The state’s 2024 transportation policy bill, which was signed by Governor Tim Walz in May and includes a measure that would categorize roadable aircraft as motor vehicles, went into effect Thursday, allowing cars that can take to the sky using wings or propellers to drive on the highway.

Minnesota joins New Hampshire as the only states to pass what legislators are dubbing “Jetsons laws.”

The measure defines roadable aircraft as “any aircraft capable of taking off and landing from a suitable airfield which is also designed to be driven on public roadways as a motor vehicle.”

“This is how we get to the future of flying cars, which sounds awesome to me,” said Minnesota State Representative Nolan West, a Republican, in March.

On the other hand, Democratic State Representative Larry Kraft said the vehicles should face further scrutiny before hitting the roads, citing fuel use and urban sprawl.

So far, there are no vehicles that are certified as roadable aircraft in the U.S., though several companies are developing what they describe as flying cars.

Samson Sky, for example, is building the “street-legal” Switchblade, a three-wheel design intended to drive as fast as 125 mph and cruise in the air at 139 knots. A Samson analyst provided input to the Minnesota Senate Transportation and Public Safety Committee as the flying car bill was taking shape, and the company is pushing for similar legislation elsewhere.

Other drive-and-fly vehicle manufacturers include Alef Aeronautics and Aska, both of which have obtained FAA special airworthiness certification to begin flight testing, Doroni Aerospace, and Terrafugia.

By and large, the companies’ designs are geared toward personal, recreational flight. Owners could drive out of their garage to an airport, where they could take off and fly to a nearby destination like the beach.

Some firms, like Samson and Alef, have reported preorder sales worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Similar personal flying vehicles, such as Pivotal’s BlackFly or Lift Aircraft’s Hexa, have drawn attention and funding from the U.S. military.

The new Minnesota law classifies roadable aircraft as motor vehicles, allowing them to be driven on public roadways. They will need to adhere to FAA regulations in the sky and at airports and follow the rules of transportation regulators on the ground.

The vehicles must take off and land only at airfields and restricted landing areas. Gliding into an interstate landing, for example, would be considered a misdemeanor unless it were an emergency situation—an exception that exists for aircraft in most states.

In lieu of license plates, flying cars driving on public roadways will require registration decals clearly visible in the front and rear. The decals, provided by the state’s transportation commissioner via application, will include the make and model of the vehicle and federally issued tail number. Owners must also register the vehicle with the state as an aircraft. Drivers will be prohibited from unfurling wing and tail components on the road.

Although several flying car manufacturers have already opened the preorder process, roadable aircraft are likely still years away from taking to the road or sky.

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis, which similarly mesh two vehicle types—winged aircraft and rotorcraft—have yet to get off the ground despite some manufacturers having begun development more than a decade ago.

The long runway to commercial eVTOL service is due not just to the complexity of designing, building, and testing the aircraft. There’s also plenty of regulatory confusion about how to classify the vehicles and set rules around pilot training, maintenance, and operation.

Flying car manufacturers are attempting to combine two even more disparate vehicles and operate under the domain of multiple transportation regulators, which would seemingly add to the complexity of the path they face. They also lack the backing of the largest eVTOL manufacturers, some of which have raised north of $1 billion.

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Doroni Aerospace on Friday revealed the sleek-looking H1-X: a two-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) model designed for personal transportation. The company anticipates the first H1-X test flight by the end of 2024.

Doroni could certify the tandem wing design as a light sport aircraft (LSA) under the FAA’s MOSAIC proposal, which would raise the weight limit on such aircraft from 1,320 pounds to about 3,000 pounds. Doing so would lower the model’s barrier to certification and make it more accessible to pilots.

Personal eVTOL aircraft such as the H1-X are expected to hit the U.S. market before electric air taxis, which a handful of manufacturers intend to launch commercially in 2025. The smaller models may give Americans their first glimpse of eVTOL technology.

“The H1-X is not just a vehicle; it’s a leap towards a future where freedom of movement and sustainability coexist,” said Doron Merdinger, CEO of Doroni. “Our dedication to innovation, safety, and the environment is embodied in every aspect of the H1-X, marking a new chapter in transportation.”

Doroni called the H1-X’s unusual tandem wing configuration—which it claims will enhance lift and efficiency—a “leap in aerodynamic sophistication.” It includes integrated wing landing gear, with wing fences to manage airflow.

Another defining feature is the propulsion system. The aircraft receives its lift from four in-wing electric ducted fans, a technology also featured on the Lilium Jet. The fans are designed to reduce noise and improve flight efficiency while keeping the blades enclosed, making the H1-X suitable for urban environments.

Eight vertical electric motors—two each on the aircraft’s four wings—power the fans, enabling quiet and efficient vertical takeoff and landing without a runway. The company said the eVTOL could even land on driveways or roofs.

As two rear-mounted pusher propellers move the aircraft forward, its wings generate lift, conserving power and reducing the amount of lift thrust required from the fans. Doroni said it has patented the combination of tandem wings and electric ducted fans. It added that the design was inspired by jet fighters of the 1950s and 1960s, which blended different wing cambers and sweeps.

The aircraft can fly for about 40 minutes on a single charge, with the ability to charge fully in as little as 20 minutes. Battery packs will be swappable and compatible with standard electric ground vehicle chargers, similar to most eVTOL air taxi concepts.

Combined, the technologies aboard the H1-X give the aircraft a range of 60 sm (52 nm), top speed of 120 mph (104 knots), and payload capacity of 500 pounds, making it ideal for urban or semiurban commutes, Doroni said.

The aircraft was “designed to make flying as accessible as driving,” according to the company. The pilot controls the eVTOL using a single joystick, powering it on and initiating takeoff or landing with a single push of a button. Intuitive precision flight controls do the rest. To store it, owners require only the space of a two-car garage.

The aircraft comes with semiautonomous navigation as well as a self-stabilizing flight system, which is designed to keep the aircraft in equilibrium. Safety features include a built-in ballistic parachute and advanced anti-collision sensors that continuously monitor for obstacles.

The H1-X’s total takeoff weight of 1,850 pounds would qualify it as LSA under the FAA’s MOSAIC proposal, which would expand the definition of LSA to accommodate new aircraft types. Doroni last year said it would consider LSA certification for the H1, its “go-to-market aircraft” unveiled in 2021. It did not mention such plans for the H1-X, but it’s possible the manufacturer has similar intentions.

Doroni said its new model has the potential to transform not just personal travel but also logistics and support services. The company envisions a wide range of applications, including cargo delivery, emergency services, and military operations.

Doroni launched preorders for the go-to-market H1 in 2022. It announced it would accept 36 preorder reservations in the first year of production, “scaling slowly in order to ensure the highest level of quality and safety possible.” Customers will require a valid driver’s license and the completion of a 20-hour training course to fly the H1. The company anticipates the aircraft’s launch later this year.

