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AutoFlight’s Prosperity I Performs Proof-of-Concept Transition Test Flight

AutoFlight’s eVTOL, the Prosperity I, successfully performed a transition test flight, moving from vertical take-off to horizontal flight and back to vertical motion for landing. (Photo: AutoFlight)

AutoFlight, a startup developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, completed a proof-of-concept transition test flight with its Prosperity I last month. This test flight, which demonstrated the aircraft’s ability to move from vertical take-off motion to horizontal flight, took place in Jiangsu, China, in AutoFlight’s flight test area.

The startup is one of the first eVTOL companies worldwide to successfully complete a transition flight—only one other 4-seater eVTOL aircraft has achieved this. The aircraft was unmanned during the flight test, but the vehicle is designed to carry three passengers in addition to a pilot.

The company hopes to achieve manned flight certification in Europe by the year 2025, and completing this transition flight was an important milestone towards that goal. The Prosperity I eVTOL is being developed for transporting passengers within cities, or for connecting trips between two nearby cities or airports. The company intends for its services to eventually cost the same as a taxi ride, and to provide the same level of safety—as AutoFlight put it, “clean, safe, quiet, and affordable airborne transportation for everyone.”

In the transition phase of AutoFlight’s test flight, “the rotors on the top stopped spinning and locked in a streamlined position, while the propellers in the rear pushed the aircraft forward like a traditional fixed-wing plane,” according to the company. The CEO, Tian Yu, remarked that the Prosperity I aircraft was able to complete the transition phase smoothly and safely.

Prosperity I is one of only two 4-seater eVTOL aircraft to date that have completed a transition test flight. (Photo: AutoFlight)

AutoFlight Europe’s Managing Director, Mark Henning, commented on the engineering team’s confidence as they progress in development of Prosperity I. “The simplicity of AutoFlight’s design lies in our patented ‘Lift and Cruise’ configuration, which combines superior range and safety with low technical complexity, making it affordable to manufacture, maintain and operate as an air taxi.”

Founding Partner Christian Koenig shared that the company plans to make both manned and unmanned eVTOL aircraft. One of the competitive advantages of Prosperity I is its configuration which is less technically complex than others on the market. “The intention is to combine a very simple but robust aircraft configuration, pair that with an established supply base, and [take advantage of] the production costs in China,” he told Avionics. In addition to working towards EASA certification by 2025, another long-term goal for the company is to obtain certifications for all key markets.

A video from AutoFlight featuring the transition test flight was just released by the company. According to the video, the aircraft performing the test will be the final design of Prosperity I. AutoFlight’s aircraft range will be 250 kilometers and will have a cruising speed of 200 km per hour.

AutoFlight’s mission is to provide “clean, safe, quiet, and affordable airborne transportation for everyone.” (Photo: AutoFlight)

The post AutoFlight’s Prosperity I Performs Proof-of-Concept Transition Test Flight appeared first on Aviation Today.

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Jaunt Air Mobility and Avports Partner to Advance eVTOL Integration

Jaunt Air Mobility and Avports will work together to advance the integration of eVTOL aircraft and carbon-neutral air mobility operations. (Photo: Jaunt)

Avports and Jaunt Air Mobility recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to coordinate in the integration of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft into the aviation ecosystem. Avports joined Jaunt’s infrastructure alliance, Access Skyways, which was created to address some of the critical challenges in urban air mobility (UAM) that may arise over the next decade. The new partnership will expand Avports’ efforts to introduce an environmentally friendly option for commuting and accelerate progress towards carbon neutrality.

The Access Skyways alliance was started just about a year and a half ago. Jaunt’s Chief Commercial Officer, Simon Briceno, explained in an interview with Avionics what Jaunt and its partners hope to achieve with Access Skyways. “As an OEM of an eVTOL, we realized very quickly that, in talking with potential customers, there were some areas of the operations that really needed the expertise from other organizations.” They particularly saw the need for expertise related to UAM infrastructure. In order for eVTOL aircraft to begin successful commercial operations and integrate into the existing ecosystem, operators will need to be able to charge the vehicles frequently and efficiently.

