Manufacturers of novel eVTOL aircraft—designed to take off and land vertically like a helicopter but cruise on fixed wings like an airplane—have raised billions of dollars in venture capital. The FAA’s Innovate28 plan even predicts they will be a regular occurrence in U.S. skies by the time the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games arrive.

The industry is also backed by the Air Force via the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Agility Prime program, which it founded in 2020 to speed the development of vertical lift technology.

But according to research from Rand Corporation’s Project Air Force, which analyzes issues facing the department, the military may not be getting bang for its buck. Of note, the study was completed in July 2022 and has not since been revised.

“While eVTOL aircraft could likely benefit select USAF missions, eVTOL aircraft are unlikely to be transformational to the USAF,” researchers concluded. “Furthermore, injecting capital into eVTOL firms is not likely to have Agility Prime’s desired effect of shaping the domestic eVTOL industry.”

eVTOL is a new technology, but some designs are already flying. The EH216-S manufactured by China’s EHang, for example, last year earned the world’s first type certification for an eVTOL air taxi and has since completed a handful of commercial flights with real passengers. Pivotal, meanwhile, has already delivered its BlackFly personal eVTOL to private owners nationwide.

Many more such designs are under development to enable aerial rideshare services akin to Uber or Lyft, tourism and sightseeing, and regional transport.

The Air Force through Agility Prime has taken an interest in these technologies.

This year, it conducted the first simulated casualty evacuation and real-time deployments with an electric aircraft, Beta Technologies’ Alia. It is also testing eVTOL air taxis such as Archer Aviation’s Midnight and Joby Aviation’s S4 and personal eVTOL aircraft such as the BlackFly and Jump Aero’s Pulse, as well as non-VTOL electric models such as Electra’s EL-2 Goldfinch and Pipistrel’s Velis Electro. Autonomous systems from Reliable Robotics and Xwing (now a subsidiary of Joby) have further been evaluated through the Autonomy Prime division.

The AFRL commissioned research to gauge how much the Air Force benefits from Agility Prime—as well as how much the program actually helps its commercial partners. Researchers reviewed literature and case studies, discussed with experts, and modeled eVTOL operations, batteries, and more.

“Prime routinely assesses our portfolio and investment strategy to ensure we invest in emergent dual-use technology that can positively impact, and align with the priorities of the U.S. Air Force and broader Department of Defense,” Jacob Wilson, acting branch chief of Agility Prime, told FLYING.

Researchers found that for eVTOL specifically to be commercially viable, they will need to have sufficient charging infrastructure, pilot training, public trust, and, of course, safety. Further, improvements to systems such as lithium-ion batteries could increase their range and payload, opening up more use cases. But the technology in its current form can support some USAF missions.

For example, airmen could perform airlifts when Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft are unavailable or move forces between facilities in place of cars. The technology’s runway and jet fuel independence are big draws.

“However, eVTOLs are unlikely to be transformational today, and no major command appears ready to sponsor an eVTOL capability today,” researchers said.

Rand predicts the Air Force will make up only a “fraction of a percent” of the demand in the future eVTOL market. The department also “lacks sufficient mechanisms,” it said, to influence commercial firms to produce aircraft suitable for military use. Further, security vulnerabilities may arise due to certain countries dominating the production of components like semiconductors.

Researchers recommended that Agility Prime scale back the program to a “few of the most-capable eVTOL aircraft” and smaller demonstrations. It should continue working with commercial partners, they said—but crucially, those relationships should not be tied to funding.

In addition, researchers urged Agility Prime to support government agencies working toward key regulations around FAA eVTOL certification, air traffic control, and pilot requirements, the latter being a particularly contentious issue for the industry.

“Agility Prime has focused on experimentation, demonstration, and military exercise opportunities with the technologies in our portfolio, as well as user feedback, to promote dual use eVTOL development[…]to leverage commercial technology for military applications,” Wilson said in response to the report’s suggestions. “Additionally, the program has been continuously engaged in nonmonetary or ‘in-kind’ collaboration and knowledge sharing opportunities.”

Agility Prime may be forced to accept at least some of Rand’s recommendations due to a constrained budget environment.

The Air Force’s fiscal year 2025 budget request does not keep up with inflation. And AFWERX, which houses Agility Prime, is only projected to receive about $20 million of it—a substantial decline from last year’s request of $83.3 million. As a result, less funding to commercial partners may be inevitable.

Backers such as Stellantis and Toyota, meanwhile, continue to pour money into the industry.

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The company on Tuesday said it completed an initial test flight of its uncrewed EH216-S in Brazil, conducted just over one week after securing an experimental flight authorization certificate from the country’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) permitting the beginning of trial operations.

EHang is working with ANAC and the Brazilian Airspace Control Department (DECEA) to complete a series of test initiatives designed to help develop a concept of operations and uncrewed air traffic management (UTM) system for the model.

“The ongoing test and trial flight campaigns for the EH216-S in Brazil will allow us to accrue a vast amount of data, information, and operational experience, which in turn will pave the way for developing safe, efficient, eco-friendly, and accessible urban air mobility for everyone across Brazil and Latin America,” said Victoria Xiang, chief operating officer of EHang Europe and Latin America.