The predecessor to the H1-X in July completed what Doroni said was the first test flight of a personal two-seat eVTOL in the U.S. It received FAA airworthiness certification in December, at which time the company said it had more than 370 preorders in its backlog.

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Manufacturer XPeng AeroHT, a subsidiary of Chinese automaker XPeng Motors, unveiled its “Land Aircraft Carrier,” a lunar rover-looking vehicle that actually consists of two vehicles: a ground module and an air module that deploys from the ground module for flight. The company said customers will be able to preorder the vehicle in the fourth quarter of this year, with deliveries starting in late 2025.

Also at CES, AeroHT made the international debut of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) flying supercar concept, demonstrating the aircraft outside China for the first time. Production and delivery of that model will happen after the Land Aircraft Carrier takes flight, the firm predicted in October.

Billed as “the most powerful tech event in the world,” CES is an annual U.S. trade show that offers a forum for groundbreaking technology built by companies worldwide. All sorts of mind-blowing innovations were featured at the event. But AeroHT’s eccentric Land Aircraft Carrier may have taken the cake.

Announced in October, the design looks a bit like Tesla’s recently unveiled Cybertruck, with sharp lines and a sleek exterior. But stowed in its rear is a drone-like aircraft, which users could theoretically deploy and fly in a variety of settings.

The Land Aircraft Carrier is a two-part design, with an air module for vertical takeoff and low-altitude flight and a ground module for driving and storage of the compact aircraft. In addition to personal use, AeroHT envisions the vehicle being used for public services such as emergency rescue.

Though the final design is still under development, the “modular flying car,” as the company describes it, already features a futuristic, “cybermechanical” exterior. According to AeroHT, all key tests in the vehicle’s research and development validation phase are complete, and it is in the “preparation stage” for mass production.

The vehicle’s ground module is built for four to five passengers, driving on six wheels and three axles. That configuration enables 6×6 all-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering. In addition, an extended-range electric powertrain can be used to recharge the air module on the road.

The vehicle’s aerial component is fully electric, designed for a pilot and one passenger. It includes both manual and automatic driving modes, AeroHT said, as well as a 270-degree cockpit window for a wide field of view. And fortunately, getting it ready to fly is anything but a hassle.

“The automated system streamlines the separation and combination of the air and ground modules just like the Transformers [action figures], making flying more accessible and extending the user’s travel experience from the ground to the sky,” AeroHT said in a previous release.

The air module uses distributed electric propulsion to meet single point of failure safety requirements. Should one of its six rotors fail, the aircraft’s flight control system will automatically make adjustments, allowing it to fly safely even with only four propellers spinning. In addition, AeroHT in October tested a multi-parachute rescue system, which can be deployed at altitudes as low as 50 meters agl.

AeroHT this week also showcased its latest eVTOL flying car concept to an international crowd for the first time. The design, described as a supercar, was revealed in October alongside the Land Aircraft Carrier. CES attendees were treated to a live demonstration of its transition from land to flight mode.

Under development for more than two years, AeroHT’s flying supercar builds on the company’s early prototypes.

On the road, the vehicle really does look just like a car—its flying components, such as manipulator arms and rotor systems, are folded and stored inside the vehicle in land mode. Those parts unfurl in flight mode, allowing the supercar to take off and land vertically. An “intelligent cockpit” discerns between the two modes, adapting components such as the steering wheel or dashboard based on the user’s selection.

“This functionality allows for intuitive navigation through congested areas and obstacles when conditions permit, effectively addressing the demand for short-distance, low-altitude travel,” AeroHT said.

The implication there is that users, when faced with traffic, will be able to switch to flight mode and bypass it through the air. That contrasts with other flying car designs that intend to limit takeoffs and landings exclusively to airfields, such as Aska’s A5.

In 2022, AeroHT tested a flying supercar prototype weighing about two tons. The company said mass production will follow as soon as policy, regulations, and application scenarios “become more mature.”

That day may be fast approaching. By AeroHT’s estimate, Chinese state and local authorities in the first half of 2023 released more than 120 policies related to the low-altitude economy, China’s equivalent to the FAA’s advanced air mobility (AAM) moniker. These include strategies such as the Outline for the Development of Green Aviation Manufacturing (2023-2035) and plans to set aside dedicated airspace for low-altitude operations.

China predicts the low-altitude economy will add hundreds of billions of dollars to its national output in the coming years. The industry kicked off in earnest with the first commercial electric air taxi flight in December, completed by manufacturer EHang.

Electric air taxis have not yet launched in the U.S., though the initial cohort of aircraft is expected to enter service in 2025. However, personal eVTOL designs, such as Pivotal’s Helix, are now beginning to hit the U.S. market.

There are also several U.S. firms billing themselves as ‘flying car’ manufacturers, and AeroHT could present some competition. In addition to Aska, Oregon-based Samson Sky is developing the Switchblade flying sports car, while California-based Alef Aeronautics is building the Model A drive-and-fly vehicle.

Alef intends to open vehicle sales in 2025, while Aska and Samson Sky have not yet announced entry into service dates.

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Samson Sky, maker of the two-seat Switchblade, which it bills as a “flying sports car,” on Thursday announced that a prototype of the drive-and-fly vehicle completed its maiden flight.

The company shared a video of the street-legal aircraft soaring high above the runway for the first time at Grant County International Airport (KMWH) in Lake Moses, Washington, which is no stranger to test flights. Boeing and other major aircraft manufacturers often use it to perform their own testing.

Under cloudy skies and calm winds, Switchblade took off from the runway at Grant County International and ascended to 500 feet, soaring over the airfield and surrounding foothills. It stayed airborne for nearly six minutes before gliding in for a soft landing.

Judging from the celebrations by Sam Bousfield, Samson Sky founder and CEO and the designer of Switchblade, the ground crew, and test pilot Robert Moehle, the first flight appears to have been a resounding success.

“Today is the culmination of many years of hard work and persistence to make the vision of a flying sports car a reality,” said Bousfield. “Someone asked me how it felt to see the Switchblade fly. I thought about it and realized that this is what it feels like when your dreams come true.”

Added Moehle, who for months has provided input on the Switchblade prototype to Samson Sky’s research and development team: “The Switchblade handled great. I’m excited to be the first to fly it away from the ground.”

Moehle received training from Boeing and previously served as test director for its 787. He has flown more than 2,400 hours in 56 aircraft types, including commercial and experimental. These days, Moehle flies a kitplane for work and pleasure—Switchblade will be approved under the same classification, in the experimental category.

The three-wheel flying car has a 575-pound payload and will drive as fast as 125 mph. Its estimated max speed of 165 knots and normal cruise speed of 139 knots put it in the neighborhood of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) passenger air taxi designs such as Archer Aviation’s Midnight, which is expected to cruise at around 130 knots.

