Germany’s Volocopter last year hatched a plan with international airport operator Groupe ADP to ferry spectators around the 2024 Paris Olympic Games using its VoloCity air taxi, which would mark the aircraft’s commercial rollout. The firm even extended an invite to French President Emmanuel Macron, whose government approved the flights earlier this year, to be its first passenger.

But the company was unable to certify its two-seat design, built for a pilot plus one passenger, in time to fly people at the global event.

Another eVTOL manufacturer, China’s AutoFlight, also partnered with Groupe ADP last year to demonstrate its self-flying Prosperity air taxi at the Games but has yet to announce any test flights.

Still, it wasn’t a total wash for Volocopter. The firm managed to complete two test flights, one on Wednesday and another on Sunday.

The first took place at the Aerodrome of Saint-Cyr-l’École (LFPZ), one of five sites where the partners are constructing vertiports to support commercial operations. These vertical takeoff and landing hubs, similar to heliports, are built with electric charging stations to support eVTOL aircraft.

Big Plans for Paris

Groupe ADP is developing additional vertiports at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (LFPG), Paris-Le Bourget Airport (LFPB), and Paris Heliport, as well as a special floating landing pad on the River Seine that Volocopter can use until the end of the year. These five locations will be linked by five eVTOL air taxi routes: three public transit routes and two round-trip tourism routes.

According to Volocopter, the vertiport at Saint-Cyr-l’École is the first bespoke commercial location within its approved Paris route network. Wednesday’s crewed test flight was conducted under a permit to fly awarded by France’s Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC), kicking off an operational validation test campaign.

The company will need to demonstrate flight maneuvers around the vertiport, ground handling, communication with air traffic control, battery charging, and more. The campaign is the culmination of years of testing at Pontoise airfield, the site of Paris’ first inaugurated vertiport.

“For now, test flights are carried out without passengers, but once the aircraft is certified, we will test emergency medical flights with AP-HP (Ile-de-France University Hospital Centre),” said Edward Arkwright, deputy CEO of Groupe ADP. “Innovation in the field of aeronautics needs time to remove obstacles regarding safety, but we remain convinced that new carbon-free air mobilities around eVTOLs will offer helpful services that go way beyond the transportation of passengers.”

Volocopter followed that test flight with a second at the World Heritage Palace of Versailles on Sunday, soaring over the palace’s lush gardens during a demonstration attended by Groupe ADP and DGAC officials.

The venue hosted several 2024 Olympic events and was the site of the first hot-air balloon flight by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783. Authorization for the flight was awarded on the final day of the Games by the Château de Versailles, City of Versailles, Yvelines Prefecture, and DGAC.

“The sustainable air mobility community is still at the start line, but today’s flight in this exceptional environment was the perfect closing ceremony to our summer, as we look forward to returning to Paris very soon,” said Dirk Hoke, CEO of Volocopter.

The company said it hopes to fly in central Paris later this year, with aspirations to launch passenger operations from its river barge vertiport on the Seine. A Groupe ADP official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) the partners hope to fly passengers over the river by the time Notre Dame Cathedral, which burned down more than five years ago, is reopened in December.

Volocopter next year also expects to begin trials of an emergency medical service in Germany with partner ADAC Luftrettung, which last year agreed to purchase two custom-built VoloCity aircraft and could buy as many as 150.

Why Didn’t They Fly?

Beyond test flights, the firm’s primary goal is to obtain type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the elusive approval that would have allowed it to fly passengers at the Olympics. So far, only one eVTOL manufacturer—China’s EHang—has received type certification from its country’s aviation regulator, though many others have begun the process.

Arkwright told AFP that Volocopter’s VoloCity suffered “a delay of a few weeks” in certification due to issues affecting the aircraft’s motor. The air taxi features 18 motors and rotors powered by electricity from nine lithium-ion battery packs, giving it a range of about 19 nm at a cruise speed approaching 60 knots.

Hoke said the issue traces back to “an American supplier who was not capable of providing what he had promised.”

Passenger flights at the Olympics also faced political barriers from local French officials, many of whom characterized the project as environmentally harmful and air taxis as a service for the wealthy. In response, Volocopter and Groupe ADP have altered their tone by touting other use cases, such as emergency response.

Paris’ city hall even took legal action against the proposal, but according to AFP, French administrative officials ruled against it “pending a decision on the merits of the case, expected in the autumn.”

Though Volocopter failed to meet its goal, the company will have another chance to showcase its aircraft on the world stage at the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. By then, the FAA expects to have laid the groundwork for commercial air taxi routes to be flown routinely.

Manufacturer Archer Aviation earlier this month expressed its desire to be flying in the city by the time the Games begin, while competitors Joby Aviation and Wisk Aero, the eVTOL subsidiary of Boeing, plan to operate there as well. Wisk further intends to demonstrate its self-flying design at the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane.

The companies’ objective is to boost public acceptance of the novel aircraft, which they claim will be far quieter and more sustainable than helicopters. Some have already managed to convince major U.S. airlines, including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines, to make investments or commitments to the technology.

Among American manufacturers, Archer and Joby are the closest to receiving type certification. Both companies hope to begin flying passengers next year.

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After completing the world’s first electric air taxi flights in Guangzhou and Hefei in December, EHang on Sunday made debut passenger carrying flights in the city of Taiyuan.

The trips, completed using EHang’s self-flying EH216-S air taxi, follow the company’s delivery of 10 aircraft to Xishan Tourism, which in May signed a purchase order for 50 units. The companies have a tentative agreement for EHang to deliver 450 aircraft over the next two years, with an eye toward launching aerial tourism and sightseeing services across North China.

