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More Airlines Sign Up for Boeing Digital Apps and Services at Farnborough Air Show

“The increase in efficiency these digital solutions provide will allow Norse Atlantic to increase on-time performance and maintain a low-cost base. The technology will also enable us to reach our goal of a fully paperless flightdeck environment,” Thom-Arne Norheim, Norse Atlantic Airways Chief Operational Officer, said in a statement commenting on the airline’s adoption of several Boeing digital services and applications revealed during the 2022 Farnborough International Air Show. (Photo courtesy of Boeing)

While none of the world’s largest commercial aircraft makers announced any avionics-specific upgrade or modernization deals with airlines during the 2022 Farnborough Air Show this week, several operators continued a trend that has become commonplace for major international air shows by signing up for flight operational and maintenance-focused digital applications and services.

Aside from the collection of new aircraft deals signed by Boeing this week, the company also announced five airlines—Air France, Albawings, Corendon Dutch, Norse Atlantic, and Virgin Atlantic—that signed up for digital services and applications to be provided by Jeppesen, a subsidiary of Boeing Global Services. Jeppesen FliteDeck Advisor, a flight optimization tool, is now being operated by 17 total airlines after adding Albawings, Corendon Dutch, and Virgin Atlantic to the growing list of end-users.

During a trial on Virgin Atlantic’s 787 fleet, for example, the airline found that FliteDeck Advisor “delivered cruise fuel savings of 1.7%, saving approximately 1,900 kilograms of CO2 per flight across the three-month trial,” according to Boeing.

Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer for Virgin Atlantic (left), and Duane Wehking, Vice President, Digital Aviation Solutions for Boeing Global Services (right), signed an agreement at the Farnborough Air Show to implement Boeing’s Jeppesen FliteDeck Advisor EFB application. (Photo, courtesy of Boeing)

“In a joint effort between our pilots and the back office we now have a great insight on fuel consumption and enabling fuel savings and reducing carbon emissions,” Corendon Dutch Airlines Director of Flight Operations, Peter Nanninga, said in a statement.

Jeppesen describes FliteDeck Advisor as being capable of analyzing “tail-specific” flight performance recommendations that are “superior to those in the flight management computer and flight planning systems.” By analyzing route-specific data relative to a pilot’s originally filed flight plan, the electronic flight bag (EFB) application considers a wide variety of variables to include fuel burn, time savings, and other airplane type-specific performance metrics to suggest the most optimally available flight plan.

Air France also signed a five-year contract for Jeppesen Crew Rostering. Boeing revealed some of the digital tools that Norse Atlantic Airways is using within its all-787 fleet. These include Jeppesen’s FliteDeck Pro and Onboard Performance Tool (OPT) as well as “Ops Data and FMS NavData” according to Boeing.

Johann Panier, Senior Vice President of Fleet Management for Air France (left), and Duane Wehking, Vice President, Digital Aviation Solutions, Boeing Global Services (right), signed an agreement at the Farnborough Air Show for Boeing’s Jeppesen Crew Rostering, a digital crew management tool that will optimize crew schedules for the nearly 13,000 cabin crew at the airline. (Photo, courtesy of Boeing)

“The increase in efficiency these digital solutions provide will allow Norse Atlantic to increase on-time performance and maintain a low-cost base. The technology will also enable us to reach our goal of a fully paperless flightdeck environment,” Norse Atlantic Airways Chief Operational Officer Thom-Arne Norheim said in a statement.

Supporting the growth of new digital applications and services across various segments of the aviation industry was also a central focus of the new $50 million investment in AEI HorizonX announced by Boeing. The investment is for a new joint venture between Boeing and private equity firm AE Industrial Partners that will serve as an anchor to AEI HorizonX’s second venture fund—“Fund II”—that is planning to raise $250 million to support the growth of “promising start-ups in future mobility, space, sustainability, digital enterprise applications,” according to Boeing.

“The future of aerospace is digital, sustainable and autonomous,” said Marc Allen, Boeing’s chief strategy officer. “This new Fund II builds on the foundation we have with Fund I and positions us to significantly expand our strategic access to disruptive technologies critical to shaping and realizing that future.”

The post More Airlines Sign Up for Boeing Digital Apps and Services at Farnborough Air Show appeared first on Aviation Today.

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Skytrac to Provide Satellite Connectivity System for French H160M Helicopters

Skytrac is providing its Iridium Certus satellite connectivity system for the Airbus H160M, a mockup of which is pictured here. (Photo courtesy of Airbus Helicopters)

Skytrac has reached a new agreement with Airbus Helicopters to provide its satellite connectivity system for the French Armed Forces Programme’s H160M helicopter fleet.