With those kinds of land speeds, owners will be able to take Switchblade on the freeway. From there, they can drive to a nearby airport and—with the push of a button—unfold the vehicle’s wings and tail in under three minutes.

Once converted to flight mode, Switchblade needs 1,100 feet of runway to take off. In the air, it can fly up to 500 sm (434 nm) at an altitude of 13,000 feet before refueling, requiring only 700 feet of runway to land.

Samson Sky expects customers to drive and fly the vehicle in equal measure—and for some not to fly it at all. Accordingly, Switchblade’s hybrid-electric engine runs on unleaded automotive gas rather than 100LL avgas, allowing owners to fuel up at an automotive gas station. And with the vehicle’s wings and tail folded back into its body, it’s only 6 feet wide—small enough to park in a garage.

Safety features include a whole vehicle parachute, disc brakes, optional autopilot, and a Formula 1-like safety shell to protect occupants in the event of a collision. The proprietary Skybrid safety system adds regenerative braking and reverse thrust, which combined act like a drag parachute on a wet runway.

Prior to its first flight, Switchblade completed three short “hops,” hovering just 10 to 15 feet off the ground. The most recent hop in September was its longest to date, with Moehle flying nearly a mile down the runway.

What’s Next?

With Switchblade’s first flight in the books, Samson Sky will use what it learns to begin producing more prototypes.

“After 14 years of design and rigorous testing, our first flight is a huge milestone,” said Bousfield. “The Samson team will use flight test data to finalize production engineering and build several production prototypes. This puts us on the path toward producing thousands of Switchblades to meet the large and enthusiastic demand we’re receiving.”

The flying sports car has been racking up reservations, with more than 2,300 across 57 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Thursday’s test sets those reservations in motion—in August, Samson Sky said customers would need to place a $2,000 deposit within 45 days of the first flight announcement. About 100 customers have already skipped the queue and prepurchased Switchblade at its full price: $170,000.

The vehicle is being certified with the FAA as an experimental/amateur-built (E/AB) aircraft—which requires the owner or operator to build at least 51 percent of it—in order to avoid the more rigorous certification path faced by eVTOL air taxis, for example.

However, that means Switchblade will come unassembled. But each purchase includes access to the Samson Builder Assist Program, which can reduce build time to less than a week, Samson Sky claims. Customers will travel to the company’s Builder Assist Center, where technicians will provide training for the owner’s portion of the assembly, preserving the 51 percent rule. Samson staff will then build the rest and can deliver the finished vehicle straight to the owner’s home.

“The Samson Builder Assist Program is included in the price of every Switchblade kit, as the building of this vehicle requires many specialty fixtures and equipment that would make it very difficult for at-home builders,” Bousfield told FLYING. “Samson has developed an automated parts process to allow a kit owner to complete their 51 percent by building parts and minor assembly work, possibly within a one-week time frame.”

On the ground, the vehicle will be certified as a custom motorcycle or kit car, requiring an automobile or motorcycle license to drive it. Owners will need a private pilot certification to take it to the skies. 

But Switchblade can be purchased solely as a car—in fact, Samson Sky said it’s seeing an increasing number of nonpilot customers, who plan to learn to fly when they become owners. It can even be used as a flight training vehicle through the company’s flight school program.

The firm is also developing a Switchblade Special edition, as well as a Limited edition that will be individually crafted and personalized for each customer. Future Samson Sky models may include the winterized Snowbird, the rugged Aurora, and the versatile Trek.

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On Tuesday, flying car company Jetson Aero, manufacturer of the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) Jetson One personal aircraft, closed a $15 million seed funding round headed by will.i.am and “pioneering angel investors from around the world,” including Jetson board director Luca Spada and senior board adviser Rikard Steiber.

The investment will support Jetson One’s eventual launch and see will.i.am, a Jetson customer, train to become one of the first flying car pilots in the world. As the Black Eyed Peas song goes: “Let’s Get It Started.”

“I’m proud to be a part of the Jetson family and support the company’s mission to democratize flight, opening the skies to all,” the artist said in a statement. “Personal aircraft ideal for short point-to-point flights will soon be a reality.”

Jetson said the seed round is a precursor to the firm’s launch of a Series A financing campaign, which will support its stated mission to democratize flight and “make everyone a pilot.” Stéphan D’haene, CEO of Jetson, said the company’s approach to the urban air mobility (UAM) market leverages Jetson One’s ability to fit into existing regulatory frameworks, akin to the FAA’s Innovate28 plan for early eVTOL operations.

“This may be the biggest opportunity in aviation since the Wright brothers took flight,” said D’haene, who previously spent a decade working in Bombardier’s recreational products division. “Today, there is an existing market that is a profitable business for a single-seat recreational aircraft. We are starting the first shipments already next year and will open our [Series] A round soon to accelerate our growth.”

Jetson One’s design was inspired by race cars, with a lightweight aluminum space frame and a Carbon-Kevlar composite body. The aircraft uses simple joystick controls and relies on a flight computer to stabilize it in the air, which the company claims allows any prospective customer to learn to fly it in a matter of minutes.

The eVTOL is powered by eight electric motors running on high discharge lithium-ion batteries. This configuration gives it a 20-minute flight time and a top speed of 63 mph (55 knots), making it best suited for short hops.

Whether or not it can be considered accessible depends on the customer. In its current form, Jetson One cannot be flown by a pilot weighing more than 210 pounds, limiting taller or heavier users. And with a $98,000 price tag, the model is more expensive than many single-seat ultralight aircraft already on the market, which can cost as little as $8,000. That figure is what around 300 Jetson customers paid down just to reserve their serial numbers.

Jetson builds its aircraft at a production and research and development facility in Arezzo, Italy. About 50 miles to the northwest, just outside Florence, the company operates a private airfield containing an industrial facility and a 2,600-foot airstrip, which it uses for daily flight testing. The airfield is also home to a customer experience center and pilot school.

By 2024, the company hopes to have expanded to the U.S. market. It’s weighing several locations for its future U.S. headquarters. Meanwhile, Tomasz Patan, Jetson co-founder and chief technology officer, is expected to conduct the company’s first U.S. test flights later this month.

“Jetson is on a mission to redefine the future of air mobility and transportation,” Patan told FLYING. “We are enabling new and exciting ways of travel, which will solve many problems, ultimately making our cities a much better place to live. I think the U.S. market is a great opportunity for Jetson.”

Boom Boom Pow

The involvement of will.i.am is arguably the most fascinating piece of Jetson’s investment.

The artist made a name for himself with the Black Eyed Peas. But between the group’s split in 2011 and reunion in 2015, he reinvented himself as a tech entrepreneur and creative consultant.

