FutureFlight

A memorandum of understanding between Australian federal authorities and the state government in Victoria is intended to put more concerted focus into developing the country's advanced air mobility industry. Local experts, such as Clem Newton-Brown of ground infrastructure specialist Skyportz, say that the development of ground infrastructure must now be a priority.

Volocopter says its VoloPort infrastructure concept provides a flexible template for developing landing sites for eVTOL aircraft in urban areas. In a new handbook being made available to partners, it maintains that the designs can be readily scaled to fit the local environment with space requirements starting at about the size of a couple of tennis courts.

Connect Airlines will start commercial flights in the spring of 2022 using Dash 8-300 twin-turboprop aircraft that it intends to convert to hydrogen propulsion by 2025. In an agreement signed on November 8, it has become the fifth carrier to commit to using Universal Hydrogen's conversion kit, consisting of pre-fueled capsules and hydrogen fuel cells.

Heart Aerospace's all-electric 19-seat ES-19 regional airliner is expected to enter commercial service in 2026, equipped with Garmin's G3000 integrated flight deck. The U.S. avionics manufacturer is targetting new electric aircraft, and its system, which has also been selected for Joby's eVTOL aircraft, includes high-resolution flight displays and touchscreen controllers.

The Merlin Labs technology is intended to replicate the functions of human pilots, allowing operators to avoid the limitations on growth posed by an ongoing shortage of suitably qualified professional flight crew. Flight trials are set to be expanded next year, with Ameriflight looking to convert its Cessna Caravan aircraft first, and later implement the system for the rest of its fleet. The carrier will operate the technology on a semi-autonomous basis while waiting for the FAA to give the go-ahead for fully autonomous use.

Amprius Technologies, which is already providing lithium-Ion battery cells for drone applications, now intends to target larger electric vehicles, including eVTOL aircraft. It says the rapid charge rate of just six minutes will deliver a step-change in performance for electric battery use in transportation.

Lung Biotechnology intends to use the electric-powered R44 light helicopter to carry human organs for transplant procedures. Tier 1 Engineering will employ the MagniX electric propulsion unit to replace the aircraft's current piston engine under an FAA supplemental type certificate.

As it aims to achieve its goal of generating 2.5 MW of power from a new hybrid-electric propulsion system, Rolls-Royce engineers at Filton in the UK have already achieved an output of 1MW. The generator unit, which incorporates one of Rolls-Royce's existing AE2100 turboprop engines, plus controls and a thermal management system, could power future regional airliners, or be used as part of a "more-electric" system for larger aircraft.

Sydney Seaplanes plans to deploy 50 of Eve's four-passenger eVTOLs for tourist flights from 2026, potentially replacing some of its existing amphibious airplane fleet. The company is also working with MagniX to convert Cessna Grand Caravan fixed-wing aircraft to electric propulsion for a new regional airline operation from 2022.

Under its FlyZero project to reduce aviation carbon emissions, the UK's Aerospace Technology Institute has unveiled the first of three planned concepts for a hydrogen-powered airliner. The "midsize" model would be a medium-capacity, long-haul airliner, and in early 2022 the public-private partnership plans to unveil two other concepts, for "regional" and "narrowbody" hydrogen aircraft.