FutureFlight

Aeristech is building a new electric motor development and test facility in the UK, having just been awarded £2.7 million in funding from the government-backed Aerospace Technology Institute.

Europe's Modular Approach to Hybrid Electric Propulsion Architecture consortium has brought together academics and private ventures like Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel and German hydrogen storage specialist H2FLy.

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti has brought together the Californian city's Department of Transportation and Urban Movement Labs to advance plans through the new Urban Air Mobility Partnership. The group has been given a year to come up with "a policy toolkit" to establish the infrastructure required for eVTOL air taxi services.

Hybrid-electric propulsion specialist VerdeGo is helping Jaunt Air Mobility expand the range of its planned eVTOL aircraft family. Its diesel-based generator will be able to run on standard Jet-A fuel, but with 40 percent lower consumption and carbon dioxide emissions than existing turbine aircraft.

Faradair is looking to bring the hybrid-electric fixed-wing BEHA aircraft family to market in 2026. Initially, it will own and operate a fleet of around 300 aircraft in a variety of roles including passenger/cargo and firefighting operations.

Work done by the Canadian Advanced Air Mobility consortium will accelerate the country's move to zero-emissions flight operations, with a goal of achieving significant AAM passenger and cargo flights in the next 20 years.

Through a Series A funding round, hydrogen-electric propulsion innovator ZeroAvia has raised an additional $21.4 million in capital supported by venture capitalists including Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures. The UK government's Aerospace Technology Institute has given a further $16.3 million in grants.

Airbus appears to be focusing all its efforts to develop more environmentally sustainable aircraft on hydrogen-powered propulsion systems. It remains to be seen how the company may proceed with earlier technology demonstrator designs that have been all-electric.

EHang's trial flight permit will help it move into the European market, by allowing the company to demonstrate the benefits of the EH216 autonomous aerial vehicle to regulators, customers, and partners. The test flight conducted for the permit process further demonstrated the utility of the EH216 as it occurred during inclement weather.

Blade's agreement to be acquired by Experience Investment and be listed on Nasdaq is anticipated to close in the first half of 2021. The transaction is expected to result in $400 million in gross proceeds that Blade said will enable it to expand its urban air mobility routes, build up its passenger infrastructure, and accelerate plans to transition from conventional aircraft to eVTOL aircraft.