Under the new agreement, Skytrac will provide its SDL-700 satellite communications system to enable Iridium Certus broadband connectivity services of “up to 704 Kbps” for the French H160M fleet, according to a July 12 announcement from the Canadian manufacturer. The connectivity supplier agreement is the latest technology investment made by Airbus for the H160M helicopters being developed for France under the contract signed by the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) in December to acquire a total of 169 H160M helicopters.

The electronics and defense division of Safran announced a new contract with Airbus on June 14 that will see its SkyNaute navigation systems featured on the H160M as well. Thales is the main avionics supplier for the H160M program; the light helicopter’s cockpit will feature the FlytX cloud-native avionics suite.

Jan van der Heul, vice president of sales at Skytrac, commenting on the agreement reached with Airbus Helicopters, said their connectivity will enable several applications for H160M pilots, including “live video streaming, image and large file transfer, satellite voice, text, and Push-to-Talk (PTT), and Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) automation.”

Enabling Iridium connectivity on the H160M will require Skytrac’s high gain antenna (HGA) and a dual element GPS antenna in addition to its SDL-700 system.

The post Skytrac to Provide Satellite Connectivity System for French H160M Helicopters appeared first on Aviation Today.

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Boeing Begins EPAWSS Upgrades For U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles

The first two U.S. Air Force F-15E aircraft recently began Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) modification at Boeing. (Photo, courtesy of Boeing)

Boeing has begun modifying two F-15E Strike Eagles with the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS), which is also to go on the U.S. Air Force’s F-15EX Eagle II fighters, the company said on July 21.

Boeing said that the Air Force plans to equip 43 of the service’s F-15Es with EPAWSS, which a Boeing/BAE Systems team supplies. That number would seem to indicate a ratcheting back of Air Force plans for F-15E EPAWSS upgrades, as the Air Force had projected last year that it would outfit all 217 service F-15Es with EPAWSS. The Strike Eagles have an average age of more than 29 years.

In March last year, BAE Systems said that it had begun low-rate initial production of EPAWSS for the F-15E under a $58 million subcontract from Boeing.

“In May, 2021, the first two F-15EX aircraft, delivered ahead of schedule, participated in Northern Edge exercises with the EPAWSS suite,” Boeing said. “During the highly contested and complex exercises, the two jets demonstrated operational potential, which set the stage for future incremental improvements, allowing the jets to exhibit proven, outstanding performance in subsequent exercises and flight test missions in October, 2021 and February, 2022.”

In April, Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), the vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee’s tactical air and land forces panel, expressed concern about Air Force plans to cut the F-15EX acquisition objective from 144 to 80 aircraft.

EPAWSS is to replace the F-15’s Northrop Grumman-built Tactical Electronic Warfare System self-protection suite, a 1970s-era system which is “functionally obsolete” and costly to sustain, the Air Force has said.

The Air Force has estimated that for all F-15Es EPAWSS may cost $2.7 billion for Increment 1, which covers through 2023, and Increment 2 thereafter.

Increment 1 replaces the existing radar warning receiver, internal countermeasure system and countermeasure dispenser system, while Increment 2 is to add a towed decoy and monopulse angle countermeasure capability.

The Air Force has said that EPAWSS will significantly improve the F-15E’s ability to counter radio frequency, electro-optical, and infrared threats in highly contested environments through 2040.

During the EPAWSS Engineering and Manufacturing Phase, BAE Systems has said that it plans to add geolocation and threat identification features to the EPAWSS flight software.

 

This article was first published by Defense Daily, a sister publication to Avionics International, it has been edited. Click here to view the original version.

The post Boeing Begins EPAWSS Upgrades For U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles appeared first on Aviation Today.

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Bristow Group, AAP Aviation, ASL Group, and Helity Plan to Buy Lilium’s eVTOL Aircraft

Four companies have announced plans to purchase Lilium Jets—eVTOL aircraft—this week, including Bristow Group, AAP Aviation, ASL Group, and Helity Copter Airlines. (Photo: Lilium)

As part of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding, Bristow Group plans to purchase 50 of Lilium’s electric aircraft and provide maintenance services for a launch network in Florida as well as future markets elsewhere in the U.S. and Europe. Bristow intends to support the Lilium Jet’s entry into service and to become an authorized service provider for the company. This week, three other companies have also announced their intent to purchase a number of Lilium Jets.

