Eco-Aviation Foundation International

It's an exciting time to be alive. The buzz is on around electric vertical take-off and landing (e-VTOL) aircraft., which can change the way we move from point A to B. Numerous players, including legacy aircraft makers and startups, are taking their ambition to new heights. eVTOL, powered by electrons instead of fossil fuel, flies like a plane and lands like a chopper. It's a new category of passenger aircraft, promising nthing less than a revolution in aviation. And it's about to hit a tipping point.

The New York City Economic Development Conference (NYCEDC) hosted an event this week at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (JRB), where Mayor Eric Adams announced the city’s plans to electrify the heliport in support of eVTOL operations. Joby and Volocopter performed back-to-back exhibition flights, and BETA Technologies showcased its mobile charging station. “By electrifying one of the most famous heliports in the world, New York is demonstrating global leadership in the adoption of electric air travel,” said Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt. “We plan to make quiet, emissions-free flight an affordable, everyday reality for New Yorkers, while significantly reducing the impact of helicopter noise.”

The aircraft will carry a single pilot and five passengers on flights of up to 100 km (63 miles) at a cruise speed of 180 km/h. According to Madrid-based Crisalion, it has raised just over $16 million and is preparing to start another funding round in the first quarter of 2024 with support from the BlueBull investment bank. The company says it envisions applications including air taxi flights, emergency medical services, cargo operations, and tourism.

A nationwide study by Horizon Aircraft, a Canada-based hybrid electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aerial vehicles company, shows the launch of air taxi services could play a vital role in revitalizing rural communities. The research, which included the views of people living in remote communities, found two out of three (66 per cent) Canadians would welcome the use of air taxis to address negative issues associated with living in remote communities such as poor access to transport, isolation, and unreliable supplies of critical goods and medical supplies...

This week’s eVTOL news features Wisk expanding AAM leadership. Wisk’s flying tests and public displays highlight the company’s commitment to the technological success of aircraft with a sustainable flare, and, ultimately, to the future. Wisk has a long history of flight testing, with over 1700 test flights. Wisk Aero has proven itself again as a leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company...

The urban air taxi developer expects the first flight to take place next year. The Gen 6 version of the autonomous eVTOL aircraft will be the configuration that is type certified and is being built at its facility in Mountain View, California. The company expects to build several test aircraft...

Korean Air has signaled an intent to be directly involved in eVTOL air services with the resort island of Jeju, which is eager to use the new aircraft to help achieve its zero-carbon objectives...

Ehang shares have nearly doubled in price this year, before trading was temporarily halted Monday pending a significant announcement. Guangzhou-based Ehang on Friday said it received an airworthiness "type certificate" from the Civil Aviation Administration of China for its fully autonomous drone, the EH216-S AAV, that carries two human passengers. The regulator is the equivalent of the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S…

Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Archer held a signing ceremony today at which they, along with other aviation industry leaders from across the region, including Falcon Aviation and GAL-AMMROC, will support the launch of Archer’s all-electric air taxi service across the UAE...

Construction has started on the 350,000-square-foot facility, which could be expanded in the next phase. Agreements to build a high-volume manufacturing facility for eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicles have been signed. Financing to develop the Archer Aviation facility being built in Covington, Georgia, was arranged with Synovus Bank and Evans General Contractors...

Having completed more than 1,000 remotely piloted flight tests with its eVTOL prototypes over the past 10 years, Joby Aviation has successfully flown its electric air taxi with pilots on board for the first time.

The cheers and excitement of hundreds of employees filled an echoing aircraft hangar in Burlington Monday morning...

The race to bring new eVTOL aircraft to market for air taxi services is only part of a wider push to advance plans for hybrid and all-electric aircraft.

Surf Air Mobility plans to STC an electric-hybrid powertrain for its newly ordered fleet of Cessna Grand Caravan EXs.

Overair’s alliance with Arlington marks the first direct agreement between a Texan city and an eVTOL manufacturer. This strategic move includes construction of a vertiport at Arlington Municipal Airport, linking travelers seamlessly to the Entertainment District and beyond. The initiative helps to elevate and include Arlington in the advanced aerial mobility landscape and also promises to create new employment opportunities and fuel technological advancements in transport. Meanwhile, the memorandum with DFW Airport reflects the commitment to explore vertiport development and operational integration, cementing the Metroplex’s status as a future hub for innovative air mobility. Overair’s feasibility studies will delve into the logistics of eVTOL services, addressing potential flight operations and vertiport scenarios. This effort aims to ensure that the region’s over 8 million residents and annual influx of tourists benefit from accessible, efficient, and eco-conscious travel solutions.

