicle with a range of 180 miles. (Photo: REGENT)

The company REGENT, which is developing a new kind of electric maritime vehicle called a seaglider, revealed the full-scale mock-up of its seaglider prototype today. REGENT also announced plans to expand its global headquarters for new manufacturing and test facilities. The expansion has the potential to enable fulfillment of $8 billion in commercial orders by 2025 at the headquarters in Rhode Island.

Last September, the company announced that its quarter-scale seaglider technology demonstrator completed its first flight. According to REGENT, its seaglider is the first vehicle to take off from a controlled hydrofoil to wingborne flight.

Billy Thalheimer, cofounder and CEO of REGENT, shared additional information about the company’s progress in an interview with Avionics this week.

REGENT co-founders Billy Thalheimer and Mike Klinker, pictured above, unveil the full-scale model of the all-electric seaglider. (Photo: REGENT)

Avionics: What considerations related to safety and regulation are taken into account in the development of the seaglider?

Billy Thalheimer: Our first vehicle is projected to operate under Coast Guard jurisdiction, and we have been working closely with the agency to establish regulations for our vessels including design approval, inspection, construction and crewing. Our design basis agreement with the Coast Guard is in process, and we maintain a close line of communication with both the Coast Guard (Office of Engineering Standards) and FAA (Emerging Concepts & Innovation group).

The full-scale seaglider is designed with multiple redundancies in its all-electric distributed power system and automated flight software and sensor systems to provide operators with full situational awareness for navigation, object detection, and flight conditions.

Avionics: How has the $50 million in funding been used to advance the development of the prototype?

Thalheimer: These investments have significantly accelerated technological advancements of our human-carrying prototype—including building and flying the first ¼-scale seaglider prototype to prove out the float-foil-fly mission. We have also tested sensor systems in real environments on helicopters to validate flight operations. The cumulative learnings from more than a year of flight testing was used to inform the design of the full-scale seaglider.

As a result, we are on track to deliver our product to market by the mid-decade. These resources have proved instrumental in enabling us to tailor our vehicles to meet the diverse needs of our customers, including commercial transport, supply chain and logistics, and military defense applications.

How would you describe the current state of the industry and how REGENT’s seagliders fit into the competitive landscape?

40% of the world’s population live in coastal communities, and are in dire need of a fundamentally new method of transportation to efficiently move people and cargo through coastal routes. Through our seagliders, we aim to revolutionize sustainable, maritime transportation in these regions by offering a fast, efficient, and emission-free solution.

We see seagliders as a complementary addition, rather than a replacement, to traditional modes of maritime and airline transportation, which can be seamlessly integrated into our customers’ existing fleets. Our studies, based on publicly validated data, show that our seagliders serve an $11 billion market that we project to swell to as much as $25 billion as battery technology advances.

With the electrification of ferries, aircraft, rail, and other modes of transportation, we envision our all-electric seagliders as an integral part of the future of sustainable, multi-modal mobility.

REGENT’s technical demonstrator, a 1/4-scale seaglider prototype (Photo: REGENT)

Could you describe how you envision the commercialization and deployment of the seagliders?

We envision our vehicles to act as a bridge between coastal city centers, facilitating multi-modal transportation through coastal airports. We have established a loyal customer base of major airlines and ferry operators such as FRS in Germany, Ocean Flyer in New Zealand, and Southern Airways/Mokulele Airlines—who we plan to deliver our first commercial passenger seagliders to, once they hit the market. Our vehicles will comprise the best features of both maritime and aviation transport, combining the speed and comfort of an airplane with the cost efficiency of a boat. This will enable us to service coastal communities such as New York City, the Hawaiian Islands, and Pacific island nations.

What capabilities will the new facilities/expansion in Rhode Island provide?

Our new facility expansion will support initial low-rate production and at-rate production to fulfill our $8B commercial backlog.

The post REGENT Unveils Full-Scale Model of All-Electric Seaglider Prototype appeared first on Avionics International.

Singapore and UK Collaborate on Aviation Safety, Sustainability, and More

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority will collaborate on aviation safety, sustainability, training, innovation, and horizon scanning.

As the global aviation industry continues to recover from the impacts of the recent pandemic, international collaboration has become a key strategy for regulators to help cope with the return of demand and increasing air traffic. Singapore and the United Kingdom have recently announced their plans to collaborate in a variety of different areas in the industry, helping each respective country adapt to the post-COVID era of aviation.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will begin collaborating further in the areas of aviation safety, sustainability, training, innovation, and horizon scanning to better position each country’s aviation sectors. The agreement was created and finalized at the second Singapore-UK Bilateral Aviation Steering Committee on March 27, 2023. This committee is co-chaired by Chief Executive Officer of the CAA, Richard Moriarty, and Director-General of the CAAS, Han Kok Juan. While originally set up in December 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this committee seems to be supporting the countries following the peak of the health crisis.