Jaunt reached out to organizations that were experienced in the infrastructure space, including BAE Systems, Price Systems, and PS&S—which had experience in designing vertiports as well as partnering with Uber Elevate. They began talking with Avports because of the company’s experience in managing existing airport operations. “These organizations come together and bring the experience and expertise that we need to help our customers—existing aviation operators, part 135 operators, or future eVTOL operators—to address some of those challenges,” Briceno commented.

Pictured from left to right are Arturo Garcia, Avports COO; Jorge Roberts, Avports CEO, Martin Peryea, Jaunt CEO; and Simon Briceno, Jaunt’s Chief Commercial Officer. (Photo: Jaunt)

Arturo Garcia, Chief Operating Officer at Avports, also shared some perspectives on their contribution to the Access Skyways alliance. For the last five years, he said, it has been clear that eVTOL flight is a main part of the developing advanced air mobility (AAM) industry, and coordination and understanding will be integral to the successful implementation in the coming years.

He remarked that eVTOL aircraft have evolved very rapidly to meet the demand for sustainable flight. “We have new opportunities for ground infrastructure, such as vertiports. That is something we have been very involved with, along with the Jaunt team: working to facilitate that integration into airports,” said Garcia. He also highlighted Avports’ expertise in specific aspects of ground infrastructure such as permits, public acceptance, and interaction with the communities.

Jaunt’s Simon Briceno noted that the company takes a very realistic approach to planning and implementing initial operations. “We do not intend to need any new infrastructure for landing/take-off facilities on day one of operations,” he said. There is a lot of existing infrastructure, including over 5,000 airports in the U.S. used for general aviation. In the near-term, Briceno explained, more than 90% of the key elements that Jaunt will need to begin operations are already in place—mainly under-utilized airports and heliports near large cities—based on their analysis and modeling of ridership demand. “Our aircraft will be flying in today’s airspace under today’s rules,” he commented.

Jaunt and Avports both prioritize sustainability and environmentally-friendly integration of eVTOL aircraft into the existing airspace. (Photo: Jaunt)

Jaunt’s eVTOL aircraft, pictured above, takes off and lands like a helicopter, and it transitions to forward flight like a traditional fixed-wing aircraft.

When considering direct costs for operating an aircraft, Briceno said, Jaunt is able to significantly reduce two components: the cost of fuel itself and maintenance. Because eVTOL aircraft have fewer moving parts and less complex systems, “we’re able to flow down those savings in direct operating costs to ticket price,” he explained. Additionally, as operations ramp up, the cost for customers will decrease. Jaunt’s priorities include sustainable power generation as well as offering an affordable method of transportation.

One of Avports’ priorities in recent years has also been sustainability. Arturo Garcia emphasized the importance of having the right strategy in place as they replace existing aircraft with low-emission or zero-emission alternatives over time. Part of that strategy will include providing power that is environmentally friendly and renewable. This could include installing photovoltaic solar panels at airports, said Garcia, or “creating additional [methods for] providing thermal power—using geothermal strategies including hydrogen- and fuel cell-operated vehicles and tools in order to provide that zero-emission framework for overall operations.”

Another important factor for electric aircraft is having additional resilience from an external power supply to recharge their batteries. A reliable power source will be necessary, and will ideally be produced as sustainably and efficiently as possible. Continuity of power will also be important for electric aircraft—making sure that operations and services are not interrupted due to older existing infrastructure or extreme weather.

The post Jaunt Air Mobility and Avports Partner to Advance eVTOL Integration appeared first on Aviation Today.

IndiGo to Upgrade A320neo Fleet with RNP AR

IndiGo is adding RNP AR upgrades to its fleet of A320neos. (Airbus)

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is adding Required Navigation Performance with Authorization Required (RNP AR) upgrades to some of its A320neo aircraft.

NavBlue, an Airbus Services company that supplies flight operations and air traffic management IT technologies, is providing the RNP AR upgrade for IndiGo’s A320s to provide the Indian carrier’s pilots with the ability to “navigate mountainous areas or other challenging airspaces with precision and predictability,” according to a Feb. 15 announcement on the upgrade. RNP AR is an advanced Performance Based Navigation (PBN) approach procedure that requires operators to obtain prior authorization from a civil aviation authority. The advanced navigation technique enables an aircraft to fly a pre-determined path between waypoints by placing an aircraft’s airport approach on a curved, precise path where the descent and positioning are constantly augmented by satellite-based navigation signals.

