FutureFlight

Archer Aviation has flown a full-scale prototype of its Midnight eVTOL aircraft for the first time, the company announced on Wednesday. Archer said that over the next few months, it will expand the four-passenger vehicle’s flight envelope from hover to full wing-borne flight as it prepares to start testing with the FAA next year that will accrue credits for type certification.

Supernal Executive Mike Whitaker Confirmed as FAA Administrator

As Overair ramps up its efforts to bring advanced air mobility (AAM) to South Korea, the California-based eVTOL aircraft developer just received its first pre-order from a Korean customer. HeliKorea has agreed to purchase up to 20 of Overair’s Butterfly eVTOL aircraft, which the South Korean helicopter operator aims to use for various applications such as emergency medical transportation, cargo logistics, and firefighting.

After accusing Archer Aviation of investment fraud, the plaintiff in a federal securities class action lawsuit filed against the California-based eVTOL air taxi developer has voluntarily moved to dismiss the case. The lawsuit alleged that Archer grossly overstated its progress in the development and type certification of its four-passenger Midnight eVTOL aircraft and that the company used “heavily edited” video footage to exaggerate the amount of flight testing it has done.

Brazil's Moya Aero has signed a letter of intent with Canadian start-up N2 Infrastructure Technologies covering the acquisition of four of Moya's autonomous eVTOL aircraft. The two companies will work together to develop use cases for the vehicle, which will have a payload capacity of 200 kilograms (440 pounds) and a range of 110 kilometers (70 miles) and could be deployed in remote areas.

The Japanese government has awarded SkyDrive a research grant worth 12.4 billion yen ($82.7 million) to fund the development of its three-seat eVTOL aircraft, which the company says will be certified for commercial operations "in the next five years." Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry issued SkyDrive the award through its small business innovation research program, which provides funding for start-ups developing advanced technologies that could have a positive impact on society. 

Supernal has turned to the parts manufacturing division of its parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, and Italy's Mecaer to design and manufacture the wheeled landing gear for its SA-1 eVTOL aircraft. The U.S.-based company aims to apply for FAA type certification before year-end and is working toward the start of flight testing with a prototype by the end of 2024.

The first prototype of what Wisk refers to as its Generation 6 eVTOL autonomous vehicle is now being built at its Mountain View, California, headquarters, as the Boeing subsidiary prepares to start flight testing in 2024. Displaying a mock-up of the four-seater at the NBAA-BACE trade show in Las Vegas, the company confirmed that it has applied for FAA type certification and is working on the key G1 and G2 stages of this process.

Bombardier's EcoJet research and development project is exploring multiple options for a quantum leap reduction in carbon emissions from business aircraft. The company is already flying a sub-scale blend-wing-body technology demonstrator aircraft. New propulsion technology combined with a new airframe architecture could be a force multiplier, it is hoped for an industry that is under intense pressure from climate change activists.

Airbus Evaluates Flight Control System for CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL Aircraft