“Leveraging his early experience in the consumer electronics industry, will.i.am has continued to launch a range of his own tech-based companies focused on software and operating systems incorporating AI, natural language understanding, voice computing, creativity & productivity, customer-service apps, as well as consumer-tech products,” reads a description on the i.am Angel Foundation website. 

The foundation, launched in 2009, supports K-12 science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education programs for more than 12,000 disadvantaged youth in Southern California. The actor and musician is also a board member of FIRST Robotics Competition, an annual international high school robotics contest.

In 2011, will.i.am was named director of creative innovation at Intel, where he advised the development of technologies such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. He has also served as chief creative officer of 3D printing firm 3D Systems since 2014 and has worked as a futurist and creative adviser for companies such as Honeywell, General Electric, and AirAsia.

He is the owner of machine learning company Sensiya and Internet of Things (IoT) platform Wink and is also a member of several World Economic Forum committees focused on technology. The artist has even worked with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with which he partnered in 2012 to become the first artist to stream a song from the surface of Mars. 

Now, will.i.am will look to make history again by becoming one of the world’s first flying car pilots. And while his seed funding contribution to Jetson was a one-time investment, the Black Eyed Peas frontman has made several multimillion-dollar investments and acquisitions over the past decade. Perhaps he’ll continue to give flying cars a lift.

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Now for this week’s top story:

Blue Origin Appoints Amazon’s Dave Limp as New CEO

What happened? As rivals SpaceX and Virgin Galactic dominate the commercial spaceflight sector, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin has been grounded. Its pace of progress has slowed from a run to a walk to a limp. But perhaps the best way to correct a limp is with a Limp—Dave Limp, senior vice president of Amazon devices and services, to be specific.

Tumultuous tenure: Bezos hired Limp as CEO in part because of his “sense of urgency,” which hints at the billionaire businessman’s aims. Under current chief executive Bob Smith, Blue Origin completed the highly publicized maiden voyage of its New Shepard spaceship, ferrying Bezos and Star Trek icon William Shatner to the edge of the atmosphere.

Since then, the company has stalled. It made a few more commercial flights before a September 2022 crash prompted the FAA to bring down the hammer, grounding New Shepard indefinitely. Smith has also missed out on lucrative NASA and DOD contracts, struggled to launch the New Glenn super-heavy rocket, and faced accusations of a toxic workplace.

Changing of the guard: Bezos is probably hoping Limp is the catalyst Blue Origin needs to right the ship, both figuratively and literally. At Amazon, he was involved with Project Kuiper, a planned competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, and led ambitious projects such as Alexa, Echo, and FireTV. He also held executive positions with a pair of now-defunct technology firms.

Limp is not an aerospace expert by any means. But Bezos clearly trusts his ability to turn ideas into reality (it’s an open secret that Alexa and Echo were pet projects of his), and do it quickly. He’s certainly an upgrade over Smith, at least according to current employees, one of whom gave the less-than-glowing assessment, “Anything is better than Bob.”

Quick quote: “I’ve worked closely with [Limp] for many years. He is the right leader at the right time for Blue. Dave is a proven innovator with a customer-first mindset and extensive experience leading and scaling large, complex organizations. Dave has an outstanding sense of urgency, brings energy to everything, and helps teams move very fast,” Bezos wrote in a note to Blue Origin employees obtained by CNBC.

My take: When this news came across my radar, one thing in particular caught my attention: Bezos’ repeated emphasis on speed.

Reading too deeply into the public comments of a CEO is a dangerous game, but it’s easy to see why Bezos might prioritize quickness. Since New Shepard was grounded, SpaceX has launched thousands of satellites and ferried astronauts to and from the International Space Station with NASA. Virgin Galactic has now completed space tourism trips in back-to-back-to-back months. United Launch Alliance has made a handful of launches, too.

All of these competitors have leapfrogged Blue Origin—at least for now. Limp’s likely prerogative as new boss will be getting one of the company’s programs (New Shepard, New Glenn, the Blue Moon lander, or the Orbital Reef space station) into orbit quickly. New Shepard, for which the FAA just closed its mishap investigation, seems to be a likely candidate.

Deep dive: Can Blue Origin Course Correct With Amazon’s Dave Limp at the Helm?

In Other News…

Boosters Delivered to Kennedy Space Center for Artemis II Mission

What happened? About one year from now, NASA will send four astronauts around the moon and back. Before then, though, it needs to build the spacecraft that will carry them. That process appears set to begin soon, after contractor Northrop Grumman delivered 10 booster motor segments to Kennedy Space Station

Back to the moon: Artemis III, tentatively planned for 2025, would mark humanity’s return to the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 more than half a century ago. Before that, Artemis II will serve as a litmus test—if it succeeds, the agency will move to the next step. The mission will be flown with the Space Launch System (SLS) super-heavy lift rocket and the Orion spacecraft.

Northrop provided segments for the SLS’s twin solid rocket boosters, which will generate 8.8 million pounds of thrust and help Orion reach 24,500 mph on its way to the moon. Now, the parts are being evaluated and are expected to be stacked in February. NASA also added four RS-25 engines to the rocket’s core stage last week. But concerns the project will fall behind schedule persist.

Deep dive: Booster Delivery Marks NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Milestone

VI&E Solutions, Ace VTOL Look to Add 700 Vertiports in Oceania

What happened? As more electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designs hit the market, they’ll need a place to land. Enter Volatus Infrastructure and Energy Solutions (VI&E): The vertiport company partnered with eVTOL manufacturer Ace VTOL to build a network of 700 vertiports in Australia, New Zealand, and other countries in the region.

Global dominance? The vertiport industry will rely on the development of another industry, eVTOL aircraft, for scale. But when those wacky-looking aircraft finally hit the skies, VI&E is in position to capitalize. The company is planning four U.S. vertiport projects for 2024 and will look to add more through partnerships with regional aviation real estate developers.

Of greater consequence, perhaps, are the company’s plans beyond the U.S. It has agreements with eVTOL manufacturers, infrastructure developers, and regulatory authorities in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and more. Already, that gives it a global footprint, with which the likes of Ferrovial Vertiports, Groupe ADP, and other rivals will need to compete.

Deep Dive: VI&E Solutions, Ace VTOL Plan to Add 700 Vertiports in Oceania Region

And a Few More Headlines:

• NATO is set to adopt the U.K. Ministry of Defense’s SAPIENT protocol as a standard for counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS).

• VoltAero made what it says is the first flight of an electric aircraft running on 100 percent sustainable fuel…made from wine waste.

• In another milestone flight, Beta Technologies’ electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) aircraft crossed the border from New York to Montreal.

• The FAA announced a $300 million allocation for net-zero goal projects, such as sustainable aviation fuels infrastructure.