Ronojoy Dutta, CEO of IndiGo, said the upgrade will enable IndiGo pilots to “safely through challenging terrains like curvy or hilly areas during the takeoff or landing. We believe this will enhance operational safety of the aircraft while also improving efficiency in the long run.”

Kathmandu is one of the airports where IndiGo sees the RNP AR upgrade providing some immediate benefits, as the mountains and terrain surrounding the airport can make the approach and landing process more challenging. The Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) upgrade being added to the A320neos allows navigation accuracy to 0.3NM and below, and turns after the final approach point, according to NavBlue.

NavBlue describes its RNP AR upgrade as an “end-to-end” solution, that includes support for the upgrade on the aircraft, procedure design, and navigation database validation along with support for flight crew training.

IndiGo is also purchasing NavBlue’s Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitor (RAIM) prediction service that allows pilots to use the latest available GPS satellite constellation information for calculating the mask angle, fault detection, selective availability, and baro-aiding aspects of using the RNP AR upgrade on a per-flight basis.

“For challenging airports where RNP AR approaches or departures are in use, along-track predictions use the real mask angle to account for terrain screening,” according to NavBlue.

The RNP AR upgrade for IndiGo comes following the release of their Feb. 4 third-quarter fiscal year 2022 earnings results, with the airline reporting its first quarterly profit—1.3 billion rupees—in two years. IndiGo also expects to replace the majority of its in-service A320ceo fleet with A320neos by the end of 2022.

The post IndiGo to Upgrade A320neo Fleet with RNP AR appeared first on Aviation Today.

NAV Canada to Implement New ADS-B Airspace Mandate in 2023

Nav Canada will implement its new ADS-B Out airspace mandate starting next year. (Nav Canada)

Canadian air navigation service provider (ANSP) NAV Canada will require aircraft operators flying in Class A and B airspace to meet their new meet Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) Out performance requirements beginning Feb. 23, 2023.

According to a Feb. 11 announcement on the new mandate from Nav Canada, the new policy requires aircraft flying above 12,500 feet to be equipped with ADS-B Out transponders that meet the applicable standard of Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) DO-260B. Although Canada has been providing ground-based ADS-B surveillance to aircraft flying above 29,000 feet since 2008, the new mandate clarifies what type of ADS-B equipment is required and where.

In an emailed statement to Avionics International, a representative for Nav Canada said the mandate will come into effect through updates being added to Transport Canada’s Standards in Airworthiness Manual Chapter 551. The government agency is also developing an aeronautical information circular on the new mandate, while Nav Canada is directing aviation stakeholders to their Service Notice on the new policy in the interim.

The representative also explained how there are very small differences between the ADS-B Out mandate that became effective in U.S. airspace on Dec. 31, 2019, and the one taking effect in Canada next year. Nav Canada wants to ensure that aircraft flying in Class A and B airspace will be broadcasting their aircraft position updates to the satellite space-based ADS-B receivers operated by Aireon.

Appropriately equipped aircraft flying below 29,000 feet in the Montreal Flight Information Region (FIR) were first linked to space-based ADS-B surveillance by Nav Canada in December 2021, with plans to expand that surveillance to operators in the Edmonton and Winnipeg FIRs later this year.

“The ADS-B Out avionics performance standards required is RTCA DO-260B or newer. This requirement can be met either through antenna diversity (the use of a top and bottom antenna) or with a single antenna that is capable of transmitting both towards the ground and up towards satellites,” the representative said. “In the U.S., aircraft that operate in airspace that required a Mode C or Mode S transponder needed to be equipped with ADS-B Out by December 31, 2019. This includes most controlled airspace (Class A, B, C and parts of E). Outside U.S. airspace, almost all ADS-B systems operate on 1090 MHz.”

The Canadian ADS-B Out airspace mandate was delayed in 2019 to address concerns about the cost of equipage that the antenna diversity aspect of the policy requires. Originally, Nav Canada had proposed a five-year phased approach to its policy that included a requirement for antenna diversity—antennas mounted to the top and bottom of the fuselage—that would help support its goal of achieving a five nautical mile aircraft separation through space-based ADS-B surveillance.