“We have gradually delivered EH216-S by batches to Taiyuan, Hefei, Wuxi, Wencheng, Zhuhai, and other places, and are actively assisting our local partners who are creating application scenarios to obtain [air operator certification],” said Zhao Wang, chief operating officer of EHang.

EHang received its own air operator certificate last week from China’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC).

The province of Shanxi, in which Taiyuan is located, has been designated by the Chinese government as a national demonstration province for the country’s low-altitude economy, an analog to the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry forming in the U.S. and elsewhere. Taiyuan is the region’s capital and largest city and is considered a political and economic center.

The measure subsidizes regular, low-altitude tourism flights in the region, as well as the construction of infrastructure and other capabilities needed for routine service.

“Taiyuan is a national civil unmanned aerial vehicle test zone, with the foundation and advantages to develop the aviation industry, and will actively seize the lead in the emerging low-altitude economy industry,” said Jicheng Yang, executive vice mayor of Taiyuan and a member of the city’s municipal committee. “Taiyuan will enhance policy support, essential guarantees, and innovation capabilities, and promote the deep integration of technological innovation and the low-altitude economy.”

Xishan Tourism plans to use the designation to launch low-altitude sightseeing and tourism routes to local sites such as Yuquan Mountain, Paddy Field Park, and Juewei Mountain.

On Sunday, two EH216-S aircraft, carrying two passengers each, took off and flew autonomously from Paddy Field Park in a ceremony attended by regional government officials and industry experts. Two of the passengers were officials within the newly formed Taiyuan Xishan Ecological Tourism Demonstration Zone.

Xishan Tourism, though, said it is still working toward “regular operation”—in other words, the flights are not yet routine, as is the case in Guangzhou and Hefei.

“Xishan Tourism plans to collaborate with EHang and other partners on low-altitude scenarios of air mobility, tourism, and public services to establish multiple flight camps or landing pads, alongside various low-altitude sightseeing routes for pilotless eVTOL within Taiyuan and nearby scenic areas,” said Yaozong Chang, chairman of Xishan Tourism. “We aim to build an urban low-altitude tourism mobility network and a new urban air traffic management system, and to establish a low-altitude economy industrial park.”

EHang at the event also demonstrated its longer-range, passenger-carrying VT-30, firefighting EH216-F, and EH216-L for cargo logistics.

All four aircraft were on display in the Middle East in May, when the manufacturer completed that region’s first passenger carrying eVTOL flights in the United Arab Emirates.

The company’s flagship EH216-S is the first and only eVTOL design to receive type certification from a national aviation regulator, the CAAC. The regulator in December also handed the EH216-S the world’s first eVTOL airworthiness certification and in April gave the green light for EHang to begin mass manufacturing the model.

That puts the company well ahead of competitors in the U.S. such as Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation, which are building piloted air taxis but have yet to obtain any of those three approvals. Both companies are targeting commercial rollouts in 2025.

Like EHang, Boeing air taxi subsidiary Wisk Aero is building a self-flying design but does not expect it to fly commercially until the end of the decade.

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The United Airlines partner and Kakao Mobility Corp.—a subsidiary of South Korean conglomerate Kakao which runs Kakao T, a popular taxi-hailing service akin to Uber in the U.S.—signed an agreement that covers the latter’s planned purchase and operation of up to 50 aircraft as early as 2026, beginning in Seoul.

The manufacturer estimates the value of the potential sale, including predelivery payments it expects to receive next year, at about $250 million. Kakao Mobility last year signed a similar agreement with U.K. eVTOL manufacturer Vertical Aerospace.

The taxi-hailing company has also tapped Archer as its eVTOL partner for Korea’s K-UAM Grand Challenge: a multicity, public-private effort to demonstrate eVTOL operations, with an eye toward commercializing those services by 2025. Kakao Mobility will pay Archer a first installment of $7 million this year, followed by a second installment in January, to support the effort. The partners expect to complete a public demonstration later this year.

“We are committed to revolutionizing transportation with Archer’s eVTOL aircraft, ushering in a future of cleaner, faster, and more efficient travel between and within Korean cities,” said Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer for Archer.

According to Korea’s transport ministry, commuters in the Seoul Capital Area—which, with a population of a quarter of a million people, is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and home to half the country’s population—typically spend about 90 minutes per day stuck in traffic.

Archer promises to replace those commutes with estimated 10- to 20-minute air taxi flights, charging for just a few minutes in between. The manufacturer’s five-seat eVTOL is designed for four passengers and a pilot, with a range of about 52 sm (45 nm) and cruise speed of 130 knots.

It claims the aircraft will be cost-competitive with ground-based rideshare services such as Uber, Lyft, and Kakao T, which according to Kakao Mobility has more than 30 million registered users, many of them Seoul.

“The vision is clear—reduce the hours lost in traffic and elevate everyday travel with an electric air taxi service that features Archer’s Midnight aircraft,” said Christopher SungWook Chang, senior vice president of Kakao Mobility.

However, the partners—and the South Korean government—have ambitions to introduce air taxi flights nationwide.

The country’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport in 2021 unveiled the K-UAM Operation Concept 1.0: a blueprint, similar to the FAA’s Innovate28, to commercialize urban air mobility (UAM) services by 2025. Initial flights would be piloted and take place on predefined routes in cities such as Seoul and Incheon, with nationwide introduction of fully autonomous air taxi flights by 2035.