The aerospace and defense manufacturer is seeing plenty of demand in its advanced air mobility segment, which launched just three years ago. “Honeywell’s nose-to-tail technology is a game-changer, setting the standard for safety and sustainability while providing an unprecedented user experience for our pilots,” said Yves Yemsi, chief operating officer of Lilium. Other Honeywell AAM partners include Israeli air taxi firm Eviation and Supernal, the eVTOL manufacturing arm of Hyundai Motor Co. The business also collaborates with U.S. government agencies such as the Department of Energy, with which it partnered to develop hydrogen fuel storage for long-range drones. Recently, its SatCom solution was selected for a new U.S. Space Force program. Honeywell also has a vertical outside its AAM business dedicated almost exclusively to SAF production, which is expected to fuel at least some eVTOL designs.

“Vertiports will be much smaller and unobtrusive than traditional aviation infrastructure, ranging from a small two-stand vertiport of around 4,000m2 (43,000ft2)to a large eight-stand vertiport of around 13,000m2 (140,000ft2). This includes both the airfield and buildings." “The reduced size and noise levels and the operational capabilities of an eVTOL aircraft mean there is more flexibility about their location than traditional infrastructure. Vertiports will prioritize convenience and connectivity."

Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR), a leader in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, announced today its Midnight aircraft will make its Middle Eastern debut at the Dubai Air Show from November 13-17 as the featured aircraft in the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Pavilion. Additionally, Archer founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, is set to deliver a keynote address as part of the show’s opening ceremony unveiling Archer’s plans to bring electric air taxis to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2026.

A third of flights in the US are less than 250 miles - which is already within range for electric planes. Sustainable aviation will need many technologies to fully decarbonise, including hydrogen, electric and sustainable aviation fuel. Most of these are still prohibitively expensive, don't have enough scale or volume and aren't ready for long-haul flights...

Following the FAA’s release of its Innovate28 plan, Utah is one of the first states to provide its own guidance on AAM services.

HeliJet announces advanced cleaner-powered air mobility machine in Victoria. A B.C. company is poised to become Canada’s first carrier of passengers and cargo using electric helicopter-like aircraft...

The VTOL commuter aircraft developer wants to show how regions like Twente in the Netherlands could enjoy far better downtown access to major cities like Paris…

EHang invests in battery company for eVTOLS - Asian AviationAAV maker EHang announced its strategic investment in Shenzhen Inx Technology Co., Ltd. (“Inx”), a solid-state lithium metal battery technology company in China

eVTOL pioneer Volocopter shares financing update. 182 million US dollars raised in second Series E signing. NEOM and Gly Capital Management join as investors...

Volatus Infrastructure aims to provide low-cost vertiport structures that can be built quickly and easily. The company's vertiports will feature vehicle-agnostic charging stations for eVTOL aircraft. (Image: Volatus Infrastructure)

The average commuting American spends more than 250 hours every year in transit, which totals to more than 10 full days. That number only goes up for commuters living in heavily congested areas lik…

Moving AAM ForwardRaytheon Intelligence & Space is developing advanced multi-mode surveillance, secure network architectures and precision navigation systems to deliver disruptive technologies its customers need to succeed in any domain, against any challenge. Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aims to incorporate next-generation aircraft, including optionally piloted and uncrewed aircraft systems, into an already complex air transport system. These operations will safely and efficiently move both people and cargo, including within constrained urban spaces...

Archer To Unveil Its “Midnight” E-VTOL Aircraft Next Month, 250 Air Taxis by 2025I write quite a bit about unmanned electric aircraft, and the benefits (both for people and the environment) that they come with as they replace the mission of many manned aircraft. Even more importantly, the

The companies aim to launch a service to transport passengers to a nearby airport from so-called ‘vertiports’ located throughout a city... Delta Airlines will invest $60 million in Joby Aviation, a leading electric air taxi startup, to create a “home-to-airport” service using the startup’s five-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the companies announced Tuesday. Delta said its investment in Joby could go as high as $200 million if the company hits certain milestones...

Electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer EHang said it’s planning to win type certification in China of its 216-S two-seat, autonomous air taxi by the middle of 2022.