• The agency also proposed a rule to limit debris from commercial space vehicles.

Spotlight on…

Horizon Aircraft

[Courtesy: Horizon Aircraft]

Air taxi manufacturers Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, Lilium, and EHang share one core tenet: They will only build 100 percent electric aircraft. Horizon Aircraft raises an eyebrow in response.

Rather than go full-electric, the Canadian company built a hybrid eVTOL which relies on a gas-powered range extender that charges its batteries during flight. Like the firms above, Horizon plans to use it for regional air taxi routes, as well as for medical evacuation, critical supply delivery, and commercial cargo services.

The company’s aircraft may not achieve the same emissions reductions as its rivals. But the Cavorite X7, a newly announced model that will replace its flagship Cavorite X5 (pictured above), is expected to have a greater range, speed, and useful load than all of them. Plus, with seven seats, it projects as one of the highest occupancy eVTOL designs out there. Keep an eye on this one.

Deep Dive: Horizon Aircraft Announces Plans for 7-Seat Hybrid eVTOL Design

On the Horizon…

No one likes a government shutdown. But the one currently looming could be a real doozy for the FAA. That’s because Saturday marks the deadline for FAA reauthorization, and a funding bill has yet to pass both houses of Congress. In short, this could be a disaster.

Commercial and passenger airlines will still fly. But air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration personnel, and FAA staff will work without pay. What’s more, training for ATC learning the ropes will be put on hold, potentially exacerbating an existing shortage. Airport infrastructure investments, FAA rulemaking, and facility security inspections will all go on pause.

For our purposes, the shutdown would also prevent the passage of key incentives for the drone and advanced air mobility (AAM) industries, which are included in the House FAA reauthorization bill. These include provisions such as a timeline for a final beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone law and permanent rules for AAM operations.

The Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) proposal the FAA submitted in July is another piece of rulemaking that could be put on hold. Comments on that document will close October 23, less than a month from now (mark your calendars!). But the agency won’t be able to begin the process to address them through rulemaking until a shutdown ends.

Mark Your Calendars

Each week, I’ll be running through a list of upcoming industry events. DroneX 2023 wrapped up Wednesday in London, but here are a few conferences to keep an eye on:

• Airtaxi World Congress—October 2-5 in San Francisco
• UP.Summit—October 4-6 in Dallas 
• FAI World Drone Racing Championship—October 6-9 near Seoul, South Korea
• Intergeo 2023—October 10-12 in Berlin
• Dronitaly—October 11-13 in Bologna, Italy
• World’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Conference—November 12-14 in Jerusalem

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Sandwiched by Universal Studios and SeaWorld, the Drone Ride, currently under development, will be operated by Orlando-based flying sports car manufacturer Land Rotor. The attraction will feature a prototype of the company’s advanced air mobility (AAM) Sportster—unveiled in full last week—tethered to the ground inside a building. But the vehicle won’t be boxed in for long.

On Monday, Land Rotor and Aeroauto, a Palm Beach, Florida-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft dealership, signed an exclusive distribution agreement to deliver up to 10,000 Sportsters globally by 2030. At around $70,000 per unit, the deal could be worth up to $700 million.

At the moment, no money is changing hands. But Land Rotor has made a firm commitment to deliver 10,000 Sportsters to Aeroauto through 2030.

“Those are aggressive figures,” Thomas-John Veilleux, founder and CEO of Land Rotor, told FLYING. “But we think they’re very tangible based on market conditions and consumer interest in the price point that we’re aiming at.”

Veilleux, an aviator for more than 30 years who got his start flying helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, founded a pair of drone firms, Maine UAV and FireDroneUSA, before deciding to put down roots into the AAM space with Land Rotor.

Low and Slow

Land Rotor’s business model is one of the most intriguing in the entire AAM space.

At the moment, it’s twofold. The company is working toward mass producing sports recreation vehicles for the consumer market, both for offroad and “street legal” use cases. Before that, though, it will focus on a surprising core market: amusement parks.

While eVTOL air taxi operators such as Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation are eyeing urban air mobility routes in cities like New York and Chicago by 2025, Land Rotor is taking a more deliberate approach—one Veilleux characterizes as “low and slow.”

“The Ford Model A wasn’t a Ferrari,” he said. “Those early cars were low and slow and underpowered. And that was never Henry Ford’s motivation, to produce a race car early on. He saw the need to sell consumers on something that was low and slow and affordable.”

Veilleux and his team came up with the Drone Ride concept shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The idea was to take the risk out of product development. Veilleux said Land Rotor could have been selling prototypes, but it opted not to because of safety concerns and a lack of policy and education around AAM.

“We really need that to be safe,” he said. “That comes before profit.”

To ensure that’s the case, Land Rotor tethered its prototype to the floor of an FAA-approved building and will soon begin offering rides to thrill-seeking customers. The controlled environment will not only help the company skirt testing requirements but will allow it to use riders as pseudo-test pilots, collecting data on each simulated jaunt to assess the health of the Sportster’s components.

With an audience already in place at these amusement park venues, Land Rotor is able to install its tech and immediately get eyes on it.

“It gives us the ability to test the equipment and rack up lots and lots of hours as a laboratory of sorts indoors,” said Veilleux. “So we can track flight hours and log various components for time between overhaul and maintenance schedules.”

The unique strategy won’t be limited to Orlando. The company plans to install more rides in New York City, Las Vegas, and Houston, as well as outside the U.S. in Mexico, Canada, the U.K., and several markets in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific Region. 

The attractions will provide some revenue. But Veilleux said the real benefits will be the ability to test components and popularize the experience the vehicle can provide. To that last point, he compared the Drone Ride to Disney World’s Soarin’ attraction.

“It’s nothing more than an IMAX theater,” Veilleux said. “You go in and you sit in this chair and it lifts you up. And the ride, it tilts you and there’s wind in your hair, and it’s just an incredible, immersive experience. And it’s really nothing more than a huge elevator chair that lifts you up. But the ride isn’t called an elevator chair—it is called Soarin’, because they’re not selling the technology. What they’re selling is the experience.”

Veilleux told FLYING Land Rotor has a five-year growth strategy for the Drone Ride, eyeing launches in 14 major cities.

Aeroauto’s Job

Aeroauto, meanwhile, will handle all sales of Sportster aircraft and provide maintenance, distribution, and flight training services when the time comes. It’ll also connect customers with charging stations, landing areas, storage facilities, and whatever infrastructure they need to get flying. Strategic partnerships will add insurance and financing options to the equation.

The eVTOL dealer sells both personal and commercial aircraft from China’s EHang, as well as recreational models from Ace VTOL, Air EV, and others. Sean Borman, president and CEO of Aeroauto, said the Sportster is in the ultralight category shared by designs from manufacturers such as Jetson or Ryse Aerotech, so it must conform to the same speed, weight, capacity, and height requirements as its other portfolio aircraft. However, he said Land Rotor’s aesthetic design and comparatively low price point will drive sales.

