FutureFlight

NDB is claiming a breakthrough with a 40 percent charge rate for its nanodiamond batteries and says that a commercially viable prototype could be ready for applications including aviation by the end of 2023.

Proposed new legislation that would ban the U.S. government from buying and using Chinese drones does not specify what weight limits might apply. Depending on how the law would be implemented, it could prove to be an obstacle to China-based eVTOL developers like EHang.

Several private companies, including most recently China's EHang, are supporting the Ambular group to develop concepts for autonomous eVTOLs that can be used for a variety of emergency medical operations.

Urban Aeronautics is developing the CityHawk initially as a hybrid-powered VTOL aircraft to enter service by the end of 2025, but intends to introduce a hydrogen-powered version by 2028.

Xwing's Autoflight System includes detect-and-avoid technology, as well as conntrol software to generate optimal flight paths, interface with ATC, monitor the health of aircraft systems, and deal with operational contingencies.

Austria will be the sixth country in which EHang has conducted, or plans to conduct, flight trials of its two-seat 216 eVTOL aircraft. The others are China, the U.S., Canada, Norway and Spain, and all involve provisional permits issued before any timeline for type certification has been declared.

MTU Aero Engines and Germany's DLR aerospace research group intend to start flight testing a hydrogen-powered version of the Dornier Do228 twin-turboprop aircraft by 2026. The partners aspire to eventually use the technology for larger aircraft like the Airbus A320 airliner family.

Aviation Safety Resources says that its Soteria whole aircraft recovery parachute system uses three small parachutes that are manually deployed by the pilot in less than one second with the support of a rocket.

The most immediate use for Bell's new manufacturing technology center will likely be to support its development of Future Vertical Lift aircraft being developed for the U.S. Army. However, the new facility could also support Bell's plans to develop and manufacturer its proposed Nexus 4EX eVTOL aircraft.

Jump Aero is holding talks with emergency medical services providers in North America and Europe about how its proposed eVTOL aircraft could cut first- response times in half. Its business case depends in part on health insurance providers agreeing to cover the cost of flights.