FutureFlight

Volocopter says the business case for investing in urban air mobility services in the Asia Pacific region is supported by the conclusions of a Porsche Consulting study that said this part of the world will account for around 45 percent of the global market. The eVTOL aircraft manufacturer wants to work with the Malaysia Airports group to establish vertiports across the country.

Aachen in the west of Germany is cooperating with neighboring cities in Belgium and the Netherlands to integrate eVTOL and eSTOL aircraft into their public transportation networks. They say local citizens want flexible and environmentally sustainable services for moving in and around cities, including Maastricht, Liege, Hasselt, and Heelen.

The latest court filing in the intellectual property dispute between eVTOL aircraft developers Wisk Aero and Archer Aviation urges federal judge William Orrick to reject Wisk's motion for a preliminary injunction. Archer's lawyers say Wisk has not proven any of its allegations that Archer's Maker eVTOL demonstrator is based on designs developed by Wisk that were passed on by former employees moving between the California-based companies.

Supported by its new electric propulsion subsidiary Ampaire, private air transportation group Surf Air Mobility intends to convert 150 Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft to hybrid-electric propulsion in 2024. The aircraft, currently powered by a single Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop engine, will be flown by partner operators who post the availability of aircraft and flights on Surf Air's booking platform.

Under the terms of a purchase contract for five eFlyer 800s, Rheinland Air Service will also provide MRO services for the eight-seat electric aircraft in Central Europe.

Rotor X, a specialist in kit-built helicopters, plans to bring a multicopter eVTOL model to the market. The six-seat RX eTransporter will be able to carry six people, or potentially be used for cargo or other applications such as medical emergency support and military missions. Flight testing is due to start in the fall of 2021, with initial FAA certification for freight use anticipated in 2022.

Having tested several prototypes of its planned two-seat eVTOL aircraft, Air is now building a full-scale technology demonstrator that it intends to start flying early in 2022. The company claims that owners will require minimal flight training to operate the aircraft, thanks to unspecified "fly by intent" flight control technology based on systems previously employed on drones.

The first prototype of JetPack's Speeder VTOL vehicle was used for tethered test flights, and development work will now be stepped up with further prototypes. The California-based company says that it is ready to start taking preorders, with customers expected to include people requiring personal transportation, freight delivery providers, emergency medical support team, and the military.

Porsche Consulting's projected $32 billion value for the global eVTOL air taxi market by 2035 is tempered by expectations that achieving this number will require investments across the industry totaling $20 billion. Its new report, which updates an earlier study conducted in 2018, provides details on the number of anticipated passengers, ride frequencies and operating locations.

Energy group EDP, which produces and distributes electrical power worldwide, is helping Embraer's eVTOL aircraft developer Eve to research what it will take to efficiently recharge electric aircraft in large-scale commercial operations. Eve, which aims to bring its four-passenger eVTOL model to market in 2026, is working with a diverse array of international partners to develop all aspects of the urban air mobility ecosystem.