FutureFlight

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.

Electric-motor pioneer MagniX says that electric aviation will mainly take flight with operators looking to serve routes of between 50 and 500 miles. The company says the commercial case for eVTOL urban air mobility applications will take much longer to establish.

Autonomous flight could prove to be safer than piloted aircraft, according to NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine, who told an industry audience that high volumes of aircraft operating in crowded airspace will need new levels of flight control and navigation technology.

A first automatic takeoff and landing with flight stabilization in late July, plus a public demonstration for Bavaria's prime minister, were a prelude to the next phase of Airbus's evaluation of its eVTOL technology demonstrator as the company seeks to determine its long-term plans for the sector.