AAP Aviation is a full-service provider of integrated aviation solutions including flight operations support and advanced technologies. This week, AAP Aviation and Lilium shared that they have signed an agreement to develop a network of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Norway and other countries in Scandinavia. AAP Aviation also plans to purchase 40 of Lilium’s eVTOLs as part of the agreement.

AAP Aviation’s CEO, Espen Høiby, remarked that Norway is well suited for regional air mobility services because of the region’s water, terrain, and mountains. “The Lilium Jet can achieve hours of time savings compared with today’s transportation modes. The Lilium Jet performance, its low noise profile and its spacious cabin makes the ideal aircraft to develop sustainable air transport in Scandinavia,” Høiby said in response to the new agreement with Lilium.

AAP Aviation will work with Lilium to identify and develop landing sites in Norway and other Scandinavian countries. (Photo: Lilium)

European business jet operator ASL Group has just entered into an agreement with Lilium to establish a network of landing sites across Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Western Germany. ASL Group also plans to purchase six Lilium Jets initially, with the possibility of ordering more aircraft later on.

In 2020, ASL Group launched a program called “Responsible Initiative for Sustainable Environment” (RISE) with the goal of reducing the company’s environmental impact. CEO Philippe Bodson noted that purchasing the Lilium Jet is an opportunity to make their business more sustainable while improving the services they offer their customers. Bodson sees the Lilium Jet as the best option on the market because of its spacious premium cabin, its vertical take-off and landing capability, and the fact that it has zero operating emissions.

In the fourth announcement from Lilium this week, the eVTOL developer and Helity Copter Airlines have agreed to develop an eVTOL network in Andalusia. Helity also plans to purchase five of Lilium’s eVTOLs to to add to its existing fleet of helicopters for delivering premium and business charter flights to its customers. Helity’s services include private charter flights in southern Spain in addition to helicopter shuttle flights between Algeciras, Ceuta, and Málaga.

“Southern Spain attracts a high demand of premium tourism. Combined with Helity’s great local expertise and experience in the operation of helicopters, as well as the hiring of highly-skilled pilots, we have ideal conditions for the development of a sustainable air mobility network in the region,” said Lilium’s CEO, Daniel Wiegand, commenting on the agreement with Helity.

Lilium’s strategic partnership with Bristow included the largest potential order of eVTOL aircraft this week, with Bristow announcing its intent to purchase 50 Lilium Jets. Christopher Bradshaw, Bristow’s President and CEO, stated in the announcement, “Bristow has played a key role in successfully introducing several new VTOL platforms for the past 50+ years, so it is a natural evolution for us to take a leading role in the new and exciting Advanced Air Mobility market.”

Bristow entered into a collaboration with another eVTOL developer, Overair, in December. According to the announcement, Bristow placed pre-orders for up to 50 of Overair’s Butterfly aircraft. The two companies also signed a Memorandum of Understanding indicating their intent to collaborate on creation of an operations development framework.

During a discussion on scaling up to advanced air mobility (AAM) at the Transformative Vertical Flight 2022 event earlier this year, Bristow Group’s Executive Vice President, Sales and Chief Transformation Officer David Stepanek commented on the importance of public acceptance for eVTOL aircraft and other components of AAM. To build and scale a compelling business, “we’re going to have to sell people on sustainability,” he said.

The post Bristow Group, AAP Aviation, ASL Group, and Helity Plan to Buy Lilium’s eVTOL Aircraft appeared first on Aviation Today.

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PODCAST: Air Canada 787 Pilot Talks Aero HygenX and Autonomous Aircraft Disinfection

The guest on this episode is Air Canada 787 Pilot, and director of standards and compliance for Aero HygenX, JP Floyd.

On this episode of the Connected Aviation Intelligence Podcast, JP Floyd, Air Canada 787 Pilot and Senior Director of Compliance and Standards for Aero HygenX, joins to discuss autonomous aircraft disinfection technology.

Aero HygenX is a Canadian tech startup founded by pilots and experts in aircraft maintenance. The company has developed an autonomous robot called “Ray” that uses UV-C technology and motion sensors to self-navigate the aircraft cabin while disinfecting air and surfaces throughout. Several airlines including Avelo Ethiopian Airlines and Zambia Airways have adopted their robot disinfection technology.

Floyd also provides some perspective on some of the challenges of flying throughout the pandemic over the last two years as well as some of the goals Aero HygenX wants to achieve with its disinfection technology.

Listen to this episode below, or check it out on iTunes or Google Play. If you like the show, subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes as soon as they’re released.

The post PODCAST: Air Canada 787 Pilot Talks Aero HygenX and Autonomous Aircraft Disinfection appeared first on Aviation Today.