The DO-260B standard incorporates improved Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)/GPS accuracies, latency, and position forecasting developed from position and velocity to predict aircraft position, as well as additional cockpit failure annunciators among other performance requirements.

Nav Canada estimates that approximately 95% of aircraft currently operating in Class A airspace are equipped with DO-260B compliant ADS-B Out transponders, while approximately 65% of those in Class B airspace are properly equipped. Raymond G. Bohn, President and CEO of Nav Canada describes ADS-B as “a foundational building block for our future airspace and operations.”

“The Canadian equipage mandate—when combined with NAV CANADA’s space-based surveillance capabilities—will enhance safety and service,” Bohn said. The agency plans on expanding the mandate to Class C, D, and E airspace with a phased approach beginning in 2026.

The post NAV Canada to Implement New ADS-B Airspace Mandate in 2023 appeared first on Aviation Today.

Joby’s New ANA, SK Telecom Partnerships Will Introduce Air Taxis in Japan and South Korea

Joby Aviation will work with ANA HOLDINGS to bring eVTOL operations to Japan. (Photo: Joby Aviation)

This week, Joby Aviation and ANA HOLDINGS—parent company of All Nippon Airways (ANA)—announced their joint efforts to establish aerial ridesharing services in Japan. The collaboration includes infrastructure development, air traffic management, pilot training, and meeting regulatory requirements to begin operations with Joby’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. Toyota Motor Corporation will join the efforts to explore integration with ground transportation.

ANA, the largest airline in Japan, has operated for 70 years and will bring significant operational experience to this partnership. Koji Shibata, Representative Director and Executive Vice President at ANA HD, commented on the opportunity in the announcement: “Our customers value efficiency very highly, so being able to provide them with the option to travel rapidly—and sustainably—from an international airport to a downtown location is very appealing.”

Joby’s all-electric eVTOL will deliver emissions-free air taxi services with a low noise profile for journeys of up to 150 miles. The vehicle’s top speed is 200 mph, meaning that the 31-mile trip from Osaka Station to Kansai International Airport, which would take an hour by car, could be completed in less than 15 minutes in Joby’s eVTOL.

Japan offers an ideal market for urban air mobility (UAM) operations, explained Joby CEO JoeBen Bevirt. “92% of the population [lives] in urban areas and Tokyo [is registered] as one of the top 20 most congested cities in the world. We look forward to working closely with ANA to bring our aerial ridesharing service to reality in Japan.”

Joby announced the start of FAA conformity testing just last week as the company entered the implementation phase for its aircraft type certification program. An FAA Designated Engineering Representative documented the first series of tests, completed in California. According to Joby, the testing serves to “confirm the material strength of composite coupons that are representative of the aerostructure of Joby’s aircraft. The resulting compliance data will form the foundation for future testing of structural components of the aircraft as Joby progresses through the type certification process.”

A partnership between SK Telecom and Joby aims to introduce emissions-free aerial ridesharing services to the market in South Korea. (Photo: Joby Aviation)

In addition to the partnership announced this week with ANA, Joby also recently announced a new collaboration with SK Telecom to introduce Joby’s eVTOL operations to the South Korean market. South Korea has large urban populations, similar to the market in Japan; about 81% of the population in South Korea lives in urban areas and cities. “The parties will work together on all aspects of establishing this service in South Korea,” a representative from Joby told Avionics International in an emailed statement.

The representative also shared, “In the meantime, we welcome the Government’s efforts to support the development of this revolutionary new transportation option through the K-UAM Grand Challenge, established by MOLIT, and note that the FAA and South Korea have a Bi-Lateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) in place which sets an efficient path for the validation of Joby’s FAA aircraft certification.”

SK Telecom (SKT) will contribute their “T Map” mobility platform to the aerial ridesharing operations initiated by the new partnership. SKT’s T Map platform is the largest in Korea and was first brought into a joint venture—called UT—between SKT and Uber in 2021 that also leveraged Uber’s ridesharing technology. The aim of the agreement between Joby and SKT, according to the representative from Joby, is “to provide multi-modal journeys to customers, seamlessly integrating both ground and air travel.”

Pictured here, the CEOs of Joby and SK Telecom shake hands at the signing ceremony. (Photo: Joby Aviation)

SKT CEO Ryu Young-sang looks forward to accelerating UAM in South Korea by partnering with Joby Aviation. “Collaborating with leading global companies is essential to securing leadership in future industries, which we are confident will be driven by the growth of UAM, autonomous driving, and robots,” Young-sang said in the announcement from the two companies.

