News and analysis covering cutting-edge aviation technology and business models, including zero-carbon propulsion, eVTOL aircraft, automation and autonomy, and new infrastructure.
The U.S. Air Force is awarding a $150,000 contract to see if use of a LiquidPiston rotary engine in a hybrid configuration can overcome limitations of current batteries used on eVTOL aircraft.
Proposed legislation would result in the Department of Transportation leading a new multi-agency working group and new federal funding to support the development of an AAM ecosystem.
The German company intends to recruit contractors to build most aircraft components and systems, but will retain control of overall design, technology integration and final assembly.
Other eVTOL aircraft developers are targeting emergency medical support services, including Jump Aero, Jaunt Air Mobility, Urban Aeronautics, EHang, and Volocopter.
Winning public acceptance and not taking the multifaceted approval processes for granted will be critical to getting the infrastructure in place to support advanced air mobility services.
EHang claims to have made more than 10,000 test flights with the EH216 model, which it has indicated could complete Chinese type certification in 2021.