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AerSale Gives 737NG Pilots a Wearable Enhanced Vision System Aftermarket Option

AerSale has issued a new contract to Universal Avionics to supply its head-worn display system for Boeing 737NG operators. (Photo courtesy of AerSale)

AerSale has awarded Universal Avionics a new $33 million contract to supply its wearable enhanced flight vision system (EFVS) for Boeing 737NG aircraft.

The 737NG contract is the latest awarded to Universal Avionics by the Florida-based aircraft leasing, aftermarket parts, and modification provider, after previously working to develop a supplemental type certificate (STC) for Universal’s SkyLens wearable head-up display (HUD) on the Airbus A320. Under the contract, Universal will supply its SkyLens™ Head Wearable Display (HWD) and EVS-5000 cameras to AerSale to distribute the system to airlines as “AerAware.”

Universal’s EVS-5000 features six sensors and a 3D Synthetic Vision System (SVS), according to the company.

Nicolas Finazzo, Chairman and CEO of AerSale, said the contract will ensure their ability to deliver the AerAware system to “the growing number of airlines who have expressed interest in this solution. We are bringing this innovative solution to commercial operators for improved safety and operational effectiveness and we’re seeing a lot of excitement as we conduct demonstration flight tests.”

AerAware is described by AerSale as combining real-time aircraft systems data, advanced multispectral camera imaging, and synthetic vision onto a head wearable display. A key aspect of the wearable display is its ability to provide pilots with required visual approach and landing references earlier in the airport landing approach process.

According to a report submitted by the FAA to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, “Assessment of Advanced Cockpit Displays”—as required by a provision in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018—while Head Worn Displays (HWD) have been used in military aircraft for several years, no current U.S.-registered airline is operating with HWDs.

Currently, there are no U.S.-registered airlines that are using head-worn displays for operating their aircraft. (Photo courtesy of Universal Avionics)

The FAA’s report also highlights the agency’s expectation that the head-worn display systems such as AerAware will eventually “gain operators operational credit for CAT I-III approaches, similar to existing [head-up display] HUD implementations.”

“With additional technology advances, such displays may be able to qualify under 14 CFR § 91.176 as an ‘equivalent display’ and thereby achieve full EFVS status,” the FAA writes in the report.

Dror Yahav, CEO of Universal Avionics, commenting on the new contract, says the company’s ClearVision system “brings substantial capabilities to the 737NG and has demonstrated its advantages to operations including the ability to overcome degraded visibility solutions during any time of day. I believe that the ability to allow aircraft to operate in conditions well below published minimums is a game-changer.”

Modification of the 737NG to enable AerAware includes a new radome to accommodate the camera installation, system wiring, connectors, and mounting hardware in equipment bays and flight deck. AerSale will now be able to provide the certified AerAware system to commercial airlines operating 737NG aircraft.

The post AerSale Gives 737NG Pilots a Wearable Enhanced Vision System Aftermarket Option appeared first on Aviation Today.

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NASA Researchers Field-Test New Technology to Aid Drone Pilots in Fighting Fires

A project led by NASA’s Ames Research Center commenced field-testing of a kit prototype for drone pilots. The technology is intended to support scaling up of drone use for responding to disasters like wildfires. (Photo provided by NASA)

NASA’s STEReO (Scalable Traffic Management for Emergency Response Operations) project, led by the Ames Research Center, has developed a prototype of a drone pilot’s kit intended to help scale up the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for disaster response applications. The prototype technology is designed to increase awareness of other aircraft for drone pilots by notifying them of the position of any crewed aircraft. This UAS pilot’s kit, or UASP-kit, makes it easier for the pilot to perform safe fire response operations.

In March, NASA’s STEReO team trained members of the U.S. Forest Service in using the UASP-kits, then observed firefighters as they conducted prescribed burns in national forests in the southern U.S. The Forest Service uses drones to start these intentional fires for strategic land management. The prescribed burns result in less available vegetation for unintentional fires to burn. These field tests lasted for two weeks, and the researchers from NASA gathered useful data from the fire-response professionals following the use of the UASP-kits in a real-world setting.

Using drones to fight fires is not a new concept. In 2019, drones were an integral part of minimizing the damage caused by the fire that broke out at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The firefighters used two camera-equipped DJI drones to most effectively direct their firehoses.

Another of NASA’s UASP-kit field tests took place in Redding, California, in May this year. NASA researchers participated in an aerial firefighting training course, led by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). CAL FIRE has one of the largest firefighting air fleets in the worldWhile trainees learned to direct numerous aircraft operating over a simulated fire, the STEReO team tested out some of the new features of the UASP-kit. 