The post Joby’s New ANA, SK Telecom Partnerships Will Introduce Air Taxis in Japan and South Korea appeared first on Aviation Today.

Boeing Reports Record $2 Billion in Online Sales of Aircraft Parts

Boeing’s record online orders for parts products in 2021 were fueled by investment in digital tools. (Boeing)

Boeing achieved an annual record for e-commerce sales of aircraft parts in 2021, the company reported on Monday.

According to a Feb. 14 press release, Boeing Distribution Inc. sold close to 70,000 aircraft parts and products to commercial and government operators, amounting to more than $2 billion in online orders last year. The total online revenue generated by Boeing Distribution Inc. included more than $1.5 billion in commercial orders.

Ted Colbert, president and chief executive officer, Boeing Global Services, released a statement on the e-commerce record for Boeing from the Singapore Airshow, calling the company’s $2 billion in e-commerce last year a “great capstone as the market heads to a more stable recovery.”

“Customer success stories are a great metric! Their stories are backed by an encouraging proof point that the airline industry is steadily recovering. Boeing customers purchased 70,000 parts online in 2021, worth over $2 billion exceeding pre-pandemic levels. With every upgrade to our e-commerce site, customers continued to choose that path, shifting to a seamless parts fulfillment,” Colbert said in a Feb. 14 statement published to his Linkedin page.

Boeing first launched operations for its Boeing Global Services division as a third major business unit in June 2017, with a focus on four primary areas including supply chain management; engineering; aircraft modification; digital analytics and training; and professional services. Headquartered in Texas, the global services division was formed by the services capabilities of the government, space, and commercial sectors into a single, customer-focused business.

During the company’s fourth-quarter 2021 earnings call last month, Boeing CFO Brian West said revenue for their Global Services division increased by $4.3 billion in the fourth quarter, up 15% from the same period in 2020.

“We received $6 billion in orders during the quarter, taking the BGS backlog to $20 billion. We also delivered the 50th 767-300 converted freighter and announced plans to add 10 new converted freighter lines. Our services business has shown great resilience in part due to the balance of both defense and commercial offerings,” West said.

West told investors that Boeing expects “solid growth” in their services business in 2022, as the “commercial market continues to improve.”

Boeing Distribution Inc.’s revamped website now includes more than 500,000 aircraft parts and components, and recorded five million visits from customers in 50 different countries last year. William Ampofo, vice president of Parts, Distribution Services, and Supply Chain, Boeing Global Services, attributes their e-commerce growth to “launching new digital tools, we are creating a more streamlined process for our customers by realigning strategy, program, and product line management with supply chain and customer support.”

In September, Boeing released its latest outlook for aviation services, forecasting a $3.2 trillion market with commercial, business, and general aviation services representing $1.7 trillion and government services representing $1.5 trillion through 2030.

The post Boeing Reports Record $2 Billion in Online Sales of Aircraft Parts appeared first on Aviation Today.

Verizon 5G Enables Near-Real-Time Object Detection for Drones

Verizon 5G Edge and AWS enable Easy Aerial’s Easy Guard “drone-in-a-box” to detect objects in near-real-time and to fly for longer periods of time. (Photo: Verizon)

A collaboration between Easy Aerial, Verizon, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) has demonstrated the use of Verizon 5G Edge and AWS Wavelength to enable near-real-time object detection for drones. The Easy Guard ground station, one of Easy Aerial’s product offerings, is described by the company as a “smart” aircraft hangar for takeoff, landing, and charging, and this “drone-in-a-box” solution was selected for exploring 5G integration. Easy Aerial first considered integrating 5G into the Easy Guard at Verizon and Newlab’s Brooklyn, New York-based 5G Studio, which was created to develop a wide range of potential technology solutions.

Through this collaboration, with the 5G-enabled Easy Guard system, successful transmission of telemetry data from Easy Aerial drones was achieved, which made it possible to monitor flights in near-real-time. They were also able to reduce the data transmission rates of the drones by leveraging 5G for communications and reduce latency via use of 5G and mobile edge compute (MEC) on “AI-powered data processing,” Verizon notes in a description of the collaboration with Easy Aerial and AWS.

