FutureFlight

Leasing group LCI feels that combining leases for eVTOL along with batteries, charging stations and other supporting infrastructure may make early use cases more viable. The company's chief commercial officer Nigel Leishman explained to AIN how it is preparing to support the new advanced air mobility sector.

Having secured a Part 135 air operator certificate from aviation authorities in New Zealand, Merlin is preparing to start operating the freight services it will use to collect data to support the development of its Merlin Pilot autonomous flight technology. The company is also working with the U.S. Air Force on a possible application for the KC-135 refueling aircraft.

Ampaire and its partner Dimensional Energy say that, by using sustainable aviation fuel produced from renewable sources in a hybrid-electric propulsion system, they can double both the energy efficiency and the reduction in carbon emissions. The companies have run the fuel in ground tests with Ampaire's Eco Caravan hybrid-electric aircraft.

The Texas city of Sugar Land aims to be the first base in a network of eVTOL air taxi services in the Greater Houston area under plans announced this week with Wisk Aero. On February 21, city officials signed a partnership with the Boeing subsidiary to select a location at Sugar Land Regional Airport for a vertiport that could be used by Wisk’s autonomous four-passenger eVTOL aircraft.

Joby Aviation is embarking on the fourth of the five stages required for FAA type certification of its eVTOL aircraft, as it also expands production capacity at its plants in Dayton, Ohio, and Marina, California. With $1 billion in cash and short-term investments as of the end of 2023, the company expects to spend between $440 million and $470 million this year.

Lilium's new Power-On subsidiary will support operators of its six-passenger Lilium Jet by handling battery management, maintenance, flight operations, training, and digital solutions. The German company has also launched a partnership with charging systems specialist Star Charge, which will manufacture units for its customers' vertiports.

The UK government’s Aerospace Technology Institute has awarded £8 million ($10 million) to support Vertical Aerospace’s efforts to bring its four-passenger VX4 eVTOL aircraft to market. The new funding comes a month after the start-up's founder committed $50 million to support the program into 2025 as Vertical tries to complete type certification by the end of 2026.

Eve Air Mobility has signed a memorandum of understanding with Singapore-based private aviation group Yugo Global Industries to study the potential for urban air mobility (UAM) services using eVTOL aircraft in Southeast Asia.

PhilJets plans to bring on-demand eVTOL air taxi services to the Philippines, and potentially Cambodia, under a letter of intent with Lilium that should see it acquire 10 of the six-passenger Lilium Jets. According to the manufacturer, the Southeast Asian country's numerous island communities are well suited to the business model opened up by electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

Construction of the Climate Impulse aircraft has begun as Bertrand Piccard and his backers work towards the objective of a non-stop circumnavigation of the globe in 2028. Airbus, Daher, Dassault, Safran, Ariane, and Synesqo are among the companies contributing to the effort.