FutureFlight

Switzerland's Dufour Aerospace has completed flight testing of a technology demonstrator for its planned Aero 2 and 3 eVTOL aircraft. It remains unclear what the next steps might be for a program that promises more advanced eVTOL aircraft based on a tiltwing design.

Some observers say that the aggressive service entry timelines for urban air mobility being pushed by startup eVTOL aircraft developers will be exposed as unrealistic in the wake of the Covid crisis. Others feel that the deeper experience of established aerospace industry leaders will prove to be an advantage in the long run, even if it means waiting longer for aircraft to be available.

Roland Berger's latest report on the urban air mobility market surveyed aerospace industry leaders about how they see the timeline for service entry in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. The consultancy also has introduced a new UAM Radar to track 100 potential early-adopter cities around the world, with early results showing a high proportion of these being in Europe and the Asia Pacific rim, despite the heavy emphasis on the U.S. market.

The Brazilian manufacturer started using a simulator to evaluate factors such as the man-machine interface and its fifth-generation fly-by-wire technology. It says its strong track record of certifying 26 new aircraft over two decades will help it to accelerate the type certification process, while also ensuring strong safety performance.

The first two versions of the BEHA aircraft family will have hybrid-electric propulsion systems using biofuels. By 2030, Faradair expects the aircraft to be all-electric using improved batteries or hydrogen fuel cells.

Carbon-fiber manufacturer Toray Industries will supply composite materials to eVTOL aircraft developer Lilium for its new Lilium Jet. Under an agreement announced on July 14, Japan-based Toray will supply its German partner with materials to build further technology demonstrator versions of the five-seat, all-electric aircraft, as well as various of Lilium’s suppliers that will manufacture parts for prototypes and serial production.

Bye Aerospace this week raised a further $10 million to support the development of its all-electric eFlyer family of fixed-wing light aircraft. The U.S. company announced on July 13 that an undisclosed venture capital group has invested $5 million and that this was supplemented by an additional $5 million venture raise.

The Vertical Flight Society (VFS) has teamed with Nexa Advisors to form a new company, UAM Geomatics, that will promote the development and operation of eVTOL aircraft and the infrastructure required to support them in applications such as urban air mobility. The Virginia-based company will produce data and research to guide prospective investors and stakeholders, including the Urban Air Mobility—Economics and Global Markets 2020-2040 study, which will now be produced each quarter.

VoltAero is to work with on-demand charter provider KinectAir to explore possibilities for bringing its hybrid-electric Cassio fixed-wing aircraft into commercial service. U.S.-based KinectAir will explore ways to integrate its planned flight booking app with the Cassio’s cockpit to make it easier to track aircraft availability and utilization.

Hydrogen fuel cell developer HyPoint expects to have a full-scale 150 kW system ready to deliver to an undisclosed electric aircraft manufacturer during the first quarter of 2022. The California-based startup aims to announce the identity of this partner in September and hopes to have a 1 kW unit ready for testing by early 2021, followed by a 15 kW unit, as part of its strategy to advance hydrogen propulsion systems as an alternative to both battery-dependent motors and hybrid systems using Jet-A-powered engines.