The Eco Caravan made a first flight on November 18, marking a key waypoint in Ampaire’s efforts to bring the converted hybrid-electric aircraft to market. The 33-minute sortie from the Los Angeles-area Camarillo Airport kicked off a flight test program that the California-based start-up aims to lead to an FAA supplemental type certificate for its modification kit in 2024.

Archer Aviation, an urban air mobility start-up in Silicon Valley, has revealed its Midnight aircraft, the production version of its eVTOL air taxi. The company and its customers, such as United Airlines, plan to use the four-seat Midnight aircraft to transport passengers around busy urban areas, including to and from airports.

After pulling out of deals with Ampaire and special purpose acquisition company Tuscan Holdings Corporation, Surf Air Mobility has asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to approve plans for a direct public listing of its common stock. The flight booking platform wants to raise funds to support its ambitions to develop a hybrid-electric propulsion conversion package for existing aircraft.

A $119 million capital raise will support Lilium's efforts to complete EASA type certification of its seven-passenger Lilium Jet eVTOL aircraft in 2025. The funding round is being backed by a mix of strategic aerospace industry investors, including Honeywell and Aciturri, and venture capitalists LGT, Lightrock, Tencent, and B. Riley Securities.

The European Commission wants its EGNOS satellite navigation system to support aviation operations, including new eVTOL aircraft for urban air mobility services and uncrewed vehicles needing to operate safely in public airspace. The Satellite Based Augmentation System Adoption in Multicopter VTOL Aircraft (SAMVA) program is part of efforts to prepare for this outcome, and eVTOL developer EHang is participating in the project.

At the first public reveal of its Midnight eVTOL air taxi last week, Archer's engineers explained how they designed and optimized the proprietary battery packs and motors that power the fully electric, four-passenger aircraft. It will to be used by the manufacturer and customers like United Airlines for air taxi services in and around cities.

Electra is pioneering the development of a hybrid-electric short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft that it says will deliver far lower operating economics than new electrical vertical aircraft. It expects the nine-seater eSTOL model to operate from downtown spaces as short as just over 300 feet, opening up new urban and regional air services that aren’t viable today. John Langford, the Virginia-based company's founder and CEO, spoke with FutureFlight about how his team intends to change both urban and regional air services.

Autonomous Flight intends to launch its Y6S Plus eVTOL aircraft into commercial service from 2024. The six-seater aircraft should be able to operate on routes of up to 100 miles.