To promote aviation safety, the two authorities will validate a variety of safety systems by conducting technical visits at various sites. Additionally, the countries will begin collaborating to develop mutual acceptance in airworthiness certificates. Achieving this could mean that approval issued by one of the organizations will be equivalent to approval by the other governing body. By standardizing some regulatory requirements, the two countries will be able to lower costs associated with regulating safety.

To better support training, both authorities signed a Supplemental Arrangement. Under this agreement, the training branch of the CAAS—the Singapore Aviation Academy (SAA)—will further collaborate with the UK’s technical assistance branch to cooperate in training by exchanging professionals in curriculum design, research, and management of training programs. The collaboration’s first step will be creating and hosting a seminar about cybersecurity for those involved with its implementation in either country.

To further support sustainable aviation, the CAAS and UK Civil Aviation Authority have signed a memorandum of understanding that will help make air travel more sustainable in both countries. This will mainly involve planning policies, regulations, and strategies for placing a larger emphasis on sustainable flight in the coming years.

Both Singapore and the UK aim to enhance the airport experience by collaborating to develop innovative solutions at existing travel hubs. The countries will share information and experience regarding the application of technology and research to redesign certain aspects of the airport experience for improved productivity. The countries will also work together on horizon scanning, mainly by identifying trends and opportunities along with potential threats within the industry.

Richard Moriarty of the UK Civil Aviation Authority showed enthusiasm for the collaboration, explaining that they’ll be able to work in “areas of common interest including safety, innovation, sustainability and training.”

“Preparing for the future, training collaboration will focus on equipping aviation professionals with the skills and capabilities to continue to support a safe and secure aviation system, including as the sector evolves to introduce new requirements, technologies and users.”

The post Singapore and UK Collaborate on Aviation Safety, Sustainability, and More appeared first on Avionics International.

Volocopter Opens eVTOL Production Facilities in Germany

Volocopter opened two new production facilities in Germany, including a final assembly/hangar and an airfield for flight testing. (Photo: Volocopter GmbH)

Volocopter recently announced that it has opened its production facilities in Bruchsal, Germany, including a new hangar and airfield. The company has been expanding its production setup at this location for the last 18 months. Volocopter’s line of electric aircraft includes the VoloCity, VoloRegion, and VoloDrone.

“We have officially opened two new facilities—the production facility and the final assembly/hangar,” a company spokesperson shared with Avionics International in a written statement. These new facilities are in addition to the building that Volocopter acquired in July 2021 along with the acquisition of composite aircraft production company DG Flugzeugbau. Volocopter also announced at that time that it had secured Production Organisation Approval (POA) from EASA.

“We had been working on our prototyping at the DG facility, but now […] we are transitioning into the certification model production phase” and have opened the new production facility and the hangar, the representative from Volocopter explained. The rotor beams, fuselage, and other components will be assembled, machined, and painted at the facility.

“Right here is where the aircraft that will change how humanity moves about cities will take off and make its way across the world. This region is known for transforming mobility—the bicycle, the car, and soon Volocopter, too.” – CEO Dirk Hoke (Photo: Volocopter GmbH)

The output will be taken to the final assembly location/hangar for quality control. A vertiport is attached to the facility where test flights can be conducted. The company’s representative noted that this vertiport “is the first to achieve a special purpose permit to fly in Germany, direct from the facility to do these quality and development test flights.”

Volocopter’s team has started to prepare for mass production at the two facilities, which will be fully ready by the end of the month, according to the spokesperson.

The company’s representative shared that they will not begin mass production of the VoloCity aircraft until it is certified and they have a strong understanding of where the demand is. “Our plan is to start small and ramp up depending on how ready the ecosystem is—vertiport locations, cities committed, routes fixed,” they explained.

“The VoloCity has completed the critical design review—and that’s the aircraft we’re ready to produce, with enough leeway for further learnings derived from flight testing. It’s no easy task to set up a production facility for an entirely new type of aircraft, but my team has done a phenomenal job.” – Andreas Fehring, Chief Supply Chain Officer and Program Manager of the VoloCity (Photo: Volocopter GmbH)

The press release from Volocopter states that the new facilities have both the capacity and the regulatory approval to assemble more than 50 VoloCity aircraft per year. “50+ units/year is a one-shift concept, so when we have an understanding of how many units are required, we can plan to increase the output volume by increasing shifts,” Volocopter’s spokesperson noted.

Last year, Microsoft initiated a collaboration with Volocopter to develop an aerospace cloud system in Microsoft Azure. The two companies plan to continue working closely together, beyond the current focus on developing an aerospace cloud system, to meet other emerging needs of the industry.