Before then, the government is conducting the K-UAM Grand Challenge to validate the technology.

Kakao Mobility and a consortium that includes electric vehicle charging service LG Uplus, vertiport developer GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C), and now Archer will be one of three consortiums to participate in public demonstrations under the effort, which seeks to garner public support for UAM services.

One group, which includes flag carrier Korean Air, Hyundai Motor Co., and Korea Telecom, completed the initiative’s first UAM operations demonstration in April. Archer and Kakao Mobility have set a target for their first public demonstration later this year.

Archer through the consortium will also work with regulators to create standards around eVTOL certification and operation. With the help of LG Uplus and GS E&C, the partners plan to construct vertiports, air traffic management systems, and other infrastructure to build a UAM ecosystem in Korea.

Archer competitor Joby Aviation is also part of the K-UAM Grand Challenge and expects to begin demonstration flights this year. The manufacturer in September partnered with SK Telecom—which is supporting it with $100 million in funding—to join a consortium that includes Korea Airports Corporation and Hanwha Systems.

Germany’s Volocopter was the first manufacturer to complete a crewed public eVTOL demonstration in the country in 2021, while California-based Overair last year signed several agreements with Korean partners, including a potential direct sale. Embraer eVTOL subsidiary Eve Air Mobility is also in the mix, having signed an agreement with UAM service provider Moviation for the purchase of its urban air traffic management system.

Beyond South Korea, Archer is looking to introduce Midnight in India, the United Arab Emirates, and U.S. cities such as New York and Chicago.

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Chinese eVTOL manufacturer EHang on Monday said its self-flying EH216-S completed an inaugural passenger-carrying demonstration flight in the Middle East, marking just the second time such an aircraft has flown human passengers. EHang’s EH216-F for high-rise firefighting and EH216-L for aerial logistics—which together with the company’s autonomous air taxi comprise the EH family of aircraft—also made debut flights in the region.

The landmark flights, approved by the United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), took place at the Emirates Falcons Aviation Club in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of government officials, civil aviation authorities, and even members of the Emirati royal families.

The EH216-S completed the world’s first passenger-carrying eVTOL demonstration in China in December, the same month EHang committed to a UAE expansion. The air taxi is the first of its kind to obtain type, airworthiness, and production certification—which together are considered essential for the launch of commercial eVTOL operations—from a civil aviation authority.

In the U.S., Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, and other eVTOL manufacturers are pursuing type certification with the FAA, but none have achieved the milestone so far.

“After securing the approval for passenger-carrying demo flights and conducting the debut flight, we will actively foster collaboration and communication between the GCAA and the Civil Aviation Administration of China [CAAC] to expedite the progress towards commercial flights of our pilotless aircraft in the UAE,” said Huazhi Hu, founder, CEO, and chairman of EHang.

The passenger for EH216-S’s maiden voyage in the Middle East was Mohamed Al Dhaheri, a board member of Multi Level Group (MLG), a fintech conglomerate serving the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

“Being part of this historic moment is truly exhilarating,” said Al Dhaheri. “The seamless integration of technology and aviation represents a significant leap forward for our nation, and as an Emirati, I am proud to be a part of it.”

EHang, MLG, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO)—the central government authority supporting private sector growth in the Emirate—last month signed a trilateral agreement to incorporate the manufacturer’s aircraft into the UAE’s transportation system at the inaugural DriftX, a two-day conference and showcase in Abu Dhabi.

DriftX was sponsored by both ADIO and Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster, a collection of government-supported, state-of-the-art facilities and services within the city dedicated to developing new technologies in air, land, and sea transportation. The event was attended by many high-ranking Emirati officials and royals, including from the ruling Al Nahyan family.

Present on the show floor were aircraft developed by EHang, Archer, Joby, and other manufacturers that have announced plans to fly in the UAE, which is rapidly becoming a hot spot for eVTOL air taxis and other novel aircraft designs. EHang completed several uncrewed demonstration flights at the event, including the debut overseas flight of its long-range VT-30, which is expected to complement the EH216-S’s intracity operations with city-to-city routes.

Like Archer, the Chinese manufacturer is aiming to set up a regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi with the assistance of the ADIO. It will pursue local partners to assist in manufacturing, flight operations, research and development, training and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services.

“ADIO continues to work with leading global players to accelerate the adoption of smart and autonomous vehicles across air, land and sea,” said Badr Al-Olama, director general of the ADIO. “Our collaboration with Multi Level Group, and air mobility leaders such as EHang, will play a key role in driving Abu Dhabi’s efforts in promoting eVTOLs.”

On Monday, EHang said it is “actively engaged in the design and establishment of eVTOL vertiports, in swift preparation for launching commercial UAM routes.”

MLG, which specializes in digital transformation and developing emerging technologies, is a subsidiary of EIH Ethmar International Holding, the Abu Dhabi royal-led investment holding company that also owns EHang partner Wings Logistics Hub.

EHang and Wings in December signed a long-term strategic partnership focused on eVTOL certification and operations, marking the Chinese manufacturer’s entry into the Middle East. Wings also agreed to purchase up to 100 EH series aircraft, several of which were on display at DriftX with the company’s branding.

Archer has similar arrangements with operators Falcon Aviation and Air Chateau, while Joby intends to operate its own aircraft.

EHang in December also became a member of Abu Dhabi’s SAVI cluster, joining fellow eVTOL air taxi manufacturers Archer and Joby. In addition to research and development facilities, the company says SAVI will provide it access to “existing infrastructure within Abu Dhabi for testing and certification, large scale workshops, hangars, and manufacturing facilities,” it says.

