FutureFlight

Students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona had the opportunity to test out Reliable Robotics’ voice communication system for remotely piloted, highly autonomous aircraft.

The company displayed models of its five-seat design at this week's Sustainable Skies and Aero Friedrichshafen events.

The UK company has already conducted some test flights with the large airship at its Bedford facility in southern England.

The merger between the UK companies is expected to be complete by around mid-2023, at which point new investors will provide a further £10 million in capital.

The memorandum of understanding for the provisional sale was signed a week after SkyDrive started taking orders from private individuals for its two-seat eVTOL vehicle.

Natilus has successfully flown a subscale technology demonstrator aircraft and is moving ahead with a full-scale prototype of its Kona cargo freighter.

The University of Miami College of Engineering has created the Miami Engineering Autonomous Mobility Initiative, which “aims to advance autonomous mobility technology and anticipate challenges to implementation in today’s cities.”

The start-up also announced that it has selected EP Systems and MagicAll to supply the batteries and electric motors for the sea glider.

The company has moved into expanded headquarters in El Segundo, California, and is recruiting more engineers to bring its FlightOS system to market.

Evolito joins fellow UK companies Reaction Engines and Ricardo as technology collaborators on Project Fresson.

Venture capitalist Kotaro Chiba was the company's first investor and expects to pilot the two-seat vehicle himself for personal transportation.

Autonomous aviation pioneer Xwing says it has formally begun the FAA approval process for its 'Superpilot' autonomous flight control system, which the company plans to use for pilotless cargo delivery flights in the U.S.

The company is starting conceptual design work for an initial 44-passenger aircraft with a projected range of 460 km (250 nmi) that it says could reopen abandoned short-haul air services.

Merlin, a Boston-based company developing 'drop-in' autonomy kits for legacy fixed-wing aircraft, has received a $1 million contract from the FAA to demonstrate its autonomous flight technology with flight trials in Alaska.

Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company now has a 35 percent stake in LCI, which plans to diversify its portfolio to include new eVTOL aircraft.

The development of training equipment hinges on pending decisions from air safety agencies regarding their requirements for flight crew operating the new, as-yet-uncertified aircraft.

The fuel cells forming part of the planned ZeroE hydrogen propulsion system will need a purpose-built air supply system.

The FAA has awarded $19 million in research grants to 14 universities in an effort to reduce noise pollution associated with aviation and advanced air mobility.

The large hangar at the company's airfield base in Bruchsal will be used to manufacture carbon fiber parts and electric propulsion units, as well as for final assembly of its family of eVTOL vehicles.

Working with industrial gas supplier Air Liquide, H2Fly is preparing for flight tests this summer aimed at doubling the range of an aircraft fitted with its fuel cell-based powertrain.