FutureFlight

JetPack's Speeder VTOL vehicle is intended to be deployed for missions such as moving special forces troops in and out of combat zones, and evacuating injured personnel. It is one of 35 designs now being evaluated by the U.S. Air Force's Afwerx unit for possible military applications in a process that could lead to further government investment in research and development.

An agreement between Eve and Kenya Airways' Fahari Aviation subsidiary calls for collaboration to prepare for the operation of drones and eVTOL aircraft for urban air mobility applications. The partners did not specify exactly what services and infrastructure they intend to develop, or whether the alliance will lead to the airline operating its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft.

From September, ZeroAvia plans to start flight testing a pair of Dornier 228 regional airliners fitted with its 600 kW hydrogen powertrain. The company is also working on a 2 MW+ powertrain that would be able to support larger aircraft with between 40 and 80 seats. To expedite development work, it has converted a military truck to be used as a ground testbed for the powertrain.

SkyDrive is looking to refine the performance of the rotors for its SD-03 flying car based on testing in the extensive wind tunnel facilities of the government-backed Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Under a new agreement with the agency, the company may also conduct testing of the rest of the airframe in the facility.

The privately developed Vertiport Chicago is conveniently located near many of the most popular business districts in the Midwest U.S. city. It is open around the clock, can accommodate eight helicopters on the ramp simultaneously, and has space for new operations, including eVTOL air taxi services. What's more, local politicians support further expansion of activity on the downtown site.

Just under a week after shareholders approved its merger with Reinvent Technology Partners, eVTOL aircraft developer Joby launched its New York Stock Exchange initial public offering on August 11. The flotation will raise the funds needed to bring its four-passenger aircraft into commercial service in 2024, and makes Joby the first of the front-running eVTOL aircraft developers to complete a merger-IPO deal with a special purpose acquisition company.

The recent MAKS air show held near Moscow provided exposure to several Russian programs aimed at bringing hybrid-electric aircraft to market. In some cases, older An-2 and Yak-40 aircraft are being deployed as flying testbeds. Also on display was a new LMS-901 Baikal eSTOL aircraft that is intended to support new regional services in remote parts of the vast country.

AE Industrial Partners, a private equity group focused on the aerospace, defense, government services, power generation, and specialty industrial sectors, is incorporating Boeing's HorizonX venture fund in a combined portfolio. HorizonX has invested in 40 start-ups since it was founded in 2017. It is separate from the Boeing NeXt innovation division, which closed at the end of 2020.

New companies such as electric propulsion retrofit provider Aviathor and hydrogen propulsion pioneer Beyond Aerospace will be among the first cohort of start-ups selected for Starburst Aerospace's new Blast accelerator program for aerospace entrepreneurs. The group is signing up investors for a new fund that from the end of 2021 will provide fresh capital for companies in the advanced air mobility space.

With Archer's merger with Atlas, and resulting share flotation which is expected to be completed later this year, the eVTOL aircraft developer has nominated senior business leaders from NASA, United Airlines, Mitsubishi, and Ernst & Young to join the board of the restructured company. As the former chairman and CEO of United Airlines until May, Oscar Munoz approved the carrier's agreement to buy up to 200 of Archer's four-passenger air taxi vehicles.