SAVI and other UAE government initiatives, such as the Integrated Transport Center (ITC) within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport, are part of a massive push by the country to become the leader in advanced air mobility (AAM) tech.

Abdulla Al Marzouqi, director general of the ITC, told FLYING at DriftX that the UAE’s financial and investment ecosystem, clear environmental policies, and existing and planned infrastructure, such as vertiports, are key factors that make the region a prime market for AAM.

Beyond eVTOL air taxis, the country is also looking to introduce novel designs such as electric seagliders and electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.

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Last week, Kendall got in the cockpit of a self-flying fighter plane during a historic flight at Edwards Air Force Base (KEDW) in California. The aircraft—called the X-62A Variable In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft, or VISTA for short—is a modified F-16 testbed and represents the Air Force’s first foray into aircraft flown entirely by machine learning AI models.

As Kendall and a safety pilot observed, the X-62A completed “a variety of tactical maneuvers utilizing live agents” during a series of test runs. Incredibly, the aircraft was able to simulate aerial dogfighting in real time, without Kendall or the safety pilot ever touching the controls. According to the Associated Press, VISTA flew at more than 550 mph and within 1,000 feet of its opponent—a crewed F-16—during the hourlong simulated battle.

“Before the flight, there was no shortage of questions from teammates and family about flying in this aircraft,” Kendall said. “For me, there was no apprehension, even as the X-62 began to maneuver aggressively against the hostile fighter aircraft.”

It wasn’t VISTA’s first rodeo. In September, the Air Force for the first time flew the uncrewed aircraft in a simulated dogfight versus a piloted F-16 at the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards. The department said autonomous demonstrations are continuing at the base through 2024. But Kendall’s decision to get into the cockpit himself represents a new vote of confidence from Air Force leadership.

“The potential for autonomous air-to-air combat has been imaginable for decades, but the reality has remained a distant dream up until now,” said Kendall. “In 2023, the X-62A broke one of the most significant barriers in combat aviation. This is a transformational moment, all made possible by breakthrough accomplishments of the ACE team.”

ACE stands for Air Combat Evolution, a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program that seeks to team human pilots with AI and machine-learning systems. The Air Force, an ACE participant, believes the technology could complement or supplement pilots even in complex and potentially dangerous scenarios—such as close-quarters dogfighting.

“AI is really taking the most capable technology you have, putting it together, and using it on problems that previously had to be solved through human decision-making,” said Kendall. “It’s automation of those decisions and it’s very specific.”

ACE developed VISTA in 2020, imbuing it with the unique ability to simulate another aircraft’s flying characteristics. The aircraft received an upgrade in 2022, turning it into a test vehicle for the Air Force’s AI experiments. 

VISTA uses machine learning-based AI agents to test maneuvers and capabilities in real time. These contrast with the heuristic or rules-based AI systems seen on many commercial and military aircraft, which are designed to be predictable and repeatable. Machine learning AI systems, despite being less predictable, are more adept at analyzing complex scenarios on the fly.

“Think of a simulator laboratory that you would have at a research facility,” said Bill Gray, chief test pilot at the Test Pilot School, which leads program management for VISTA. “We have taken that entire simulator laboratory and crammed it into an F-16, and that is VISTA.”

Using machine learning, VISTA picks up on maneuvers in a simulator before applying them to the real world, repeating the process to train itself. DARPA called the aircraft’s first human-AI dogfight in September “a fundamental paradigm shift,” likening it to the inception of AI computers that can defeat human opponents in a game of chess.

Since that maiden voyage, VISTA has completed a few dozen similar demonstrations, advancing to the point that it can actually defeat human pilots in air combat. The technology is not quite ready for actual battle. But the Air Force-led Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and Next Generation Air Dominance programs are developing thousands of uncrewed aircraft for that purpose, the first of which may be operational by 2028.

The goal of these initiatives is to reduce costs and take humans out of situations where AI could perform equally as well. Some aircraft may even be commanded by crewed fighter jets. The self-flying systems could serve hundreds of different purposes, according to Kendall.

Even within ACE, dogfighting is viewed as only one use case. The idea is that if AI can successfully operate in one of the most dangerous settings in combat, human pilots could trust it to handle other, less dangerous maneuvers. Related U.S. military projects, such as the recently announced Replicator initiative, are exploring AI applications in other aircraft, like drones.

However, autonomous weapons, such as AI-controlled combat aircraft, have raised concerns from various nations, scientists, and humanitarian groups. Even the U.S. Army itself acknowledged the risks of the technology in a 2017 report published in the Army University Press.

“Autonomous weapons systems will find it very hard to determine who is a civilian and who is a combatant, which is difficult even for humans,” researchers wrote. “Allowing AI to make decisions about targeting will most likely result in civilian casualties and unacceptable collateral damage.”

The report further raised concerns about accountability for AI-determined strikes, pointing out that it would be difficult for observers to assign blame to a single human.

The Air Force has countered that AI-controlled aircraft will always have at least some level of human oversight. It also argues that developing the technology is necessary to keep pace with rival militaries designing similar systems, which could be devastating to U.S. airmen.

Notably, China too is developing AI-controlled fighter jets. In March 2023, Chinese military researchers reportedly conducted their own human-AI dogfight, but the human-controlled aircraft was piloted remotely from the ground.

Leading U.S. defense officials in recent years have sounded the alarm on China’s People’s Liberation Army’s growing capabilities, characterizing it as the U.S. military’s biggest “pacing challenge.” The country’s AI flight capabilities are thought to be behind those of the U.S. But fears persist that it may soon catch up.

