An agreement signed with the Dubai government gives Joby exclusive rights to operate eVTOL air taxi flights in the emirate for six years. The manufacturer is partnering with Skyports to develop a network of vertiports.

Shortly after Beta Technologies’ Alia electric airplane prototype completed its three-month deployment at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida last month, it spent more than a week in Savannah, Georgia, where the U.S. Air National Guard used it for military training exercises, the Vermont-based aircraft developer announced February 12.

Operators of Lilium's six-passenger eVTOL aircraft will be able to use a new vertiport at Orlando International Airport as a hub for services across central Florida. State legislators are considering a bill that would support the adoption of advanced air mobility.

The FAA has accepted Joby Aviation’s certification plan for the electric propulsion system on its eVTOL aircraft, notching another milestone on the path to commercialization, the company announced February 9. According to Joby, the newly accepted certification plan covers the aircraft’s electric propulsion unit—including motors, gearboxes, nacelles, coolant pumps, and electrical wiring—as well as the propeller system and variable pitch actuators.

The FAA has granted rival eVTOL developers Joby and Archer the Part 145 repair station certificates they will need to perform maintenance on the eVTOL air taxis they aim to bring to market in 2025. The companies are believed to be among the first eVTOL manufacturers to earn Part 145 authorization.

Piasecki Aircraft believes a zero-carbon hydrogen-powered helicopter could significantly improve the operating economics for commercial rotorcraft, as well as deliver greater efficiency for military missions and emergency medical support. Working with fuel cell provider ZeroAvia, the U.S. company is now increasing the scale of its ground testing as it prepares to fly a full-scale prototype in 2028.

As part of a public-private partnership in its home city of Guangzhou, EHang may get production support from automotive group GAC, which in return wants support for its planned GOVE flying car. The new collaboration follows recent decisions by China's Local People’s Congress and Political Consultative Conference to aid advanced air mobility initiatives.

Legacy rotorcraft manufacturers have long had to adapt to shifting market conditions, such as the advent of advanced air mobility. MD Helicopters is a company with a rich heritage that has faced significant challenges in recent years after falling into bankruptcy under its previous owners. AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber visited MD Helicopters in Mesa, Arizona, to find out how a new management team is trying to reverse its fortunes. He had the chance to fly the company’s most powerful helicopter, the MD530F.