Last month, Volocopter and SITA, a leading IT provider for the air transport industry, entered into a new partnership. SITA was chosen as Volocopter’s preferred digital and IT systems partner for vertiports. SITA is also an investor in Volocopter’s Series E funding round.

The post Volocopter Opens eVTOL Production Facilities in Germany appeared first on Avionics International.

Honeywell Will Provide Generators for Hybrid-Electric Airship

Flying Whales Quebec has chosen Honeywell’s 1-megawatt generator to supply power for its new hybrid-electric VTOL airship. (Photo: Flying Whales)

Recently, Honeywell International announced that it had made a deal for the use of the company’s powerful generator. This deal, made with Flying Whales Quebec, means the generator will help power a promising hybrid-electric cargo ship, the LCA60T.

Flying Whales Airships Quebec is a startup that designs air transportation vehicles for cargo use that assist landlocked communities in developing economically through improving accessibility to air cargo. In addition, Flying Whales aims to reduce the environmental impact of cargo air transportation, planning to use a hybrid-electric system to power its new airship.

Powered by Honeywell’s 1-megawatt generator, the 200-meter-long (656 feet) vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) airship will be used for transporting heavy loads across various markets. Given the sheer size of the airship, intense power will need to be generated for flight to be possible. Each airship will require four 1-megawatt generators. For perspective, one megawatt of power alone would be enough to power Honeywell’s engine testing facility near Phoenix, Arizona, which sprawls over 100 acres.

Pictured above is Honeywell’s 1-megawatt generator. (Photo: Honeywell)

This generator, which will be integrated with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-based turbogenerator and a gearbox, can run on either traditional jet fuel or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to provide power to the electric motors of the airship. This, in turn, will power the aircraft’s 32 propellers. This generator’s capabilities and applications to the LCA60T are best highlighted by President of Honeywell Aerospace Engines & Power Systems Dave Marinick, who explained, “Honeywell’s 1-megwatt generator is a perfect fit for a transformational aircraft like the LCA60T. Our generator is four times as powerful as any other generator flying today, and at unmatched power density.”

While Honeywell has not disclosed the value of this deal, it’s safe to assume that extensive funding is needed to finance this investment. Between Flying Whales SAS (the venture’s French parent company) and its subsidiary in Quebec, Canada, the company has raised $177.57 million (162 million euros) after three financing rounds. Shareholders of this project even include the governments of France and Quebec.

Flying Whales hopes that its LCA60T will perform its first flight in late 2025, and aims to have the aircraft enter service by 2027. While this airship starkly contrasts current aircraft used in the global air cargo market, it is designed for vertical take-offs and landings and will have the ability to hover while being loaded and unloaded, meaning there will be less of a need for costly infrastructure associated with such a dramatic change in service. The airship will boast a maximum payload of 60 metric tons (132,000 lbs.) and will cruise at a speed of 54 knots. Over 10 years, the company hopes to build 150 aircraft and develop second and third production lines in Quebec and Asia.

“We are pleased and proud to welcome Honeywell, which joins us in developing the next generation of propulsion systems. This important collaboration completes and strengthens our Canadian consortium to develop and manufacture our high-power turbogenerator.” – Arnaud Thioulouse, CEO of FLYING WHALES QUEBEC (Photo: Flying Whales)

The post Honeywell Will Provide Generators for Hybrid-Electric Airship appeared first on Avionics International.

BlueHalo Acquires Verus Technology Group

BlueHalo announced last week that it has acquired Verus Technology Group, a company that develops counter-UAS technologies. (Photo: BlueHalo)

BlueHalo continues to beef up its stable of capabilities that defend against uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) with the recent acquisition of Verus Technology Group.

Verus, a developer of technologies to counter unmanned aerial systems, was founded in 2014. The company uses radio frequency (RF) and digital signal processing in counter-UAS products like SkyView, which provides passive RF-based detection, identification, tracking and telemetry extraction of small unmanned aircraft systems, according to the company. Available in both fixed-site and mobile configurations, SkyView has military applications and can be used to defend critical commercial infrastructure.

“Verus has consistently demonstrated their ability to deliver critical, innovative c-UAS solutions to the most demanding customers across the DoD, IC and civilian markets.” (Photo: Verus)

Buying Verus adds to BlueHalo’s artificial intelligence and machine learning-enabled, RF-based Titan c-UAS solution, as well as the company’s Locust directed energy c-UAS solution and ARGUS Perimeter Security system.

Verus products are in use by the U.S. Defense Department, intelligence agencies, the Marine Corps and U.S. Special Operations Command. They also provide technologies to international civil and commercial customers.

“Verus has consistently demonstrated their ability to deliver critical, innovative c-UAS solutions to the most demanding customers across the DoD, IC and civilian markets,” said BlueHalo Chief Executive Jonathan Moneymaker.