Research psychologist Joey Mercer, who is the principal investigator on NASA’s STEReO project, spoke with Avionics International about the field tests conducted this spring. Mercer has a background in human factors and a strong interest in the decision-making process of drone operators. He explained that the purpose of these field tests is to explore the advantages that capabilities developed by NASA can provide to firefighters. “There’s no intent to automate something, or replace humans in their roles,” he said. “These are the world’s experts on fighting fires.”

The UASP-kit, Mercer remarked, functions to locally source information to enhance awareness for the UAS operator. Pilots conducting UAS missions “understand that they are the ones that shoulder that burden for see-and-avoid,” he said, rather than pilots of larger aircraft having the responsibility of avoiding any small drones.

“We were able to see right away if a new feature was working well, or if it needed immediate attention from our team’s software engineers,” said Joey Mercer, research psychologist with NASA’s Ames Research Center. “This rapid prototyping approach, when validated in these operational settings, is the fastest way for us to be sure we’re giving these users the capabilities they need.” (Photo: NASA)

A drone pilot or flight crew can use manual methods to detect other aircraft operating near the UAS. For example, visual observers can be positioned in multiple locations. They can also include an extra member of the flight crew that is responsible for noticing any other aircraft and alerting the operator. “The UASP-kit is meant to supplement their procedures,” Mercer remarked. They can still carry out all of their processes in the same way, he said, “but now we have this extra digital visual observer who can essentially tap us on the shoulder. This notion is what we’re calling technology-enhanced situational awareness.”

Mercer described a solution for UAS operators where information gathered from aircraft broadcasting their positions via radio signals is translated onto a map-like display. The operators can interact with that display to define their UAS mission’s operating area. 

“We could go one step further and set up alerting rings,” he said, such as: “Please beep at me if something gets closer than X, or double beep at me if it gets closer than Y.” This eliminates the need for a member of the flight crew to be completely responsible for monitoring other aircraft. “That sort of workflow is what is supplementing that kind of proactive see-and-avoid,” he added.

One challenge is that the technology powering the antenna detecting other aircraft’s positions is dependent on line-of-sight, and can’t see something behind a ridgeline, for example. Mercer explained that there are some blind spots in the “view shed” of what the antenna can pick up, but that this challenge is surmountable.

“We’re already working to establish satellite nodes—sort of secondary nodes of these antennas,” he said. They could leave an antenna on top of the ridge which communicates with the antenna on the UASP-kit to increase visibility.

The STEReO team’s primary focus is refining the technology’s capabilities in a way that ensures safety and enables operators to do more while using the UASP-kit.

Firefighters use drones to fly into places that are considered too dangerous for conventional aircraft. Drones can help firefighters on the ground by detecting where a fire is growing fastest. (Photo: National Geographic)

Four of these kits are currently being used for real-world fire management; CAL FIRE is using one of the UASP-kits, Mercer noted. All of the feedback gathered from users will be used to improve future iterations of the UASP-kit, like making the operator’s workflow easier via the interface, or enabling more efficient decision-making.

A UAS services provider, Precision, operates aircraft for mapping wildfires and emergency response missions, most recently in support of the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior in New Mexico and Arizona. Their team can deploy UAS within 48 hours and is not limited to performing operations only during the day or when visibility is high.

The post NASA Researchers Field-Test New Technology to Aid Drone Pilots in Fighting Fires appeared first on Aviation Today.

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New Research Recommends Streamlining Regulations to Enable Drone Operations in the U.S.

A new research report recommends creating drone corridors to enable advancements and growth of the commercial drone industry. The report also features a scorecard that ranks each state’s “drone readiness” based on multiple factors. (Photo courtesy of the Mercatus Center, George Mason University)

New research from George Mason University’s Mercatus Center indicates the need for states to create and manage drone routes in order to enable growth of the commercial drone industry in the U.S. The research paper, authored by senior research fellow Brent Skorup, also features a ranking system that compares the “drone readiness” of each state. Oklahoma ranks as the most prepared for commercial drone services, followed by North Dakota, Arkansas, Arizona, and Minnesota. Three states tied for last place as the least prepared to enable urban air mobility: Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Mississippi.

Skorup’s ranking of states’ preparedness for commercial drone services includes six factors: airspace lease law, avigation easement law, task force or program office, law vesting landowners with air rights, sandbox availability, and jobs estimates.