“Jetson, for example, has 3,000 pre orders already, and they’ve just started doing their production,” Borman told FLYING. “And I foresee just as much or more desire and need and want for the Land Rotor [Sportster].”

Aeroauto has an agreement with Volatus Infrastructure to add eVTOL chargers and other systems to its showrooms. And through a partnership with airport RV rental company Fly2RV, it can tap into a network of FBOs to allow customers to purchase, test fly, and service vehicles at their local airfields.

“The customer, when they walk in with nothing, walks out before they leave and has everything that they need, with a schedule set up to have everything delivered once the vehicle is available,” Borman said.

Borman added that the company’s ability to distribute 10,000 Sportster units “shouldn’t be an issue.” He pointed specifically to the Fly2RV agreement, which encompasses more than 100 FBOs and is expected to grow.

The firm operates a handful of facilities in Florida. But it expects to have more dealerships worldwide by 2030, with plans to expand to Texas and interest from customers in California, India, Italy, Colombia, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates. If Borman’s words are any indication, Land Rotor will be a big selling point for that network.

“In my humble opinion, John and Land Rotor are going to be the Henry Ford of this new technology, of these flying cars, AAM,” he said. “You know, really being able to bring these vehicles to the masses on a grand scale, pricing it to the point that anybody can get one.”

The Sportster’s Specs

Land Rotor’s Sportster is designed to glide over roads like a rotorcraft, using lidar technology that keeps it close to the ground until flight conditions enable a legal, safe takeoff. The current prototype is not yet permitted to hover over the street, but Veilleux said that’s the ultimate goal.

“Everybody loves their ATVs,” he said. “And we thought, well, this is an air terrain vehicle, essentially, that we’re creating. It’s like a modern ATV.”

Initial Sportster models will be powered by lithium-ion batteries. Currently, the aircraft requires three hours of charge for just less than an hour of flight at empty weight, which Veilleux acknowledged is not ideal. However, the plan is to improve efficiency by swapping batteries for hydrogen or hybrid propulsion systems using biofuels.

The aircraft has a redundant electrical system, relying on four motors to lift a single 200-pound passenger. Another four motors allow any one of the main propellers to fail.

Its machined aluminum frame is surrounded by a carbon-fiber body, featuring a small windshield, which Veilleux admitted was added in part to make the vehicle “sexy.” A sweeping aerodynamic nose also has aesthetic appeal.

Land Rotor is working on a patent that would limit the aircraft’s forward and sideways movement, eliminating the 360 degrees of freedom associated with drones to ensure it operates more like a car on the road. The Sportster is also GPS-governed to max out at 50 mph and remain in ground effect. Those restrictions may limit use cases, but they could also tear down barriers for flight training.

The current prototype falls under the FAA’s Part 103 compliance for experimental aircraft.

“This is the closest thing to the Star Wars landspeeder that we’ve really ever seen, because the vehicle can stay on the ground,” Veilleux said. “So it is very plausible that we could work with the government in outfitting this vehicle to be legally used on the roads. So we currently are not authorized to do that, but that is the vision of it.”

Perhaps the most exciting thing about Sportster, though, is its affordability. With a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $70,000, it’s comparable to a Tesla or an electric pickup or SUV.

“From what we’ve seen, that’s the lowest priced vehicle in the industry at the moment,” said Borman.

Veilleux didn’t directly compare himself to Ford as Borman did. But he did point to the similarities between the auto pioneer’s mission and Land Rotor’s. Just as Ford needed to convince the public to give up horses and buggies for those newfangled horseless carriages, Veilleux’s task is the same.

“That’s what we’re trying to do here is educate the public about electric air mobility, and we certainly want to make it accessible and more affordable and safe,” he said. “And so it is our hope that Land Rotor will be that pioneer that connects with audiences and people. All the companies are saying, ‘Hey, look at our amazing innovations.’…but nobody’s really, really connecting with the consumer in the way Henry Ford did.”

Replicating Ford’s success will be a monumental task. But as things stand, Veilleux predicted the first Sportster production model could be on display in an Aeroauto showroom in the next two years.

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The post Aeroauto Agrees to Distribute Land Rotor eVTOL in Deal Worth Up to $700M appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

On Wednesday, the former Wisk CEO officially joined the board of Airspeeder, a flying car racing company that pits professional drone pilots and motorsport drivers against each other on digitally generated racetracks in the sky. Pilots remotely command eVTOL “speeders,” flying blade-to-blade at speeds approaching 55 knots. The firm hosted its inaugural competition last year and plans to launch crewed eVTOL races in 2024.

“Formula 1 racing and autosport racing of all forms has helped spur innovation and safety in consumer vehicles, and Airspeeder is leading the way in eVTOL with its electric flying car racing approach,” said Gysin. “Joining the board aligns perfectly with my passion for aviation and Formula 1.”

Gysin was the founding CEO of Wisk, which formed out of a joint venture between Boeing and Google co-founder Larry Page’s Kitty Hawk in 2019. Before stepping down in February, he oversaw Wisk’s development of its self-flying, four-seat eVTOL, set strategic targets like entry into service and city rollout, launched the company’s type certification program with the FAA, and closed more than $450 million in venture capital.

The company is now fully owned by Boeing, which bought out Kitty Hawk’s remaining shares in May after it wound down a few months prior.

“We are excited to collaborate with [Gysin] as we continue to push the boundaries of electric flight and redefine the future of transportation,” said Matthew Pearson, co-founder and CEO of Airspeeder. “His perspective on the future of the industry is key as we build a motorsport that has deep resonance with the wider market of OEMs crafting transformational electric aircraft.”

Around 2015, Pearson founded Alauda Aeronautics, the manufacturer that would go on to build flying race cars—or speeders—for Airspeeder. The startup unveiled its first vehicle concept in 2017, and Pearson founded Airspeeder a year later. In 2019, Airspeeder revealed Mk3, the remotely piloted eVTOL it currently uses in races. The design made its first flights in 2021.

In 2022, Airspeeder hosted the EXA Series, a trio of races in which pilots remotely flew the Mk3 through holographic courses in the sky. The inaugural group of pilots viewed the tracks through augmented reality displays—no physical infrastructure was needed besides the vehicles.

The eVTOLs themselves are lightweight (around 220 pounds) and can hit a top speed of 124 mph (108 knots). Robot “aviators” commandeer the vehicles, mimicking movements of the remote pilots through digitized inputs.

Airspeeder crowned the winner of the inaugural EXA Series in October, when Australian surfer-turned-professional drone pilot Zephatali Walsh bested German content creator and FPV drone pilot Fabio Tischler for the title. The final race was held above the pink salt flats of Lake Bumbunga near the town of Lochiel, South Australia.