“In the not too distant future, there will be two types of Air Forces—those who incorporate this technology into their aircraft and those who do not and fall victim to those who do,” said Kendall. “We are in a race—we must keep running, and I am confident we will do so.”

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The manufacturer claims to have completed the world’s first public electric air taxi demonstration between two cities, flying its Prosperity eVTOL across the Pearl River Delta between the Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai. The flight—a journey that would take about three hours by car—lasted just 20 minutes.

AutoFlight’s five-seat air taxi—designed for a pilot plus up to four passengers—flew fully autonomous, with no onboard crew. The aircraft traveled through a complex environment home to 86 million and bordering several international airports, including Hong Kong International Airport (VHHH), Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (ZGSZ), and Macau International Airport (VMMC).

Prosperity is thought to hold the record for the longest eVTOL flight, completing a 155 sm (135 nm) journey in February 2023 to eclipse the previous high-water mark held by Joby Aviation.

“We are thrilled to showcase AutoFlight’s cutting-edge capabilities [Tuesday] in the world’s first cross-sea and intercity eVTOL demonstration flight,” said Tian Yu, founder, CEO, and chairman of AutoFlight. “Working closely together with the local authorities and partners here, and in other jurisdictions around the world, we will continue to drive this revolution to bring safe, efficient, sustainable and affordable eVTOL flight options to cities around the world.”

The flight path between Shenzhen and Zhuhai is one of an estimated 100 eVTOL routes being developed by the local government to form China’s low-altitude economy, akin to the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry developing in the U.S. and elsewhere. 

AutoFlight said the strategy will eventually create hundreds of air taxi routes and thousands of vertiports in southern China’s Greater Bay Area, providing passenger transport, tourism, logistics, and emergency services. According to the firm, plans are in development to achieve 300,000 uncrewed cargo flights in the region per year.

AutoFlight’s Prosperity boasts an estimated 155 sm (135 nm) range and 124 mph (108 knots) cruise speed, with a maximum takeoff weight of about 4,400 pounds. It is designed for instrument and full weather operations.

Prosperity’s all-electric, zero-emission propulsion systems powers 10 lift and three push propellers, producing just 65 dBA of noise during hover—approximately the volume of laughter or normal conversation. This will allow the aircraft to blend in with typical city traffic, AutoFlight said.

The aircraft was designed by Frank Stephenson, who has developed automobile concepts for Ferrari, McLaren, Maserati, and others. Stephenson was also the former head of product design for Lilium, a German eVTOL manufacturer designing an electric jet for premium customers. Prosperity’s “spacious and ergonomic” interior, which features inflight information and entertainment, mirrors Stephenson’s work for other high-end brands.

AutoFlight expects to receive certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) for crewed Prosperity passenger flights within the next two years. It also plans to perform crewed demonstrations at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, alongside other eVTOL manufacturers such as Volocopter. Working with Groupe ADP, which manages Paris international airports, the firm will install vertiport infrastructure at five sites in the region.

The manufacturer also intends to leverage its relationship with air transport operator Heli-Eastern, its partner in the Greater Bay Area. Heli-Eastern agreed to purchase 100 Prosperity aircraft, which it will fly on routes similar to the one demonstrated this week, as well as out of other regional transportation hubs.

“We warmly welcome our strong cooperation with Heli-Eastern, and together we are rapidly moving towards fully operational air-taxi routes all across the region,” Tian said.

While AutoFlight holds the record for the longest eVTOL flight, a Chinese competitor is the first in the industry to fly actual passengers.

EHang achieved the milestone in December after obtaining the world’s first eVTOL type certificate a few months prior, completing commercial demonstrations in Guangzhou and Hefei. The flights did not mark the official launch of routine service but represented a key step toward commercialization of the company’s self-flying air taxi.

According to CAAC, China will certify autonomous or remotely piloted eVTOLs before turning to aircraft with onboard pilots, which could similarly benefit AutoFlight. The company is also developing the CarryAll, an uncrewed cargo version of Prosperity with a payload of about 1,100 pounds and similar performance specifications.

According to comments from Mark Henning, managing director for AutoFlight Europe, the CarryAll is expected to obtain CAAC certification in 2024, with Prosperity following two to three years later. European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and FAA approval for Prosperity would come one to two years after that.

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The manufacturer and vertical flight provider on Wednesday hosted more than 100 spectators for a demonstration of Beta’s electric Alia conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft—which the company intends to launch commercially in 2025—in Houma, Louisiana, about 50 miles southwest of New Orleans. The companies claim the aircraft is the first of its kind to arrive in the state.

Beta also asserts that the Alia CTOL is the first electric aircraft to be flown by the U.S. Air Force, Army, FAA, and now Bristow pilots. Bristow placed a firm order for five vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) Aria variants, with an option for 50 more, in August 2022. When Beta announced plans for the CTOL model, the operator placed an additional deposit-backed order for 50 conventional aircraft.

“We designed Alia with the goal of carrying out the most critical missions in a safer, cleaner, and more efficient manner,” said Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of Beta. “We’re excited to fly Alia into Bristow’s home base in Louisiana, marking the first time an electric aircraft has flown in the state and the next step of our partnership together as we look to execute real missions in the market.”

In addition, Bristow has placed orders for 50 electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft from Electra.aero, as many as 80 Volocopter VoloCity eVTOLs, and up to 100 Elroy Air Chaparral VTOL cargo drones.