According to the collaboration announcement from Verizon, the integration of 5G and mobile edge computing for drone operations resulted in savings of about 10% in drone costs and flight time that was increased by about 40%.

The Easy Guard ground station, pictured above, is a “smart” aircraft hangar for takeoff, landing, and charging. (Photo: Verizon/Easy Aerial)

Ivan Stamatovski, CTO of Easy Aerial, explained that a demonstration like this has not been attempted before, in part because of a lack of actual 5G coverage in the U.S.; however, Easy Aerial is optimally positioned to utilize both AWS and Verizon’s 5G Edge. Integrating 5G, according to Stamatovski, “opens up a lot of avenues for using small unmanned aircraft systems [sUAS] for all kinds of applications,” he told Avionics International. The team at Easy Aerial had developed the Easy Guard ground station and, after joining the 5G studio, began working on possible applications for 5G within the Easy Guard system.

Stamatovski explained that “typically, we would have our AI for people recognition and car detection, and we would run it on a local computer, but we said, ‘Since there’s limited space and limited power for it, let’s see if we can put that all on Amazon Edge.’” It was also important to have low latency for object detection so that processing would happen in real-time or near real-time. “We decided to go with Amazon Edge,” he said, “because the cloud is too far out there. The whole setup was made so that the drone talks to Amazon directly, and Amazon does the processing and AI with our algorithms that were deployed on the Edge. Then it communicates back to another 5G unit that is inside our Easy Guard.”

Stamatovski noted that Easy Aerial benefited greatly from using the high bandwidth for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) that Verizon 5G Edge and AWS Wavelength are able to provide. By processing data at the edge of the network—in near-real-time—“it shifts the paradigm on what is possible to achieve with airborne sensors,” he said.

Pictured above is the drone landing back on the Easy Guard station after a flight. (Easy Aerial/Verizon)

“I was surprised with how fast it was. I don’t think many people have had a chance to really experience that speed,” Stamatovski shared. “The transfer speed was higher than when we had direct communication via ground link. It opens up possibilities to do all kinds of processing; there is no limitation on the size and weight of the computer that runs on the drone. You can have a whole room of servers running and use all of that processing power for your aerial vehicle.”

A strong partnership formed between Easy Aerial and Verizon as a result of successfully completing this demonstration of 5G integration. “We’re working on a couple of demos with their development center and are going to deploy the same setup, just on the tethered variant of our drones,” Stamatovski remarked. “We’re now exploring all the variations that [Easy Aerial] has made, and seeing how much more we can do with 5G.”

Looking ahead, Stamatovski predicts that within the next five years, there will be new hardware developments available for Internet of Things (IoT0 devices with high bandwidth consumption. “This is really what 5G is all about: giving high bandwidth to all the IoT devices. It will enable a new crop of IoT companies [including Easy Aerial] that can provide real-time situational awareness and all kinds of sensor data to be harvested. It’s something that does not exist today.” For Easy Aerial, he said, the coming developments will help them to stay connected and utilize more of the computing power in the cloud.

The post Verizon 5G Enables Near-Real-Time Object Detection for Drones appeared first on Aviation Today.

ACG Provides Up To $1B in Financing For Volocopter Customers

Aviation Capital Group (ACG) is providing financing for purchases of Volocopter’s aircraft, up to $1B, after the eVTOL aircraft achieve certification. (Photo: Tom Ziora for Volocopter)

ACG (Aviation Capital Group) has agreed to coordinate with urban air mobility (UAM) company Volocopter to develop financing solutions to enable Volocopter’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) sales once its aircraft achieves certification. The agreement covers up to $1 billion in financing sales of Volocopter’s eVTOL aircraft.

Once the FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have certified the aircraft for commercial use, deliveries of Volocopter’s eVTOL vehicles will commence. Three eVTOL aircraft have been developed by Volocopter for zero-emission transportation services, such as carrying passengers (the VoloCity and VoloConnect aircraft) and for moving cargo (the VoloDrone).

