FutureFlight

Saudi Arabian regional development project Neom and Hong Kong’s Gly Capital Management have joined Volocopter’s investor base with $182 million in Series E funding.

Archer Aviation has selected Italian aerospace company Mecaer Aviation Group to develop and supply the landing gear for Archer’s Midnight, a piloted eVTOL air taxi designed to carry four passengers on trips of up to 100 miles.

Amprius has agreed to supply its ultra-high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries with silicon nanowire anodes to BAE Systems for electrically powered flight applications. The companies will also explore use cases for the batteries in other defense applications.

An electric-powered R44 helicopter modified by Tier 1 Engineering and Lung Biotechnology showed a new way to transport transplantable organs.

EHang has signed a memorandum of understanding with airliner maintenance, repair, and overhaul group Haeco that calls for cooperation in the fields of manufacturing and assembly, continued airworthiness, digital platforms, product support, and talent training ahead of certification of the EH216-S passenger-carrying autonomous air vehicle.

Today’s burgeoning advanced air mobility (AAM) market has spawned dozens of companies around the world racing to develop eVTOL air taxis, with plans calling for fleets of the novel aircraft to transport passengers as early as 2024. But to make the dream of AAM a reality, those fleets of eVTOL aircraft will need dedicated places to take off and land, and most communities lack the needed infrastructure.

Ampaire reported its receipt of a firm order for 25 Eco Caravans from sustainable aircraft financier Monte, along with options covering another 25 of the hybrid-electric airplanes. The deal codifies what Ampaire calls the parties’ “preferred partner” relationship.

Bell has brought its Autonomous Pod Transport eVTOL this week to the 2022 Air Medical Transport Conference in Tampa, Florida. The company has been flying the aircraft for several years and aims for a production version that will deliver 100 pounds, 100 miles, at 100 knots per hour.

An MOU signed on Wednesday during the sixth edition of the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh calls for an eventual purchase of 100 Lilium eVTOL aircraft and the development of seamless feeder connections to Saudi Arabian Airlines hubs.

AeroDelft, a student-run team of engineers at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands, has partnered with Airbus on its work to build hydrogen-powered aircraft.