New Zealand To Test Wisk eVTOL Flying Taxi
California-based Wisk has signed an agreement with the government of New Zealand to test its autonomous electric air taxi in that country.
California-based Wisk has signed an agreement with the government of New Zealand to test its autonomous electric air taxi in that country.
Toyota has made a $394 million dollar investment in Joby Aviation, an eVTOL air taxi company based in California.
Quantum Air and OSM Aviation Group just announced an electric aircraft pilot training partnership. OSM Aviation Academy will conduct the Quantum-branded pilot training program according to FAA commercial standards. Electric urban air mobility (UAM) is taking shape one step at a time.
Hyundai Motor Company and Uber Elevate showed us a fairly complete urban air mobility (UAM) electric vertical takeoff & landing (eVTOL) concept vehicle, autonomous pods, and a hub ecosystem that fits with Uber Elevate’s air taxi model at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020.
Aviation Safety Resources (ASR) — a leading parachute safety company that won one of Revolution.Aero’s competitions earlier this year — says it has a parachute system that will work with eVTOL aircraft, even at low altitudes. I recently spoke with Larry Williams, CEO of ASR, on how the company’s parachute technology works, its application for eVTOL aircraft, and public perception.
Here’s more urban air mobility (UAM) electric vertical takeoff & landing (eVTOL) and electric fixed-wing aircraft news for the last week of 2019.
Predicting the future use of airspace — not knowing how it will be used, what types of aircraft will be made, and how to manage it safely — is hair raising to most. Major companies like Airbus and Dassault Systèmes, among others, are simulating our unknown electric air mobility future. But what does the future really hold?
The Munich-based aviation startup Lilium Jet has been busy and recently released a video of its successful 3-minute test flight on October 1st. Lilium tested controllability with banked turns in transition flight needed before certification and commercialization.
Last week when we attended the Amsterdam drone week, we ran into the CTO of Volocopter, Jan Hendrik Boelens, who was there to talk about mobility as a service. We made sure to catch up with him, talk about the latest company news, and clarify some of the questions about the Volocopter as well as its port and hub infrastructure. For those already familiar with Volocopter, I suggest you dive straight into our interview video.
Keep your eyes on the ball because electric aviation has taken off with such a steep angle of attack (AoA) that it makes the electric car world look like a snail race.