Through this agreement, ACG will enable Volocopter to offer customers the option to lease its eVTOL aircraft. The benefits of ACG’s experience and assistance are the flexibility and security provided for customer transactions if they choose the leasing option. After certification is achieved, Volocopter’s commercial business can begin scaling up its offerings for the urban air mobility (UAM) market thanks to this collaboration with ACG. As CEO Florian Reuter put it, “This agreement will allow our business to hit the ground running after aircraft certification.”

Volocopter’s eVTOL aircraft, including the VoloConnect pictured above, are designed for transportation in urban airspace. (Photo: Volocopter)

Some of the competitive advantages of Volocopter’s family of aircraft include the design simplicity and low noise profile. The VoloCity, VoloConnect, and VoloDrone are also all designed with “high levels of safety,” according to the company.

ACG’s parent company—Tokyo Century—is an early equity investor in Volocopter, and the new agreement builds on the existing partnership between the two companies, said Tom Baker, ACG CEO and President. “This transaction highlights ACG’s ongoing commitment to reducing the environmental impact of the aviation industry and to working towards a cleaner and more sustainable future,” Baker added.

The VoloCity is designed with low complexity and a quiet noise profile. (Photo: Volocopter)

Volocopter had a busy year in 2021. Just a couple of months ago, the company formed a joint venture with an enterprise called NEOM to build and operate a public vertical mobility system on the coast of the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia. NEOM placed confirmed orders for 10 VoloCity aircraft and 5 of the VoloDrones. In November, Volocopter completed a crewed test flight of its eVTOL demonstrator aircraft, the 2X. This marked the first crewed public test flight of a fully electric VTOL air taxi in South Korea.

Another joint venture company was formed in September 2021 between Volocopter and Aerofugia, a subsidiary of China’s Geely Technology Group. This deal set out to bring Volocopter’s aircraft to the market in China within the next five years. Additionally, Geely will purchase 150 Volocopter aircraft and elect a member to join Volocopter’s advisory board.

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Agility Prime Awards Phase III Contract to eSTOL Company Electra

The U.S. Air Force awarded a Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to Electra.aero in support of the continued development of Electra’s hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft. (Photo: Electra)

Next generation aerospace company Electra.aero was awarded a Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the U.S. Air Force (USAF). The contract will support the continued development of Electra’s eSTOL aircraft as part of the Air Force’s Agility Prime program. A direct-to-phase-II SBIR contract was awarded to Electra back in June 2021, when the Air Force invested $1.5 million in the company’s eSTOL development.

Ben Marchionna, Electra’s Director of Technology and Innovation, shared his perspectives on the Phase III SBIR contract in a Q&A with Avionics International. Electra’s hybrid-electric ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) tech demonstrator aircraft is on track to achieve its first flight in late 2022, he wrote. “Our team is currently ground testing the hybrid-electric propulsion system at our facility in Bleienbach, Switzerland. Meanwhile, the aircraft fabrication will soon begin in Manassas, Virginia.”

The unique features and capabilities of the eSTOL aircraft created by Electra are valuable for medical evacuation and several other operations. (Photo: Electra)

Electra is developing its aircraft to be capable of flying missions such as on-demand passenger flights, cargo transportation, search and rescue operations, and medical missions, according to the company’s announcement. Ben Marchionna added that their eSTOL aircraft “offers a uniquely compelling capability [to] deliver larger payloads at greater ranges like a fixed-wing aircraft but still access constrained landing zones like a rotorcraft. This allows our aircraft to overcome the challenging ‘tyranny of distance’ in the expansive Indo-Pacom theater, supporting distributed force structures and cargo resupply missions.”

The noise levels of Electra’s eSTOLs are two orders of magnitude quieter than those of helicopters. In addition to facilitating clandestine operations, the unique features and capabilities of the aircraft are valuable for medical evacuation, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response in addition to expeditionary advanced base operations, according to Marchionna.

Hybrid-electric aircraft like Electra’s offer some key advantages for defense mission challenges that eVTOLs are less suited for. (Photo: Electra)

The USAF Agility Prime program will be able to take advantage of the broad and differentiated defense mission applicability of Electra’s aircraft. Agility Prime supports and accelerates the maturation of technology related to advanced air mobility (AAM) solutions such as electric aircraft. eVTOL aircraft are not suited for certain defense mission challenges, said Marchionna, but hybrid eSTOL aircraft such as Electra’s are able to operate within existing infrastructure constraints and for operations that require greater payload and longer range.