The drone industry needs to work with local regulators and landowners in a way that the conventional aviation industry hasn’t had to, Skorup explained in an interview with Avionics International. While noise concerns have existed for a long time, with conventional aircraft these concerns are only an issue for residents living next to an airport or heliport. In contrast, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) fly at low altitudes and could be targeted by trespassing or nuisance lawsuits. 

Skorup had the idea that enabling drones to fly above public roadways would eliminate most of these issues. “Roadways are already dedicated for transportation; they’re fairly noisy and handle a lot of logistics,” he said. “Establishing drone corridors above public roadways at low altitudes is a fairly simple and elegant way to open up millions of miles of these corridors.”

One of the few sites in the U.S. where the FAA currently allows test flights for drones is the 50-mile drone corridor in New York. NUAIR, a nonprofit that manages operations at the New York UAS Test Site, received FAA authorization for drone operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) for 35 miles of airspace within the corridor.

The report published by the Mercatus Center demonstrates the importance of allowing use of airspace over public roadways to make drone flights more feasible. Skorup also sees avigation easements as a priority. Avigation easement laws enable drones to fly as long as they are at an altitude high enough to not disturb people on the ground.

Skorup’s research includes the suggestion that establishing many more designated places for testing new drone technologies would allow companies to more effectively demonstrate their products to regulators and investors. These places, referred to as sandboxes, could be underused airports or rural airspace. “It’s important in this industry to show proof of concept, and have something to show investors and regulators—not just business plans,” he remarked. Developers of drones, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and UTMs (UAS Traffic Management) could all benefit from dedicated public facilities for testing.

Even though drone technology is fairly advanced, Skorup said, it’s difficult for companies to make a business case while depending on one-off waivers from the Federal Aviation Administration. There are a lot of pilot programs in the U.S. for drones, such as Zipline’s, he noted. Zipline recently received its Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate from the FAA, and has been performing drone flights in Arkansas under the FAA’s Part 107 rule since last year. 

“A lot of companies in the past year or two have really struggled. They need access to airspace,” Skorup stated. He recommends that the FAA and state departments of transportation coordinate in whitelisting low-altitude airspace—below 200 or 400 feet—for drone companies to begin routine flights and testing. He also sees a need for allowing private property owners or cities to negotiate with drone companies to get drone corridors up and running.

He also hopes to see more sandboxes open up for tests and demonstrations. Each sandbox may have different priorities; “a drone company that wants to operate in Manhattan is going to look very different than one [designed for agricultural applications] in Texas or Oklahoma,” he said.

Brent Skorup used six factors to score and rank each of the 50 states regarding their preparedness for commercial drone services. (Photo: Brent Skorup / Mercatus Center)

In spite of the challenges that drone companies and regulators are facing, Skorup believes that the regulatory framework for drone operations in the U.S. compares favorably to those in other countries. “From what I can tell, most countries and national regulators are looking to the US for leadership, and follow closely what happens here,” he commented.

China is one country that appears to be further along in the cargo and passenger drone industries. Earlier this year, Brent Skorup and colleague Will Gu wrote a report comparing drone policy and industrial policy in the U.S. and China, and also offered recommendations for lawmakers in the U.S. “Chinese regulators perceive their nation as lagging the United States and Europe in traditional commercial aviation,” according to the report. “That perception seems to serve as a motivation to leapfrog the West and lead the globe in developing commercial drone, eVTOL, and urban air mobility (UAM) standards and services.”

Skorup and Gu’s research also showed that drone regulations in China “preserve significantly more discretion for national regulators (and uncertainty for industry),” while the regulatory environment in the U.S. is at a disadvantage due to “a system of ad hoc and temporary waivers for long-distance drone operations.” However, they noted, “U.S. regulators appear prepared to apply more rigorous and general policies in the near future.”

In general, things are moving extremely slowly for the commercial drone industry in the U.S. “The FAA has a lot on its plate,” Skorup told Avionics. “It manages traditional air traffic in the U.S. amongst a lot of other things. I see drones falling through the cracks: it doesn’t seem to be a priority for the agency.” He is optimistic that more airspace can be opened up for drone operations if regulators enable local authorities to whitelist low-altitude airspace and to establish drone corridors over public roadways. 

The post New Research Recommends Streamlining Regulations to Enable Drone Operations in the U.S. appeared first on Aviation Today.

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Eve Unveils Full-Size Mock-Up Of Its eVTOL Cabin

Eve revealed the full-sized mock-up of their eVTOL aircraft’s cabin at the Farnborough Airshow this week. (Photo, courtesy of Embraer and Eve)

Eve Holdings revealed a full-sized mock-up of the cabin of its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for the first time at the Farnborough Airshow. In another announcement at the airshow this week, Eve disclosed the signing of a Letter of Intent with Embraer and BAE Systems that includes a potential order of 150 of Eve’s eVTOLs. BAE Systems and Embraer also signed a Memorandum of Understanding this week indicating a possible collaboration to develop a variation of Eve’s eVTOL for defense applications.

