Zanite Acquisition will invest $237 million in cash in the new Eve Holding venture, which is also backed by investors including Azorra Aviation, BAE Systems, Bradesco BBI, Falko Regional Aircraft, Republic Airways, Rolls-Royce, and SkyWest. Eve this week added up to 500 more provisional orders for its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft.

While the capital raised from its merger with Broadstone Acquisition is almost 25 percent less than Vertical Aerospace expected, the start-up says the funds will cover the cost of bringing its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft to market by 2024. The prototype for the newly renamed VX4 fixed-wing model is expected to make a first flight in 2022 as the company works on EASA type certification.

The two-seat Maker technology demonstrator made its initial hover flight at Archer's test center in California on December 16, marking an important milestone en route to the goal of launching commercial services with a four-seat eVTOL model in late 2024. The company says it will roll out a "production-intent" version of the larger aircraft in 2022, as it steps up flight testing of the Maker to include the transition from vertical to horizontal cruise flight.

With the acquisition of Austria-based start-up Inras, Joby is significantly boosting its capability in radio frequency sensing technology, supporting work to optimize the onboard detection and navigation capability of its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft.

Bristow now has collaborative partnerships with eVTOL and eSTOL aircraft developers Overair, Vertical Aerospace, Eve Urban Air Mobility, and Electra Aero, with agreements including provisional "orders" for up to 250 aircraft. The purpose of the agreements is for the experienced rotorcraft operator to assess options for its plans to launch advanced air mobility services.

U.S. Part 135 amphibious commuter carrier Tailwind Air plans to fit floats on its 20 Airflow Model 200s to serve ports in New England and along the Mid-Atlantic coast. The eSTOL aircraft will be able to carry 10 passengers on flights of up to 500 miles.

German air mobility start-up Electra intends to operate 100 of Electra's hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft from 2026. Under a memorandum of understanding signed this week, the partners will work together to develop a network of urban and regional flights in Europe.

H2 Clipper says its airship will be used to transport hydrogen fuel supplies and other freight around the world more cost-effectively than existing maritime, air, or ground transportation will allow. It expects to fly a scale model of the hydrogen-powered vehicle in 2024, followed by a full-sized prototype in 2027.

New aircraft developers including Overair, Jaunt Air Mobility, XTI, and Beta Technologies were at this year’s National Business Aviation Association show making the case for new applications including air taxi services and cargo deliveries. In this FutureFlight video, the start-up’s leaders argued that factors such as reduced carbon emissions and noise could widen public acceptance for new urban air mobility services, while also improving the business model for aircraft operators.

When it unveiled the two-seat Maker eVTOL back in June 2021, Archer Aviation founders Adam Goldstein and Brett Adcock said the technology demonstrator would make its first flight before year-end, and on December 16 they achieved that goal. The aircraft, which is being used to complete design work on the four-seat eVTOL the start-up plans to bring intocommercial services by the end of 2024, hovered at an altitude of 26 feet for just over 30 seconds. With the symbolic maiden lift-off achieved, the serious flight test task is now underway at Archer’s facility in California. In the new year, it will expand the hover flight envelope before attempting to transition to horizontal cruise. Meanwhile, the company aims to roll out its full-scale, four-passenger eVTOL by the end of 2022.

Eve Urban Air Mobility is developing a four-passenger eVTOL aircraft that it intends to bring to market in 2026. Brazilian aerospace group Embraer is the company's majority shareholder and is set to continue this role after Eve's proposed merger with Zanite Acquisition and New York Stock Exchange listing in the second quarter of 2022.