FutureFlight

AIBot has emerged from stealth mode with plans to introduce a seven-seat eVTOL aircraft with highly automated flight controls powered by artificial intelligence (AI). While AIBot is not yet ready to share many details about the design of its AI-powered eVTOL aircraft, the company revealed last month that it will use Honeywell’s compact fly-by-wire flight control system. Having recently received a $15 million award from the California Competes grant program, it is preparing to launch a funding round in January, AIBot chief engineer John Clarkson told AIN.

Maeve Aerospace is working to bring an 80-seat hybrid-electric aircraft to market by 2031, having abandoned plans announced earlier this year for a 44-passenger all-electric regional airliner. The European start-up is in discussions with an undisclosed major aircraft engine manufacturer over plans for the propulsion system and expects to be able to deliver a range of up to 800 nm and significant savings in terms of airline operating costs.

Reliable Robotics has flown a small cargo airplane with no humans on board for the first time, marking a significant milestone for autonomous aviation. The uncrewed flight test, which Reliable Robotics announced on December 6, took place at Hollister Municipal Airport in California on the morning of November 21. 

Rotor Technologies has unveiled the R550X autonomous helicopter that it intends to bring to market in 2024. Built on the foundation of the Robinson R44 Raven II, the R550X is the world’s largest uncrewed civilian helicopter, designed for safety-critical cargo, utility, and maritime operations that require a greater payload capacity and range than drones or eVTOLs can provide. 

At its headquarters near Munich, Lilium has started assembling the first example of its six-passenger Lilium Jet, which will be one of seven aircraft to be used for type certification flight testing in late 2024. The manufacturer this week launched a partnership with German airline Lufthansa to explore eVTOL operations in Europe.

EcoPulse Hybrid-electric Technology Demonstrator Makes First Flight

EcoPulse, the hybrid-electric technology demonstrator aircraft being jointly developed by Daher, Safran, and Airbus, has started its flight-test campaign. On December 5, the partners announced that the first flight happened on November 29, with the converted Daher TBM 910 taking off from Tarbes Airport in the southwest of France for a 100-minute sortie.

Air New Zealand will make the conventional takeoff and landing version of Beta Technologies' Alia vehicle its first electric aircraft, with plans to use one of them for trial commercial cargo flights for the country's postal service. The agreement with Beta could result in the airline buying another 22 aircraft under options and rights covered in an agreement announced on December 5.

Evolito is about to start the type certification process for its axial-flux electric propulsion systems after securing design organization approval from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The company, which was spun off from automotive group YASA in 2021, says it is working with three or four electric aircraft developers and supplying individual components such as motors to others.

Following a two-week flight test campaign in New Zealand, Wisk Aero says it has successfully demonstrated that autonomous, uncrewed aircraft can safely integrate with regular piloted aircraft in controlled airspace. The California-based eVTOL aircraft developer and its local partners conducted a series of flight trials between November 17 and December 1 to evaluate how pilotless aircraft flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) can safely operate under instrument flight rules (IFR) in controlled airspace, where vehicles must comply with air traffic control. 

The Brazilian start-up has begun the flight test program for its drone, using a 70-percent-scale technology demonstrator. The aircraft is expected to have a payload of 200 kilograms (440 pounds) and a range of 300 kilometers (190 miles). The latest prospective customer is 7Reis Farm in Mato Grosso state, which plans to use it to spray soya bean crops.