Bristow primarily provides services to offshore energy companies and government entities, conducting missions such as personnel transport and search and rescue. Now, the company is looking to introduce electric, zero-emission aviation to its markets worldwide, complementing its catalog of vertical flight offerings with advanced air mobility (AAM) services.

The nearby Gulf of Mexico is one of the firm’s largest service regions, but it also has customers in 17 countries.

“Our vision is to be an innovator in flight solutions,” said Dave Stepanek, executive vice president and chief transformation officer at Bristow. “We believe aircraft like Beta’s Alia can expand our offerings and complement some of our current services. Our thinking is our current customers are natural AAM customers initially. We believe it will open up many new possibilities in the Gulf region.”

Among the more than 100 attendees at Beta and Bristow’s demonstration in Houma were local politicians, airport officials, customers, and subject matter experts. Spectators watched the CTOL make several passes over the airfield to exhibit its maneuverability.

“These new technologies have the potential to make certain missions more efficient, quieter, more accessible, and more sustainable,” said Chris Bradshaw, president and CEO of Bristow. “We view AAM as a natural extension of Bristow’s core competencies of safe and reliable vertical flight solutions, and we see multiple avenues for Bristow to participate in the emerging AAM value chain.”

Added Clark: “Bristow has built a strong reputation doing this across the globe, and continues to lean forward to what’s next. The team has been a crucial partner to Beta over the years, providing input and support every step of the way from design to mission application to aircraft handling feedback.”

The CTOL’s visit to Bristow—one of its first stops on the way back to Beta’s Burlington, Vermont, headquarters—follows the conclusion of Beta’s first electric aircraft deployment for the Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base’s Duke Field (KEGI) in Florida. There, the aircraft flew simulated missions including the first simulated casualty evacuation with an electric aircraft.

Beta said Alia, en route to Duke, became the first electric aircraft to fly in the flight restricted zone of Washington, D.C., stopping at nodes in Beta’s expanding electric charging network along the way. That network includes a charging station at Duke, which was the first electric aircraft charger to be installed at a Department of Defense site. According to the company, nearly 20 locations are now online, with a further 50 in development.

Beta’s charging network will support AAM operations nationwide when the time comes, opening up as many airfields as possible for Alia, as well as all electric aircraft and ground vehicles, the company says. The firm hopes to introduce the CTOL in 2025, followed by the VTOL variant in 2026.

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Mountain View, California-based Reliable Robotics last week announced that it successfully flew a Cessna 208B Caravan in November, with no one on board—an achievement it said was a first for aviation. The uncrewed, FAA-approved flight, which lasted about 12 minutes, was operated remotely by pilot Danah Tommalieh from a control center 50 miles away.

The Caravan, a loan from potential customer FedEx, took off from Hollister Municipal Airport (KCVH) in California’s San Francisco Bay Area. Tommalieh was stationed at Reliable’s Mountain View headquarters.

“Reliable’s successful flight of an uncrewed Cessna 208 Caravan represents a milestone for the industry in bringing new technology to aviation,” said Chris Hearne, senior vice president of engineering and programs for Textron Aviation, which includes the Cessna brand.

Textron has delivered more than 3,000 Caravans, making it one of the most widely used turboprops in the world. Reliable has been working with both Textron Aviation and Textron eAviation—the sustainable flight subsidiary of Textron—to retrofit its continuous autopilot technology onto the popular model.

Reliable’s system automates aircraft through all phases of operation, from taxi to takeoff to landing, allowing pilots to safely operate it from the ground. Redundant hardware and software automate flight control surfaces and engine controls, while redundant voice and data networks enable remote command and radio management. 

The technology is also aircraft agnostic, meaning it could one day be equipped on other Textron designs or those of different manufacturers.

Reliable’s continuous autopilot system uses advanced navigation technology and multiple redundant layers to reach a level of reliability equal to crewed flight. It can prevent both controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control in flight (LOC-I), which Reliable says account for the bulk of fatal aviation accidents.

Automated aviation systems will most likely first appear in the cargo sector, beginning with smaller aircraft, since passengers are not on board and operations are lower risk. Manufacturers such as Reliable claim the technology can alleviate the sting of pilot shortages and will eventually be safer than crewed flight. The challenge now is getting it certified.

Last month’s milestone flight comes on the heels of a few major developments for Reliable.

In August, the company flew a crewed Caravan, equipped with its continuous autopilot system for hours at a time, over the course of three test flights for the FAA, part of the agency’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Airspace Management Demonstration.

That followed the regulator’s formal acceptance of Reliable’s certification plan in June, which paved the way for its autonomous system to be one of the first approved. The plan relies on existing regulations for normal and transport category aircraft, with no special conditions or exemptions.

Earlier this year, Reliable conducted first-of-its-kind flight tests with NASA through the space agency’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Campaign, which also counts electric air taxi manufacturers Wisk Aero and Joby Aviation as vehicle partners for demonstrations. Davis Hackenburg, who spearheaded NASA’s collaborations with AAM industry stakeholders, joined Reliable as vice president of government partnerships in May.

But arguably the company’s most important relationship is its collaboration with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) tapped Reliable in 2021 to explore how its autopilot system could support Air Force operations. Since then, it’s agreed to contracts and commissioned studies to explore how the commercially derived tech could be added to large, multiengine aircraft for military use cases, such as cargo logistics and aerial refueling. It completed an initial demonstration at Travis Air Force Base in May.