The EXA races are meant to serve as a precursor and feeder event for the Airspeeder Grand Prix, a crewed version of the event scheduled to take place in 2024. Those races will be flown with a new eVTOL model, the Mk4, which is expected to be able to reach a top speed of 225 mph (195 knots) in just 30 seconds. Team entries are now open for the Grand Prix series, and the company hopes to have 20 crewed teams racing in the event by 2025.

Airspeeder is backed by an undisclosed seed funding round led by venture capital firms Saltwater Capital and Jelix Ventures, which also included participation from logistics giant DHL. The firm has a two-year broadcast deal with Fox Sports Australia and a one-year global content deal with sports streaming platform DAZN to produce original content and series in the lead-up to the first crewed flying car races.

With Gysin and the expertise he carries over from Wisk now in the mix, Airspeeder figures to get a lift as it works to usher in a new form of competitive racing.

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The post Former Wisk CEO Joins Flying Car Racing Company Airspeeder appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

—Jack Daleo, Modern FLYING staff writer

Now for this week’s top story:

Checking in with Joby Aviation

What happened? Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi manufacturer Joby Aviation reported second-quarter 2023 earnings, posting a widening net loss. But the company also reported boatloads of cash on hand and took several key steps toward FAA certification.

The financials: Joby turned in a net loss of $286 million in Q2, more than $236 million higher than the same period in 2022. Adjusted EBITDA also fell about $9 million year over year. That doesn’t inspire much confidence. But at the same time, Joby reported a whopping $1.2 billion in cash and short-term investments on the back of cash infusions from Baillie Gifford and SK Telecom.

The losses hurt, but that liquidity will go a long way. Like other eVTOL makers, Joby does not generate revenue, so it will need all the investment it can get to continue on the path toward certification and entry into service. And it seems that investment is paying off.

Meeting milestones: Q2 was a quarter of milestones for Joby. The biggest was the rollout of its first production-conforming aircraft, which is now on its way to Edwards Air Force Base in California. There, it will conduct test flights for the Air Force. Joby CEO JoeBen Bevirt confirmed on the company’s Q2 earnings call that the eVTOL made its first flight in July.

Joby is also nearing completion of the third of five stages of FAA type certification, having now submitted 100 percent of the certification plans it will use to demonstrate its G-2 means of compliance. Two-thirds of those plans have been approved by the FAA, paving the way for the testing and analysis phase to begin. In addition, the company opened a new headquarters in Santa Cruz.

Quick quote: “Back on our fourth-quarter call, we outlined goals for the first half of 2023,” said Bevirt. “We said we would submit all of our certification plans to the FAA, and we did. We said we would roll out our first production prototype and fly it, and we have. Each of these goals is a huge milestone for Joby and reflects our relentless commitment to execution.”

My take: As far as eVTOL manufacturers go, Joby appears to be in a very good spot. Its losses cannot be ignored. But with no revenue to offset them, they aren’t a great metric for the health of the business.

Right now, that health is determined by Joby’s ability to certify and commercialize its air taxi model. And on that front, things are going swimmingly. With $1.2 billion on hand, a tight relationship with the Air Force, and steady progress on both the testing and paperwork sides of certification, initial flight testing to approve the production model by 2024 seems likely.

Nothing is a sure thing in the untapped electric air taxi industry, and Joby itself has pushed back its launch timeline multiple times. But with certification plans submitted and the production prototype taking flight, the eVTOL took a step closer.

Deep dive: Joby Q2 Net Loss Widens as eVTOL Manufacturer Gears Up for Certification

In Other News…

Virgin Galactic Launches First Space Tourism Flight

What happened? After nearly two decades of preparation, Richard Branson’s space tourism venture Virgin Galactic finally sent three paying customers to space on a space tourism flight. The mission, Galactic 02, successfully reached orbit, hovered in zero gravity for a few moments, and descended and glided back to the runway.

Spaceflight firsts: Galactic 02’s passengers, 80-year-old Jon Goodwin and mother-daughter duo Keisha Schahaff and Anastasia Mayers, represented several firsts in spaceflight (and one second).

Goodwin, who competed in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, became the first Olympian and the second person with Parkinson’s disease to reach space. Schahaff and Mayers, meanwhile, were the first Caribbean women and mother-daughter pairing to escape the atmosphere. Mayers, an 18-year-old college student, became the second-youngest astronaut in history.

Deep dive: Virgin Galactic Launches First Space Tourism Flight with Olympian, Mother-Daughter Duo

Battle Creek Executive Airport Secures $7M in Funding for Drone Park

What happened? Battle Creek Executive Airport (KBTL), home to an Army base, a university flight school, and several aviation companies, wants to install a 200-acre drone park for the drone, eVTOL, and other advanced air mobility aircraft manufacturing and operations. The project was bolstered by $7 million in state funding awarded to Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU).

Michigan’s Silicon Valley: The project, dubbed MICH-AIR, is planned as an economic and innovation driver for the region, akin to Silicon Valley or the Research Triangle. Many drone parks are designed for hobbyists, but BCU hopes to attract large manufacturers seeking business opportunities.

The facility should create hundreds of high-paying jobs and is the latest in a series of initiatives designed to bring drones and other aircraft to the state. The Michigan Department of Transportation is developing a 40-mile air mobility corridor to the north, and companies such as MightyFly and Zipline have signed agreements to fly in the state.

Deep Dive: Drone Park Planned for Battle Creek Executive Airport to Receive $7M in State Funding

And a Few More Headlines:

• Electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) firm Electra and air taxi marketplace EZ Aerospace each inked Air Force contracts.

• Private jet and helicopter charter provider Blade Air Mobility reported another quarterly loss.

• India has barred the country’s military drone makers from using Chinese components.

• Amazon Prime Air drone delivery reportedly lost its chief pilot and head of flight testing operations as the business struggles.

• A prototype of Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 eVTOL crashed during a test flight, according to an SEC filing.

Spotlight on…

Samson Sky

I know what you’re thinking—another week, another flying car startup. Just hear me out.

Samson Sky produces the Switchblade, a competitor of Alef Aeronautics’ Model A and Aska’s A5, both of which I’ve highlighted in this spot before. It’s a two-seat, three-wheel, street-legal flying sports car that parks in the owner’s garage, drives on highways, taxis, and takes off at an airport runway, and flies like an airplane. The vehicle is expected to cost $170,000, and Samson Sky just garnered record sales at EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh.

But there’s a catch to Switchblade—you build it yourself. That’s because Samson Sky is certifying it as an experimental kit-built aircraft, which requires the owner to build 51 percent of the vehicle. This is interesting for a few reasons. For one, it skirts a more rigorous FAA certification path, which should allow Switchblade to fly sooner. But it also adds an element of risk to the vehicle since it’s not manufactured on a production line.

