FutureFlight

Electric aircraft could enable new public transportation services connecting British cities and regions more efficiently, according to research commissioned by UK Research and Innovation’s Future Flight Challenge. The UK Advanced Air Mobility Market Assessment prepared by Swanson Aviation Consultancy’s EAMaven team focuses on 20 prospective routes, including 14 that would use eSTOL aircraft and six for which eVTOL vehicles would be deployed.

Market research specialist Berg Insight sees electric aircraft, including eVTOL vehicles, gaining traction more slowly than many advanced air mobility (AAM) pioneers have projected. Still, it expects them to be a major part of the air transportation industry by the 2030s. In a new report, the Swedish company predicts a “high value rather than high volume” start for the sector.

As part of the U.S. Air Force’s Agility Prime program to assess how new electric and autonomous aircraft might be deployed for military operations, the Department of Defense recently issued a request for information (RFI) about the cost benefits of eVTOL aircraft. The request was issued by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, the Mobility and Training Directorate’s Heavy Airlift Division, with a response deadline of November 4.

Global Sky Media’s latest Advanced Air Mobility Report takes a close look at the emerging sector in the Asia-Pacific region. In particular, the Hong Kong-based company has focused on activity in China, where it estimates that at least $720 million has already been invested by eVTOL aircraft developers that are enjoying support from the country’s civil aviation regulator.

Autonomous flight start-up Daedalean has published a roadmap outlining its path to developing self-flying aircraft by 2028. 

Air taxis may not be transporting any passengers just yet, but a new report predicts that the global market will grow to just over $2.3 billion by 2027, representing a 19.6 percent compound annual growth rate over the next five years. According to the 143-page report, which was conducted by the research and consulting firm IMARC Group and

A new study from the international consulting group Deloitte finds that advanced air mobility (AAM) could provide New Jersey with a significant opportunity to grow its research and development capabilities. According to the study, the AAM sector is projected to create more than 25,000 jobs and generate $152 million in state tax revenue for New Jersey during the next 15 years. 

The global market for fixed-wing VTOL drones, or uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), is expected to grow from $750 million in 2021 to nearly $4.5 billion by 2030, according to a new market research report from The Brainy Insights.

Fixed-wing VTOL UAVs, which employ tilting rotors to take off and land vertically, are used for a growing number of applications, such as defense, border control, agriculture, and environmental protection. More recently, UAVs have become involved in commercial cargo delivery and shipping operations as well. 

Among the biggest challenges that electric aircraft developers are facing today is the limitations of battery technologies. Unless scientists come up with new ways to make smaller and lighter batteries that hold more charge for longer periods of time, electric aircraft will only be able to make short, regional flights before needing to recharge. 

ASTM International has published what appears to be the first specific standards for the design of civil vertiports and vertistops. The new F3423 standard is based on five years of work by the U.S.-based group’s F38 unmanned aircraft systems committee, but it is intended to provide guidance for ground infrastructure to be used with regard to either crewed or uncrewed vehicles, including new eVTOL models.