FutureFlight

Varon Vehicles is working with eVTOL aircraft developer Jaunt Air Mobility to identify sites for a network of vertiports in cities across Latin America for planned urban air mobility services.

Drone developer Blue Bear Systems Research is leading a UK government-backed project to develop an electric propulsion system that might be applied for eVTOL aircraft, large cargo drones, general aviation aircraft, or sub-regional airliners.

At the Vertical Flight Society's Electric VTOL Symposium, Nexa Advisors managing partner Michael Dyment presented a new case study support the introduction of eVTOL aircraft transportation services in and around the Canadian city of Vancouver. Apart from the anticipated $2 billion in revenues from the flights themselves, he sees an additional $2.1 billion contribution to the local economy.

Aerospace engineers at the UK's Swansea University will provide more support for Faradair as it steps up the development of its Bio Electric Hybrid Aircraft. The fixed wing design is intended for a variety of roles including passenger transportation and emergency services.

German drone developer Wingcopter plans to launch new unmanned aircraft in 2021, adding to the capability of its already-operational 178 Heavy Lift model. The expansion will be supported by a Series A funding round that raised $22 million.

Airflow will replace the Cessna 210's piston engine with the hybrid-electric propulsion system being provided by VerdeGo Aero as it finalizes the architecture for its planned eSTOL cargo-carrying aircraft. It wants to be ready to start test flights of a full-scale prototype by 2023.

Spanish infrastructure development and operations group Ferrovial will help eVTOL aircraft developer Lilium to build a network of 10 or more vertiports across the state of Florida. The first of the new locations could be announced in the Spring of 2021, and will likely be in south Florida. Flight operations could begin in 2025.

Cyrus Sigari, managing partner in early-stage venture capital group Up.Partners, says it is advanced air mobility's potential to democratize air travel that underpins its investment potential. He said investors should be ready to back an array of enabling technologies, not only in aviation.

The UK government has matched funding from GKN Aerospace and five partners to support the development of the H2GEAR hydrogen propulsion system. The program's supporters say the technology could be ready to enter service by 2026.

The “We are all ONE in the sky” group—including commercial airlines, business aviation, general aviation, air traffic control, and pilot organizations, among others—published an open letter to European Union member states on January 25, to outline their concerns about how autonomous aircraft will share airspace with existing aircraft.