eVTOLs/Urban Mobility

The Spanish National Police (SNP) have officially started trial operations with the Ehang EH216 autonomous electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. SNP and China-based autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) company EHang announced the collaboration in October 2021, stating that they would be exploring how to best use AAV technology in emergency and security missions through […]

Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation has partnered with New York’s Aviation High School to “prepare the next generation of aircraft maintenance technicians and aerospace leaders for career opportunities” in electric flight. Joby noted that 100 Aviation High School students have enrolled in its online Private Pilot Ground School course as […]

Germany-based electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Lilium has raised $119 million in capital from its existing shareholders, new investors and strategic partners. Companies participating in the capital raise included Honeywell, Aciturri, LGT, Tencent and B. Riley Securities. Lilium stated that it plans to use the money to continue to fund its operations, […]

The FAA has proposed a rule that would add powered-lift operations to the regulations covering commercial ops. The rule primarily proposes updating the definition of “air carrier”, which currently only refers to “airplanes” and “rotorcraft.” According to the FAA, the proposed changes are part of “a multi-step process of updating the regulations that apply to […]

Urban air mobility (UAM) company Archer Aviation officially unveiled the production version of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) design on Thursday. Called Midnight, the aircraft is an “evolution” of the company’s Maker eVTOL, which completed its first hover flight in December 2021. Archer is targeting late 2024 for FAA certification of the Midnight […]

Groupe ADP, Skyports and Volocopter have officially opened a vertiport terminal testbed designed to explore urban air mobility (UAM) technology and passenger processes. Located at France’s Pontoise-Cormeilles airfield, the Re.Invent Air Mobility testbed facility is being called “Europe’s first fully integrated vertiport terminal for the [UAM] industry.” The launch event included a crewed test flight […]

The FAA has published airworthiness criteria for the Joby eVTOL aircraft, making it likely to be the first to be certified. The agency put the proposed “Special Class Airworthiness Criteria” rule in the Federal Register and opened it up for a 30-day comment period. The document runs about 12 pages and covers dozens of standards […]

Advanced air mobility (AAM) company Wisk Aero has officially unveiled its sixth-generation autonomous, all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. According to the company, the model “represents the first-ever candidate for type certification by the FAA of an autonomous eVTOL.” Changes to the sixth-generation aircraft include a high-wing design, extended booms, increase in the […]

Vertical Aerospace broke the usual mold for first flights of eVTOLs by putting a pilot on board for the first hop of its VX4. The first flight was, indeed, a hop. Chief Test Pilot Justin Paines was in the left seat for the “flight,” which involved the tethered aircraft rising for a few seconds before […]

The FAA has released its initial design guidelines for vertiports aimed at supporting advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities. The design standards are intended to “serve as the initial step to provide key information for airport owners, operators and infrastructure developers to begin development of facilities that will support […]