“This monumental aviation achievement is a great example of how AFWERX accelerates agile and affordable capability transitions for the world’s greatest Air Force,” Colonel Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and chief commercialization officer for the Department of the Air Force, said of November’s flight. “This milestone accelerates dual-use uncrewed flight opportunities, increasing aviation safety and enabling us to bring a broad range of autonomous military capabilities into denied environments.”

But Reliable is looking beyond defense use cases. With a useful load of 3,000 pounds and the ability to take off from shorter runways, the company’s remotely piloted Caravan could introduce same- or next-day shipments of time-sensitive deliveries to locations currently served by piloted Caravans.

In fact, in 2022, Reliable announced plans to launch a fully owned Part 135 airline subsidiary led by former Ameriflight executives Jeff Drees and David DeRose and cargo industry veteran Lee Tomlinson. The trio of new appointees bring a combined 80 years of strategic and tactical expertise in air cargo and are preparing the company to launch commercial cargo flights.

Not long after that announcement, Reliable began working with ASL Aviation Holdings, which owns airlines in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. The global aviation services company wants to add advanced automation to its fleet of more than 160 aircraft, beginning with large twin engine turboprop freighters such as the ATR-72. 

The partners will weigh demand for remotely operated aircraft in Europe, looking at both cargo and humanitarian applications. ASL also provides outsourced cargo transport outside North America for global express carriers such as Amazon, FedEx, and DHL.

“ASL is always innovating to better serve customers, and our partnership with Reliable is aimed at enabling us to provide reliable, flexible and cost-efficient time-sensitive cargo delivery to smaller unserved areas,” said Dave Andrew, group chief executive at ASL. “[Last month’s] historic flight is a testament to Reliable’s focused leadership in advancing aviation innovation and capability for the industry.”

In addition, Reliable in June partnered with Azul Airlines, the largest airline in Brazil, to bring its remotely operated system to Latin America. The airline also has an agreement with electric air taxi manufacturer Lilium for the purchase of 220 Lilium Jets.

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Piasecki announced it was awarded a multiyear, $37 million contract with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force, through the division’s Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) program. The agreement will allow the Pennsylvania-based firm to test and demonstrate its Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System (ARES)—the same UAS project that was snubbed by DARPA.

In addition, the contract calls for Piasecki to demonstrate hydrogen fuel cell propulsion technology for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and other aviation applications, which it developed in collaboration with ZeroAvia. The company says its PA-890 eVTOL will be the first zero-emission, hydrogen-powered compound helicopter to market.

ARES was initially developed in partnership with Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, the manufacturer’s developmental aircraft unit, under DARPA. Piasecki took over after DARPA decided it was time to move on.

The system was designed with flexibility at the forefront. It can be flown crewed or uncrewed and is built to provide command, control, communications, computer, and intelligence (C4I), intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and combat and logistics support to “small distributed forces,” Piasecki says.

That’s a mouthful. But essentially, the company believes ARES can be a Swiss Army knife for the military. The UAS’ small landing footprint enables docking with ships or touchdowns in complex terrain, and its payload modules can be reconfigured for a variety of different missions. The latter feature can reduce the cost and logistics footprint of operations, Piasecki says.

With the Air Force’s backing, the company is now working with Honeywell to integrate a triplex fly-by-wire system on ARES, with the goal of beginning flight testing this year.

“This new funding will allow us to demonstrate ARES’ unique tilt-duct configuration, which enables seamless transition between hover and fixed-wing forward flight—a technological leap that would address critical aerial challenges faced by the U.S. military,” said John Piasecki, CEO of Piasecki Aircraft.

Simultaneously, Piasecki Aircraft will continue working with partner ZeroAvia to install the latter’s High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HTPEM) hydrogen fuel cell technology on the PA-890 and other VTOL aircraft. The slowed-rotor winged eVTOL helicopter design is expected to be the first compound helicopter that runs on hydrogen and produces zero emissions.

“Higher temperature fuel cells are a critical technology to delivering improvements in specific power and unlocking truly clean propulsion for larger fixed-wing aircraft, but they will also enable rotorcraft and VTOL applications,” said Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia.

Piasecki Aircraft says the PA-890 is designed for emergency medical services, on-demand logistics, personnel air transport, and other commercial use cases. In addition to producing zero emissions, the eVTOL will fly farther than all-electric rotorcraft and quieter than fossil fuel turbine helicopters—all while cutting direct operating costs in half compared to the latter, the company says.

“Demonstration of the PA-890 would be a world first for electric aviation and would usher in a new era of clean vertical flight,” said John Piasecki. “While R&D work on these projects began several years ago, this new funding will rapidly expand our ability to deliver these radically new vehicles to customers and partners across the military and commercial sectors.”

In May, Piasecki Aircraft acquired a manufacturing facility in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, formerly home to the Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Heliplex. It intends to convert the 219,000-square-foot site—which houses engineering, flight test and delivery, and assembly, paint, and finishing centers—into an advanced research, development and testing hub for VTOL and UAS aircraft. The company expects the facility to attract about 400 workers by 2028.

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Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer Wisk Aero, a subsidiary of Boeing, on Monday said it became the first in the industry to conduct public demonstration flights of an electric air taxi in Los Angeles County.

Wisk landed in the City of Angels earlier this month, beginning private flight testing out of Long Beach Airport (KLGB) with its fifth-generation eVTOL, also known as Cora. The tests allowed the firm to evaluate autonomous flight operations in a real-world commercial environment, right beside other passenger aircraft.

The flight program was capped off with a public, multitransition demonstration during the airport’s Festival of Flight on Saturday. The one-day event was free and open to the public.

