A Bristow pilot took Beta's electric airplane prototype out for a spin on August 22 to conduct a “qualitative evaluation” of the six-seat aircraft, which the helicopter operator intends to add to its worldwide fleet of rotorcraft. During the 55-minute test, Bristow's advanced air mobility program manager Bryan Willows “completed a standard flight profile featuring stalls, slow flight, and takeoffs/landings,” a Beta spokesperson said.

Confirmation in EHang's second-quarter financial report that type-certification testing for its EH216-S two-seat autonomous eVTOL aircraft is now complete has raised expectations that the Civil Aviation Administration of China could be close to granting airworthiness approval. This could be the first eVTOL aircraft in the world to complete type certification, which would confirm a strong will by the central government to help make a success of the country's advanced air mobility sector.

When Moonware's founders created the start-up in 2020, they intended to produce a fully automated "ground traffic control" system for vertiports using artificial intelligence and autonomous tow tugs for eVTOL aircraft. Now the company has decided to first offer its software to airlines, and it expects to deploy the system later this year with multiple as-yet-unnamed launch customers. Called Halo, the system uses real-time location data to track ground-support equipment and personnel, and the AI software automatically deploys them to the right place at the right time to optimize operations.

European aircraft charter and management group ASL is providing input to help German start-up Vaeridion develop an all-electric fixed-wing aircraft called the Microliner that it says will carry nine passengers on flights of up to 500 kilometers. The new partnership is part of ASL's wider efforts to decarbonize its fleet, which already include a preorder for Lilium's Pioneer Edition eVTOL aircraft.

XTI Aircraft needs funding to accelerate the development of its TriFan 600 “vertical lift crossover airplane,” which it claims will replace existing business aircraft and helicopters, as well as compete with eVTOL vehicles. Its next step is set to be a merger with tech group Inpixon, although how much capital this might raise remains unclear.

Maglev Aero says its rim drive design, in which multiple blades rotate around a circular duct of magnets, offers a more efficient approach to distributed electric propulsion for new aircraft. The Boston-based start-up says it is in talks with aircraft developers about possible applications and has a partnership in place with GE Additive.

Reliable Robotics completes remotely piloted flight trials for the FAA. Plus, Volatus teams with Australian start-up Ace VTOL; Epiphany Transporter eVTOL project is unveiled; Chinese officials approve EHang's uncrewed operations system; and green hydrogen supplier partners with ZeroAvia.

Many eVTOL aircraft developers see their vehicles replacing helicopters, offering a leaner and greener alternative. Time will tell if that comes to pass, but the idea likely bristles with some in the rotorcraft community. A highlight of the recent Paris Air Show flying display seemingly caught this tension when Airbus's H160 helicopter put on a stunning display. You could almost hear the test pilot mutter, "Let's see if you can even do half of this, you eVTOL punks." The H160 is an intermediate twin-engine aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 13,436 pounds and seating for 12 passengers and two crew. It has a maximum cruise speed of 150 knots, a service ceiling of 20,000 feet, and a range of 475 nm with standard tanks, and is powered by a pair of Safran Arrano 1A engines, each with 1,300 shp.