Eve is a subsidiary of Embraer, previously known as Eve Urban Air Mobility. The subsidiary formed a business combination with Zanite Acquisition Corp. in May of this year, and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange at that time. 

Flavia Ciaccia, Vice President of User Experience of Eve, commented on the unveiling of the eVTOL aircraft’s cabin: “This mock-up brilliantly materialises the cabin concept we have been co-creating with potential users for years. We recently received feedback from our advisory board. […] Our solutions were designed considering essential market needs, such as accessibility, safety, sustainability, and ticket price.”

The current design of Eve’s aircraft includes a conventional wing and tail. This differs from the vehicle’s previous canard configuration. (Photo: Eve)

The current design of Eve’s aircraft includes a conventional wing and tail. This differs from the vehicle’s previous canard configuration. The company’s co-CEO, Andre Stein, remarked that Eve has been “accelerating our resources engagement and evolving the project’s maturity.”

Stein noted the potential of Eve’s eVTOL to be adapted for applications such as humanitarian response and disaster relief. The Letter of Intent (LOI) signed with Embraer and BAE Systems is non-binding, and the two companies intend to evaluate the application of the eVTOL for defense and security missions. President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, Jackson Schneider, noted that a defense variant of Eve’s aircraft could be a sustainable and cost-effective vehicle that offers adaptable capability.

Ian Muldowney, BAE Systems Air Chief Operating Officer, also commented on the announcement about the LOI with Eve. Muldowney shared that the operating environment of their customers is increasing in complexity. “eVTOL is just one example of how we’re looking at emerging technologies, including those from the commercial market. We are exploring how we can adapt these solutions to bring vital operational capability to our customers quickly and at a lower cost.”

This week, Eve also selected Halo Aviation as the launch customer for its Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM) software solution. Halo provides custom private travel services for the urban air mobility (UAM) market. Halo and Eve entered into a LOI in which Halo will acquire Eve’s UATM software and collaborate in the development and optimization of UAM operations.

Eve and Halo intend to develop an operational model, which would be deployed in the U.S. and the U.K. for specific missions.

Andrew Collins, Halo’s President and CEO, described the agreement as a unique and collaborative partnership. He stated that their team looks forward to working with Eve because the company is working to deploy a series of agnostic solutions to drive UAM, rather than solely focusing on manufacturing their eVTOL aircraft. 

“We’ve been accelerating our resources engagement and evolving the project’s maturity.” co-CEO of Eve, Andre Stein (Photo: Eve)

Eve’s Andre Stein remarked on the LOI with Halo, saying, “We believe that collaborations such as ours are vital to fostering a thriving UAM market. […] Eve’s agnostic portfolio of solutions addresses the complexity of UAM networks, which require holistic and integrated services across the ecosystem that connect stakeholders to maintain and improve safety, optimise performance, and reduce operating costs. Halo’s outstanding travel services, coupled with our solutions, make this partnership extremely promising.”

In March, Eve announced the formation of two new partnerships. Global Crossing Airlines Group signed an LOI with Eve to order as many as 200 eVTOL aircraft. The companies expect to collaborate further in exploration of UAM ecosystem development and supporting infrastructure for eVTOL operations. A week later, Eve and Acciona, a renewable energy solutions developer, entered into a strategic partnership. Acciona plans to invest $30 million into Eve as part of the partnership.

Additionally, Eve have also recently been exploring the potential of autonomous flight. The companies collaborated with Iris Automation, Near Earth Autonomy, and Daedalean to conduct experimental flights that tested new technologies for autonomous systems. Key functions being evaluated were visual traffic detection, visual positioning, and visual landing functions.

The post Eve Unveils Full-Size Mock-Up Of Its eVTOL Cabin appeared first on Aviation Today.

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SESAR JU Leads Project for Medical Drone Delivery in Belgium

SAFIR-Med, a project that is part of the SESAR Joint Undertaking, recently received authorization to perform a drone flight beyond visual line of sight over a populated area in Belgium. (Photo: SAFIR-Med)

The Belgian Civil Aviation Authority recently authorized a first-of-its-kind beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flight in Antwerp. This was the first BVLOS drone flight over a populated area operating within the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s new regulations for unmanned aircraft, and complying with the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA). 

