FutureFlight

The Japanese carrier has agreed to either lease or purchase up to 100 of Vertical Aerospace's VA-X4 four-passenger eVTOL aircraft from leasing group Avolon, which has provisionally agreed to include up to 500 of the vehicle in its portfolio. Japan's declared plans to support the launch of urban air mobility services include a high-profile public launch around the Osaka Kansai Expo in 2025, and Avolon, Vertical, and rival eVTOL developer Volocopter are all now involved as partners.

Leasing group Amedeo believes that airlines will see the Electric Regional Aircraft as an opportunity to open scheduled regional passenger and cargo services to smaller airports that can't support larger equipment. It has signed a letter of intent with Aura Aero to take delivery of 200 of the hybrid-electric model starting in 2026.

UP.Partners has closed its venture capital fund with $230 million raised to invest in start-ups developing future methods of mobility. Among the companies supported by the group are early-stage start-ups with no revenues and late-stage product-focused companies that are growing revenues rapidly. Its investments include eVTOL aircraft developer Beta Technologies.

Austrian company Schwarzmuller has developed a trailer that it calls a Mobile Vertipad to allow Volocopter's VoloDrone to operate almost anywhere without the need for special ground infrastructure. The autonomous eVTOL can carry freight loads of up to 440 pounds on trips of up to around 25 miles. It was publicly demonstrated for the first time this week in an operation conducted with Volocopter logistics partner and investor DB Schenker.

Israel-based Air this week unveiled the design for its fixed-wing, two-seat Air One eVTOL, which it aims to bring to market in 2024. The company expects to begin unmanned flight trials with a full-scale prototype early in 2022, with piloted flights set to commence next June. It has started to take preorders for the vehicle, with a base price yet to be published.

Brazilian private aviation group Avantto believes it could play a crucial role in making urban air mobility's lofty ambitions become a reality. It has committed to buying 100 of the four-passenger eVTOL aircraft being developed by Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions and will work with the Embraer subsidiary to turn theory into practice.

Reliable Robotics has now raised more than $133 million to support its ambitions to certify an existing cargo aircraft to be operated remotely in commercial cargo services. The company, which has been flight testing a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan, is in the process of establishing its own cargo operation to serve as an early adopter and test bed for the autonomous technology, which includes full autoland capability.

Aircraft engine maker GE Aviation is among 11 new investors in Universal Hydrogen, which is working on plans to convert aircraft to hydrogen propulsion. This involves storing green liquid hydrogen in capsules that can be delivered directly to aircraft without requiring any new ground infrastructure.

Plug Power will work with Airflow to develop a ground-based test bed for a full-scale hydrogen fuel cell test bed and intends to subsequently convert its new partner's planned hybrid-electric aircraft to this system. The company is already investing in Universal Hydrogen, which is working to convert regional airliners to the carbon-free power source.

Diamond Aircraft says its first all-electric aircraft will be ready to enter service in 2023, with flight testing due to start in the second quarter of 2022. The four-seat aircraft will compete in the flight training sector with rivals such as Bye Aerospace's eFlyer family. According to the company, it will take just 20 minutes to recharge and be able to fly for up to 90 minutes, delivering 40 percent operating cost savings compared with current piston-powered aircraft.