By Carole Rickard Hedden, Michael Bruno, Graham Warwick
For new space and advanced air mobility startups, the past two years have been a heady experience of investment, mergers with special purpose acquisition companies and high-risk plays into segments of the aerospace and defense industry that were mere dreams a decade ago. As the economy changes, Aviation Week editors discuss what comes next.
Swedish startup Heart Aerospace is switching to European CS-25 large-airplane certification of its ES-19 electric regional aircraft, from the CS-23 commuter category, to reduce regulatory risk and expand the potential market.
Soaring jet fuel prices are testing the resilience of the aviation sector—and the leisure travelers who have powered the industry over the past two years. Is this good news for advanced air mobility?
The advanced air mobility industry is expanding beyond short-range urban air mobility (UAM), as reflected by the first appearance of a conventional electric aircraft on the AAM Reality Index. The index, created by SMG Consulting in partnership with Aviation Week, ranks leading advanced air mobility companies on a scale of 0-10, with 10 indicating a company whose plans to produce an AAM aircraft are most likely.
South Korean conglomerate Hanwha has invested an additional $115 million in U.S. urban air mobility startup Overair, which is developing the Butterfly tiltrotor electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxi.
Hybrid-electric propulsion startup Ampaire has partnered with sustainable infrastructure developer Black & Veatch to electrify airports to support the deployment of advanced air mobility.
Building on its involvement in a UK project that set a speed record for electric aircraft, energy storage specialist Electroflight has introduced a battery system designed to be available off the shelf for use in the early development of electric aircraft.
Advanced air mobility companies have a critical advantage over legacy aerospace business as they transition into manufacturing, according to the leader of Deloitte’s U.S. aerospace and defense consultancy.
Lilium has completed the preliminary design review for its seven-seat electric air taxi, finalizing changes intended to extend the range that can be extracted from the Lilium Jet’s battery system.
As it prepares to launch its Airspeeder racing series, Australia’s Alauda Aeronautics says it plans to develop a supercar-style high-performance eVTOL vehicle for private owners.
Delivery drone operator Zipline has developed an acoustic detect-and-avoid system to enable autonomous long-range flights in complex as well as uncontrolled airspace.
Chinese startup AutoFlight has continued its rapid progress toward developing the Prosperity 1 electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing air taxi, flying a second full-scale proof-of-concept aircraft that incorporates design refinements.
Deloitte Consulting has launched a Wichita “Smart Factory” officials call the “art of the possible,” using advanced technology to focus on the future of manufacturing.
When Dubai hosted demonstrations of both EHang and Volocopter prototypes in 2017, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates looked to be a front-runner for the introduction of urban air mobility using electric air taxis.
Two teams with experience developing electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft launched startups focused on taking a different approach to advanced air mobility.
Legacy aerospace consultancy Deloitte has released a white paper, “Disrupting the Future of Mobility,” that underscores the need for emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) OEMs and operators to fine-tune business models that fully outline advantages to early adopters.
The British charity Aerobility, which works to change the lives of disabled people by giving them the opportunity to fly, has confirmed a second sale of its Grob 109B Able, and is engaging with the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector to try to ensure the next generation of small aircraft are accessible to all.
Startups continue to drive the evolving advanced air mobility industry but as more companies move into certification and toward production and operation, familiar aerospace names are appearing.
Chinese startup Pantuo Aviation has conducted the first free-hover flight of a half-scale model of its planned Pantala Concept H ducted-fan electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxi.
There is plenty of energy and time being spent within the aviation industry to address carbon emissions and plan for a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future.
