FutureFlight

With NASA funding in place, inflight connectivity provider SmartSky Networks is collaborating with GE Digital and Mosaic ATM to combine airborne and cloud-based flight management systems to provide more effective data processing for air traffic management. The partners say giving controllers a more complete picture of eVTOL aircraft operations will be critical to safely scaling up advanced air mobility services.

A letter of intent signed by Eve Urban Air Mobility and Falko Aviation calls for the leasing group to potentially add 200 of Eve's four-passenger eVTOL aircraft to its portfolio. The partners will also work together to assist prospective commercial operators to establish route networks and begin operations with product support and air traffic management software provided by the Embraer subsidiary.

Dufour Aerospace is aiming to bring its Aero3 hybrid-electric eVTOL aircraft to market in 2026, three years after anticipated first deliveries of the smaller Aero3 autonomous air vehicle version of the tilt-wing design. Sweden-based rotorcraft marketing group Savback has agreed to act as distributor for the aircraft in several Nordic countries, which suggests that the Aero models are seen as replacements for existing helicopters.

ZeroAvia will use a new research and development center at Paine Field airport in the Seattle area to advance its plans to convert regional airliners to hydrogen propulsion using its 3-MW capacity ZA2000 powertrain. It has commitments from Alaska Air and United to convert aircraft including the Dash 8 Q400 and the Bombardier CRJ jets, and is also looking to convert smaller 19-seat aircraft like the Dornier 228 twin turboprop.

Software developer Incari is starting a collaboration with a major European aerospace group to evaluate how its design platform could speed up the development of human-machine interfaces in aircraft cockpits. The company's software can be directly connected with aircraft sensors, such as GPS, and should help aerospace engineers tap the potential of technology, including augmented reality, remote touch, and computer-brain interfaces.

Roei Ganzarski has led the development of MagniX's electric propulsion units, helping to secure early commitments from prospective operators of converted aircraft, including the Cessna Grand Caravan and the DHC-2 Beaver. He has also been part of the leadership team at sister company Eviation, whose all-electric Alice fixed-wing aircraft is imminently due to make its first flight.

SkyDrive's SD-03 prototype for its single-seat eVTOL aircraft had not been seen outside Japan before this week's debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Japanese company aims for the SD-05 production model to be certified to begin commercial operations in 2025, in time for the World Expo event being held in Osaka that year.

With two eVTOL prototype aircraft engaged in flight testing, and with the Stage 4 G-1 certification basis agreed to by the FAA, Joby Aviation appears to be ahead of rivals in the race to begin commercial flights in 2024. Since 2017, the company has conducted more than 1,000 flights, logging 5,300 miles and generating 65 terabytes of test data as its engineering team completes discussions with the FAA over the means-of-compliance process.

Experts say that 2022 needs to be a year in which eVTOL and eSTOL aircraft developers focus more squarely on meeting demanding engineering objectives, putting complex infrastructure in place, and convincing prospective customers that they should view advanced air mobility as progress. After a year in which new capital appeared to be readily available, at least to the front runners, 2022 could see a significant narrowing of an extraordinarily crowded advanced air mobility field as cash-strapped start-ups face harsh realities.

The new 5G Intelligent Air Mobility Experience Center in the Chinese city of Guangzhou is the latest addition to EHang's planned 100 Air Mobility Routes Initiative to support the rollout of eVTOL air services across urban areas. 5G telecommunications will support EHang’s command and control system for managing flight operations.