“I am proud to see the future of flight becoming a reality in Long Beach,” said Rex Richardson, the city’s mayor. “Long Beach has been a leader in aviation for decades, and those careers helped build and sustain the middle class here for generations. I am looking forward to working with Wisk and Boeing to create good jobs and integrating a safe, quiet, and environmentally responsible transportation option in Long Beach.”

Unlike its core rivals (with the exception of China’s EHang), Wisk is looking to fly without onboard pilots from the jump, instead relying upon a combination of autonomy and human oversight. It’s also the exclusive provider of autonomy technology for Archer Aviation following the settlement of a prolonged legal battle between the two manufacturers.

As part of that agreement, Boeing contributed to a $215 million investment in Archer, which also included partners Stellantis and United Airlines.

Per Monday’s announcement, Wisk has now completed more than 1,700 test flights. Those include another public demonstration of Cora at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, which the company said was the world’s first for an autonomous, fixed-wing eVTOL. EHang in 2020 made a public flight in South Korea, but its EH216-S is not a fixed-wing design.

Wisk also displayed its four-seat Gen 6 design for VIPs on Capitol Hill during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Aerospace Summit in Washington, D.C., last month. But it did not take flight.

Over the weekend, company representatives met with Mayor Richardson, Los Angeles area officials, and leadership from Boeing—which became Wisk’s sole owner in June—to discuss the future of advanced air mobility (AAM) services in the area.

“Autonomous flight is possible today, and it’s happening now in LA,” said Brian Yutko, CEO of Wisk. “Los Angeles is a target launch city for many in our industry and we are extremely proud to be the first air taxi company to fly in LA—and to have done so with an autonomous aircraft. We are fortunate to have the partnership and support of Boeing throughout the area to help build relationships and advance our mission.”

A Crowded Market?

Though it will not necessarily launch in Los Angeles, Wisk in 2022 formed an alliance with the Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP) to evaluate how autonomous electric air taxis, expected to be part of a broader regional network, might impact the local economy.

The partners are also assessing local residents’ willingness to use eVTOL aircraft for short-hop flights over the city’s congested streets. One of the most traffic-heavy metros in North America, Los Angeles is quickly becoming a hot spot for electric air taxis, with Archer, Germany’s Volocopter, and Hyundai subsidiary Supernal all having worked with Urban Movement Labs—an LA government-community transportation partnership—for several years. A fourth firm, Overair, signed a deal with UML in 2022.

By the time Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic Games, the FAA hopes to have enabled U.S. AAM operations at scale, as laid out in its Innovate28 plan. The city itself also anticipates robust operations by then—Joby Aviation, in partnership with Delta Airlines, is expected to be one of the early entrants.

Supernal is also eyeing the LA market, and competition could heat up further with the potential entry of Archer and United. A partnership between the two calls for the airline’s acquisition of up to 200 Midnight eVTOLs to fly passengers to United hub airports—Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX) is one of them.

California in general is something of a hub for eVTOL firms, with Wisk (Mountain View), Joby (Santa Cruz), and Archer (San Jose) all setting up headquarters in the Bay Area. Overair is based in the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Ana with flight testing facilities in nearby Victorville. Supernal, based in D.C., has a research and development facility in nearby Fremont, as well as an engineering headquarters close to Los Angeles in Irvine. Both Joby and Archer have conducted flight testing in the state for years.

In addition, Joby, Overair and several of the aforementioned manufacturers played a pivotal role in the formation of a dedicated AAM advisory committee for the state with the passage of California SB 800, which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this month. Many of them expect to fly during the 2028 Olympic Games.

Why Los Angeles?

Wisk recently sponsored research, conducted by California State University at Long Beach, which found that the operation of a 20-vertiport network spanning the Greater Los Angeles-Orange County area could generate $2 million in economic output for every $1 million of initial expenditure. 

More specifically, researchers estimated such a network would create 943 jobs, deliver more than $90 million in labor income, and generate about $173 million in expenditures annually. Construction of the network alone could add more than 2,100 jobs and churn out more than $420 million in economic output, they approximated.

Supernal, meanwhile, is working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory—within the U.S. Department of Energy—to explore the feasibility, challenges, and opportunities for AAM operations in the Los Angeles area, including the necessary infrastructure.

Besides the potential economic impact and the opportunity to eliminate traffic, LA is viewed by many manufacturers as a promising market for eVTOL aircraft for several reasons.

The city regularly scores an “F” in regard to managing air pollution, which zero-emissions vehicles such as eVTOL aircraft could mitigate. Weather conditions—often clear and sunny outside of the “June Gloom” period each summer—are also ideal for initial AAM operations. And historically, California has been a bastion for environmentally friendly tech, which could raise consumer confidence in the novel aircraft.

Los Angeles may also have a leg up on other U.S. cities when it comes to AAM infrastructure. A 2021 Georgia Tech University survey, published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, suggested six local airports (including Long Beach Airport and LAX) as potential waypoints for eVTOL passengers.

Additionally, infrastructure in downtown Los Angeles, such as rooftops, “could potentially be converted to vertiports,” the survey noted. Archer and Joby in 2021 each announced Los Angeles as a launch city for their respective vertiport networks. Both are working with parking garage operator Reef to convert parking garage roofs into eVTOL landing pads.

Wisk, too, will need to construct its own vertiports, enlist a partner to build them, or form agreements with airports or FBOs to allow vertical takeoffs and landings. The Boeing subsidiary does not have a firm commercial launch date but has said its Gen 6 model will enter service before the end of the decade.

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