The flight took place in June as part of the SAFIR-Med project to explore the feasibility of using drones to perform urgent medical deliveries. The team, including drone operator Helicus, used an X-8 multicopter, developed by SABCA, for the flight. 

The SAFIR-Med project is one of many led and funded by the SESAR Joint Undertaking—a public-private partnership that manages research and innovation related to air traffic management (ATM) in the European Union. The Joint Undertaking, or JU, is part of the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) collaborative project.

As drone operations become more frequent, it is necessary to ensure that unmanned aircraft are integrated safely into the existing airspace. (Photo: SAFIR-Med)

In 2017, the SESAR JU drafted a blueprint for enabling U-space, a framework to facilitate the safe integration of routine drone operations into the existing airspace. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Committee approved a regulatory package for U-space in February 2021, and the European Commission adopted the regulations in April.

The regulatory framework for U-space includes requirements for ATM and ANSPs, and rules for ensuring that manned aircraft that operate alongside unmanned aircraft are electronically conspicuous. The U-space regulations will be applicable beginning on January 26, 2023.

Robin Garrity, Senior External Relations Officer of the SESAR 3 JU, commented that there will not be an immediate increase in the number of commercial drone activities taking place once these U-space regulations are in effect. 

“The Regulation sets the rules for States to create, pretty much from scratch, a whole new ecosystem to support routine, commercial drone operations, and there are many pieces that need to be in place. Only when a State has all the key pieces in place can routine operations begin,” Garrity wrote in an emailed statement to Avionics International. The U-space regulations set the baseline for each State to work from when implementing a U-space environment that is operational. 

Above is the X-8 multicopter, designed by SABCA with an integrated parachute. The drone is fully compliant with the flight test requirements specified in the ASTM F3322-18 Standard Specification. (Photo: SAFIR-Med)

At the end of June, the SESAR 3 JU announced three new projects as part of the Digital Sky Demonstrators that serve to test solutions for U-space and urban air mobility (UAM). These include U-ELCOME, coordinated by Eurocontrol to facilitate market uptake of services for U-space; BURDI, coordinated by Belgian ANSP skeyes, a project that will demonstrate management of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations in different environments; and EALU-AER, coordinated by Future Mobility Campus Ireland to demonstrate U-space architecture operations and ATM integration by leveraging drone traffic management technology solutions.

The Digital Sky Demonstrator projects are designed specifically to support States as they transition from demonstrations to deployments of a U-space environment, Garrity explained. “Until it becomes routine for drone operators to be able to use U-space services, the demand for such services will remain somewhat abated,” he noted. “As operations are increasingly enabled, the number of drone operators making use of the services is expected to increase and this, in turn, is expected to render this new ecosystem commercially viable.”

The SESAR 3 JU works closely with standardization and regulatory bodies. The ICAO UAS Advisory Group is a global body of standardization for UAS operations and ATM that the SESAR JU participates in. The JU also participates in the European U-space Standardisation Coordination Group (EUSCG) and some EUROCAE Working Groups. Garrity added that they work closely with EASA—in particular, during execution of demonstration projects to ensure adherence to regulations and to maintain safety.

“All SESAR research projects, not just those dealing with U-space, are required to provide insight and recommendations for standardization and regulation,” he shared. “Any findings from our research and demonstration projects are immediately fed into EASA and EUSCG/EUROCAE activities so that they can be incorporated in new standards and regulations.”

“The close partnership between the SESAR 3 JU, SESAR project members, EASA and standardisation bodies is vital and fundamental to the successful realisation of the U-space vision,” Garrity wrote. He also emphasized the importance of ensuring that commercial operations are carried out safely, especially because the creation of an entirely new aviation ecosystem is such an ambitious undertaking.

Another project led by SESAR, called AURA, is a two-year-long program focused on U-space solutions. The first objective is to identify the requirements for communications with ATM and validate U-space services. Second, the AURA team will define an ATM-U-space Concept of Operations for drone operations alongside manned aircraft.

A representative of the AURA project told Avionics in an emailed statement that the project’s flight plans are authorized by default. However, manual authorization of flight plans is required for “very high-risk environments at the airport and surrounding areas,” the representative explained. “We manage it with flight plan authorizations by ATM/geofences requiring authorization (even applying initial Dynamic Airspace Reconfiguration concepts).”

AURA includes Honeywell Aerospace, ENAIRE, Airbus, EUROCONTROL, Leonardo, Thales, NATS, and Indra, among several other partners.

The post SESAR JU Leads Project for Medical Drone Delivery in Belgium appeared first on Aviation Today.

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