Recent Updates

Uber is reportedly considering selling its urban mobility unit Elevate to raise cash. The company, known for its academically supported and deliberate approach to the whole point-to-point transportation model, has some more down-to-earth issues to deal with as the effects of the pandemic take huge chunks out of its bottom line. The company lost $3 […]

Boeing has successfully completed a series of test flights using five “high-performance surrogate jets” operating autonomously in a team. The flights, which took place over ten days, were designed to test Boeing’s advanced autonomy technology including onboard command and control and data sharing capabilities. The 3.4-meter (11-foot) test aircraft reached speeds of up to 270 […]

Urban air mobility (UAM) company EHang announced this week that its EHang 216 autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) has completed its first flight tour of South Korea. The tour included flights in Seoul, Daegu and Jeju Island, with each stop designed to demonstrate a different use case for the vehicle. The Seoul flight focused on autonomous […]

The FAA announced on Monday that it has published airworthiness criteria for the proposed certification of ten unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drone) models. Calling the move a “a crucial step to enabling more complex drone operations,” the agency emphasized that applicants still need to demonstrate that they have met the posted requirements prior to certification. Separate […]

VerdeGo Aero and XTI Aircraft Company have announced that they will work together on XTI’s autonomous hybrid-electric TriFan 200 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. As part of the partnership, VerdeGo will be providing its diesel-electric hybrid powertrain for the cargo-oriented TriFan 200. XTI is also developing the larger six-seat TriFan 600. “The TriFan 200 […]

The FAA announced on Tuesday that it has finished the second phase of its Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS/drone) Traffic Management Pilot Program (UPP). UPP Phase 2 objectives included “testing of Remote Identification (RID) technologies and operations with increasing volumes and density.” According to the agency, program results will be used as a proof of concept […]

Despite a difficult month of September, the number of fatal accidents involving experimental aircraft fell over the last year. From Oct. 1, 2019 to Sept. 30, 2020, there were 44 fatal accidents. Six fatals involved experimental light sport aircraft, one each in racing and R&D categories, and four in the exhibition subcategory. Most of these, […]

Urban air mobility (UAM) company Wisk has announced that it is partnering with NASA to explore the “safe integration of autonomous aircraft systems into Urban Air Mobility applications at a national level.” According to the company, its work will initially focus on safety scenarios related to autonomous flight and contingency management including collision avoidance and […]

Electric aircraft developer Lilium has chosen Lake Nona in Orlando, Florida, for the location of the first U.S. hub in its proposed electric air mobility network. The company, which is headquartered in Munich, Germany, is partnering with Orlando-based Tavistock Development Company to build the Lake Nona “vertiport.” Lilium is targeting 2025 for the launch of […]

Pilots already building their own airplanes or giving it serious thought won’t have to wait for AirVenture 2021 to do their research. The Experimental Aircraft Association has announced a week of online events called the Homebuilders Week, starting Jan. 26. “EAA members and the homebuilt aircraft community have always been generous in sharing information and […]