However, a Switchblade purchase comes with access to the Samson Builder Assist Program, a team of engineers that works with owners to build their portion of the vehicle. It’ll be interesting to see how much faster—if at all—Samson Sky’s business model can get Switchblade certified.

Deep Dive: Switchblade Flying Car Garners Record-Breaking Sales at Oshkosh

On the Horizon…

For the first time in what feels like forever, there are no new advanced aviation rules or regulations to report. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to look out for. 

Keep an eye on the House FAA Reauthorization Bill as the September 30 deadline approaches—the current version includes a few key drone- and AAM-related provisions, but it could be reshaped as lawmakers quibble over the finer details.

Or, if you prefer to take a more active approach to legislation, you can help shape it yourself. The FAA published its proposed MOSAIC framework for light sport aircraft in the Federal Register last month, and it’s now open for comments until October 23.

Mark Your Calendars

Each week, I’ll be running through a list of upcoming industry events. Here are a few conferences to keep an eye on:

• Defense and Security Equipment International 2023—September 12-15 in London
• DroneX 2023—September 26-27 in London
• World Aviation Festival—September 26-28 in Lisbon, Portugal
• Airtaxi World Congress—October 2-5 in San Francisco
• FAI World Drone Racing Championship—October 6-9 near Seoul, South Korea
• Intergeo 2023—October 10-12 in Berlin
• Dronitaly—October 11-13 in Bologna, Italy
• Commercial UAV Expo—October 23-26 in Las Vegas
• World’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Conference—November 12-14 in Jerusalem

Tweet of the Week

Want to see your tweet here next week? Have comments or feedback? Share your thoughts on Twitter and tag me (@jack_daleo)! Or check out FLYING’s media accounts:

Twitter: FLYING Magazine (@FlyingMagazine) / Twitter

Facebook: FLYING Magazine – Home (facebook.com)

Instagram: FLYING Magazine (@flyingmagazine) • Instagram photos and videos

I want to hear your questions, comments, concerns, and criticisms about everything in the modern flying space, whether they’re about a new drone you just bought or the future of space exploration. Reach out to jack@flying.media or tweet me @jack_daleo with your thoughts.

The post Joby Is Losing Money, but the Milestones Keep Coming appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

At the air show, flying car manufacturer Samson Sky garnered record orders of its street legal Switchblade, expected to be able to both drive on highways and take off and fly from airports. The company added 115 Switchblade orders to its books, which, at about $170,000 per vehicle, would represent nearly $22 million in value.

With the added interest at Oshkosh, Samson Sky now has more than 2,400 reservations across 57 countries, including from customers in all 50 U.S. states. Those buyers will put down a $2,000 deposit within 45 days of the announcement of Switchblade’s first flight. But about 100 have already prepurchased the vehicle at full price to skip the queue.

“It was great to be back at AirVenture to take advantage of all the industry experts and suppliers who attend the show,” said Sam Bousfield, founder and CEO of Samson Sky and lead designer of the Switchblade. “We were able to hold several key meetings with future partners and investors that made the show an even bigger success for us.”

Bousfield and Samson Sky revealed the current iteration of the Switchblade, which has been in development for more than a decade, at Oshkosh in 2018, where it picked up over 100 reservations. Now, the design is headed for its first full flight after the company received the FAA nod to begin airborne tests in June 2022.

The firm describes its design as a flying sports car: the two-seat, three-wheel, street legal vehicle parks in the owner’s garage, drives on highways, taxis and takes off on an airport runway, and flies like an airplane.

To get where they need to go fast, customers can drive Switchblade from home to a nearby airport, where it transforms from drive to flight mode with the push of a button. The vehicle’s retractable wings swing out, its tail unfolds, and within three minutes it’s ready to fly.

After taking off from a runway at least 1,100 feet long, the driver-pilot can then cruise to their destination at around 160 mph (139 knots). The vehicle needs about 700 feet of runway to land, after which it transforms back to driving mode, again with the push of a button.

“The feedback we’re getting is, the practicality of the Switchblade checks all the boxes for what people truly want in a flying car,” said Bousfield. “We hope a Switchblade will grace the skies and streets of your city very soon.”

With a proposed 575-pound payload, Switchblade is projected by the company to hit airspeeds of 200 mph (174 knots) and a top road speed of 125 mph. A 200 hp, liquid-cooled, 3-cylinder engine—which runs on premium gasoline and can be fueled at a gas station—supports a 450 sm (391 nm) range during flight. It includes state-of-the-art flight instruments as well as a high-tech dashboard for driving.

The Switchblade’s safety features include a whole-vehicle parachute, disk brakes, an optional autopilot, and a safety shell to protect against collisions akin to a Formula 1 race car. The vehicle also runs on the Skybrid safety system, which enables regenerative braking and reverse thrust that act like a drag parachute on a wet runway. Those features allow for shorter takeoffs and air brake assist on descent, among other capabilities.

The flying car is expected to start at $170,000, but it could also cost hundreds of hours of the owner’s time. That’s because the Switchblade is being certified as an experimental category kit-built aircraft to avoid a more rigorous FAA certification path and is sold unassembled. This requires the owner/operator to have built at least 51 percent of the aircraft—customers would need to spend about 2,000 hours building it entirely on their own.

However, a purchase also includes access to the Samson Builder Assist Program, which can bring the owner’s build time down to a week. Company engineers will provide training and automation for the owner’s portion of the build, preserving the 51 percent rule, then taking over the process from there.

On the ground, the Switchblade will be certified as a custom motorcycle or kit car, requiring an automobile or motorcycle license to operate it. Users will require a private pilot certificate to fly, but nonpilots can still purchase it as a car. In fact, it can be used as a flight training vehicle through the Samson flight school program.

In addition to the Switchblade, Samson Sky is building a special edition vehicle with features designed for specific uses or climates and limited editions that allow buyers to customize features. Later models will include the “winterized” Snowbird, the rugged Aurora, and the multiuse Trek, each with its own unique features.

But first, the Switchblade will need to fly. A preproduction prototype rolled out for taxi testing in April 2022, a few months before it received the FAA green light for flight testing. Shortly after, the aircraft began taking short “hops” from the runway at Moses Lake Municipal Airport (WA40) in Washington. That testing is expected to continue for several months.

Simultaneously, Samson Sky is gearing up for the Switchblade’s first full flight and has made some key design changes in preparation. For example, it switched from a five-blade to a seven-blade propeller and added custom transmission gears to improve thrust and rearranged its vertical fins to add control.

The company expects its Builder Assist assembly line to be up and running within 22 months of that maiden flight. Because of its experimental category classification, Switchblade needs no further certification before production can occur.

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