“Combining SkyView and the team’s proven ability to innovate at mission speed alongside BlueHalo’s Titan system positions BlueHalo as the #1 c-UAS provider in the market. We are incredibly excited to bring Verus into BlueHalo and provide an integrated, superior set of solutions offering a protective ring around our customers as we seek to neutralize the ongoing c-UAS threat.”

David Wodlinger, a Managing Partner at Arlington Capital Partners, said “Drone technology continues to proliferate, allowing bad actors to acquire greater capability at a lower cost. The U.S., and the world more broadly, are not yet adequately prepared for the threat that drones pose to our critical infrastructure and national security. Within BlueHalo, we plan to invest an increasing amount of resources into bringing to market the best c-UAS solutions to address these emerging threats.”

John Abbey, CEO and Founder of Verus, said joining BlueHalo will allow the company to deliver an expanded set of capabilities and resources to new and existing customers.

Henry Albers, a Vice President at Arlington Capital Partners, which acted as a financial advisor for the acquisition deal, said BlueHalo was tracking Verus for years before the purchase.

“The Company has developed into the clear leader for passive RF detect solutions in the c-UAS market,” Albers said. “With access to BlueHalo’s extensive corporate infrastructure and resources, we believe the Company is well positioned to continue its impressive growth trajectory.”

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Lockheed Martin Seeks To Combine 5G Data Transfer With AI-Driven Military Aircraft Maintenance

Lockheed Martin has demonstrated analytics-driven maintenance capabilities that are compatible with the Department of Defense’s 5G flight-line ecosystem. Pictured above, maintainers perform repairs on a UH-60 Black Hawk at Wheeler Army Airfield in Hawaii. (Photo: U.S. Army/Sgt. Sarah D. Sangster)

Data needed for analytics-driven aircraft maintenance can be rapidly and securely delivered to military personnel via 5G technology, leading to increased aircraft availability and lower maintenance costs, according to a Lockheed Martin executive involved in a recent proof-of-concept demonstration.

Following on a 2022 demonstration in which Lockheed Martin successfully transferred aircraft health and usage data from a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter through an AT&T 5G private cellular network, the company said April 3 it has shown U.S. Army and Air Force officials that aircraft data can be utilized by multiple personnel using portable devices equipped with advanced-analytics capabilities.

The aircraft maintainers will have access to “intelligent troubleshooting applications” driven by artificial intelligence (AI) that will “minimize the maintenance burden on a variety of aircraft,” according to Lockheed.

The use of network-enabled analytics will provide military aircraft mechanics with more information “to arrive at the right conclusion [faster] about what’s happening with the maintenance of their aircraft,” Reeves Valentine, VP-land and maritime solutions at Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, told Avionics International in an interview.

The demonstration, which took place in Hawaii, applied to data sets from both a UH60 and a Lockheed F-22, according to Valentine. Upon landing, an aircraft’s flight data is transferred over 5G to portable devices used by aircraft maintainers. The devices incorporate AI-driven predictive maintenance and sensor-data analytics.

This means maintenance personnel not only have access to data from the aircraft on which they are working, but also “access to databases about similar types of maintenance actions that have happened across the fleet,” Valentine said. “This can very quickly help inform the maintainer about which direction to go, what the proper maintenance action would be and how to do it without going in the wrong direction first.”

He added: “We really see this as a proof-of-concept of how aircraft availability can increase and costs can decrease because you’re streamlining that [data-transfer] process and putting relevant data at the fingertips of the maintainer on the flight line.”

The transfer speed is dramatically improved from the common process in which maintenance personnel remove a cartridge from the aircraft containing sensor data about its health, Valentine said, adding: ”That cartridge would have to be carried to the operations center, which has some transportation costs. Then you’re plugging it in and, as you start to get the data, you’re trying to determine, ‘What is the data telling me,’ and you don’t have the information about the rest of the fleet or trends or analytics or any of that. And you certainly don’t have an AI-machine learning tool that is learning off of massive amounts of data, curating likely outcomes of actions.”

He emphasized the technological capabilities being demonstrated are in the “early stages,” but added there are potentially widespread applications for analytics-driven predictive maintenance tools. Valentine noted that commercial aviation, with different communications security requirements, is already deploying such technology. “The technology is more mature in the commercial space,” he said. “It’s a matter of applying it within the military domain in a manner” compatible with stringent communications security requirements.

“The military is very interested in leveraging what’s happening in the commercial sector,” Valentine explained. “I think you can expand this far past aviation platforms to ground platforms, Navy surface and under surface operations, you name it. It’s really just connecting a broad swath of data and helping maintainers reach the right outcome with short lead times.”

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Category Archives: MRO’s

Avionics: What brought you into the new role with the company?

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How would you describe the current state of the eVTOL industry? How do you see it evolving over the next five or ten years?

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