Electra shared news of a partnership with Asia’s fastest-growing private air mobility platform, Yugo, in which the two companies will work to expand air mobility services through leveraging up to 12 of Electra’s eSTOL aircraft. The hope is that AAM services can reach both urban and underserved regions in Asia-Pacific. Yugo is based in Singapore and gives members of its digital platform access to hundreds of aircraft, “from light jets such as the Cessna Citation to longer range jets like the Gulfstream G650ER,” according to Electra’s announcement.

An Electra hybrid eSTOL aircraft in Yugo livery approaches a landing near Manila Bay. (Photo: Electra)

Yet another big announcement came from Electra last month regarding an investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures. A strategic cooperation agreement was also signed by Lockheed Martin, in which they plan to work with Electra on potential U.S. government solutions. “Combined with the SBIR Phase III contract, Lockheed Martin’s investment will help us to quickly develop and field this important technology,” Marchionna wrote.

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Wingcopter to Provide Cargo Drones for Delivery Operations in Peru

A new partnership between Wingcopter and a subsidiary of UAV LATAM will support drone delivery operations in Peru. (Photo: Wingcopter)

Wingcopter, a German drone manufacturer, has partnered with UAV del Peru (a subsidiary of Latin American holding UAV LATAM) to provide and deploy its cargo drones for delivery operations in Peru. UAV del Peru expects to be one of the first companies in Latin America to make use of delivery drone technology for a range of applications including commercial and humanitarian operations.

UAV LATAM, which has more than 10 years of experience in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry, has already begun discussions with affiliates in seven countries in Latin America to expand its drone delivery services beyond Peru. Wingcopter has partnered with leading business aviation specialist Synerjet which will, according to Wingcopter co-founder and CEO Tom Plümmer, provide opportunities for reaching other countries in the region. Synerjet currently has operations in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Panama, and Guatemala, Plümmer told Avionics International in an emailed statement.

Wingcopter and UAV del Peru are both partners of WeRobotics’ Flying Labs Network which serves to strengthen local expertise in drone use as well as robotics, data, and AI. Wingcopter chose to enter the new partnership for drone delivery operations in Peru in part because of UAV LATAM’s excellent network in Latin America. “[UAV LATAM] shares our vision to improve and save lives with the help of Wingcopter technology,” added Plümmer.

Pictured above is the Wingcopter 198 eVTOL drone. According to Wingcopter CEO Tom Plümmer, “The motors, flight controller, battery, and airspeed sensors are all integrated redundantly to provide an extremely high degree of reliability and safety.” (Photo: Wingcopter)

An upcoming goal for Wingcopter is to achieve FAA Type Certification for its Wingcopter 198 eVTOL drone, wrote Plümmer; the team is currently in the certification process. Additionally, the company hopes to establish a presence on all continents, either with its own operations or via its authorized partners. Plümmer noted another of the company’s aims: “We will set up delivery networks that span whole regions, allowing the instant and on-demand delivery of any kind of urgently needed goods.”

The Wingcopter 198 eVTOL drone is well-suited for delivering medical supplies not only in Peru but also worldwide. Plümmer explained that they have established a local drone-based delivery network in Malawi for remote health facilities. “In the U.S., we have partnered with Air Methods’ drone subsidiary Spright, which is setting up a nationwide delivery network to improve healthcare access in rural regions of the country with our Wingcopter 198 model.” He also remarked that use cases for their eVTOL aircraft are not limited to healthcare applications. It offers a unique triple-drop mechanism that is capable of delivering up to three packages at different drop-off locations within the same flight. Plümmer believes that the Wingcopter 198 “is the ideal aircraft for all industries that deal with the instant and on-demand shipment of time-sensitive products.”

The Wingcopter 198 demonstrates a unique triple-drop mechanism that can deliver three packages at different drop-off locations in one flight. (Photo: Wingcopter)

UAV LATAM’s CEO Juan Bergelund commented on the new partnership: “Several Latin American countries have partially deficient infrastructure, especially in the health sector, affecting billions of lives. […] We are convinced that with the deployment of Wingcopter drones in Latin America, we can actively support Wingcopter’s vision of creating efficient and sustainable drone delivery solutions that improve and save lives everywhere,” according to the company’s announcement.

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