EHang is one of several manufacturers building for the urban air mobility (UAM) industry—or the low-altitude economy, as Chinese officials call it—which is innovating new ways to move customers and cargo across cities or metropolitan areas. But unlike the FAA, China’s CAAC is encouraging firms to start with self-flying air taxis, believing them to be safer than piloted alternatives.

EHang’s model is designed to fly two passengers at a top speed of just over 80 mph, with a maximum takeoff weight north of 1,350 pounds. The fully electric aircraft can be charged in just two hours and has a range of about 16 nm.

The EH216-S includes multiple flight control systems and redundant components. It uses high-speed wireless data links to communicate with a remote command and control center, and its fail-safe system can autonomously select an alternative route in an emergency scenario.

The model in October became the first eVTOL air taxi to obtain type certification from a national aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), which in subsequent months issued production and airworthiness approvals. Already, EHang has conducted several commercial demonstration flights in China.

But this week marked the first time the aircraft lifted off in Brazil. The test flight took place in Quadra, São Paulo, with local operating partner Gohobby Future Technologies, which received its first EHang aircraft in December. Several Brazilian aviation officials were present, according to the company.

In August, the ANAC and CAAC agreed upon revised procedures for validating each others’ aircraft certifications, allowing aircraft to more easily be approved, exported, and imported by the countries. The regulators also signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen their partnership on airworthiness technology exchange, legislation, and certification training.

In addition, ANAC officials have visited EHang facilities in China. The agency is now working with the firm to identify a regulatory framework for operations in Brazil, opening the skies for the EH216-S.

Brazil is also home to Embraer and its eVTOL air taxi arm, Eve Air Mobility, which rolled out its first prototype aircraft in June. The company is similarly working closely with ANAC and received proposed airworthiness criteria for its flagship design in December.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.—Within the next month, the FAA will release a final rule outlining pilot certification and initial operations for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis and other powered-lift aircraft, a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) official said Thursday.

At Honeywell’s third annual Advanced Ait Mobility (AAM) Summit in Washington, D.C., Christopher Coes, acting undersecretary of transportation for policy within the DOT, said a highly anticipated special federal aviation regulation (SFAR) defining the rules will be published in the next few weeks.

“The department has a final rule for our powered-lift operations, and we expect that that will be published in the next month,” Coes said. “And I think you will see it is quite responsive to the industry’s comments.”

Industry Raises Concerns

The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the powered-lift SFAR in June 2023. The rule would set alternative training and eligibility requirements for certifying powered-lift pilots as well as create operational rules for passenger and cargo transport.

But the document was decried by a collective of stakeholders, spearheaded by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), who took issue with many of the agency’s proposals.

Namely, industry groups believe powered-lift training courses should credit existing rotorcraft and airplane category certificates, and pilots should be able to add a powered-lift rating directly to those permissions. They urged the FAA to lower the threshold for powered-lift flight hours, remove a requirement that limits training to dual control aircraft, and allow more training in simulators.

The groups also argue that performance-based—rather than prescriptive—rules should be used for powered-lift flight, such as by applying airplane and rotorcraft rules as appropriate rather than creating a new category of operations.

Kristie Greco Johnson, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), said Thursday that members are seeking a “practical pathway” to AAM integration. And the SFAR could be that pathway.

“AAM isn’t a future Jetsons concept,” Johnson said. “It is actually happening right now in our airspace.”

Amanda Joyner, managing director of government affairs for GAMA, agreed with Johnson and said members are hopeful that the SFAR will help them to get their products on the market quickly. Eventually, investment into AAM manufacturers will dry up if the firms are unable to demonstrate a product, so a final rule could help them begin to turn a profit.

What It Means

The deadline for a powered-lift SFAR is December 16, as mandated by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 signed into law on May 16—a provision that was lauded by industry organizations, private companies, and lawmakers alike.

The FAA earlier this week missed the bill’s September 16 deadline to issue a NPRM for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flight. But Andrew Miller, a staffer on the Senate Commerce Minority Committee, and Alexander Simpson, a staffer on that chamber’s majority counterpart, said they are confident the FAA will meet the SFAR timeframe. Hunter Presti, a staffer on the House Majority Transportation Committee, is optimistic but believes it will be tight.

According to Simpson, should the agency miss its deadline, existing standards and regulations for rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft would apply to powered-lift models.

Coes said his office is simultaneously developing a U.S. national strategy to safely integrate AAM operations alongside conventional aircraft. That plan has been in the works for over a year and is under department review.

The initiative will require an interagency review and final briefing to Congress, “but I am confident that this will be a set of documents that can be championed by the industry, by academia, by labor, our state and local partners, as well as Congress,” Coes said.

Coes added that his team is working with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s AAM study group to harmonize international consensus on AAM standards, practices, and procedures. The goal, he said, is to ensure the U.S. takes the reins on those provisions.

Conference attendees including Coes hope the FAA and other federal agencies will be able to use the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 as a showcase for AAM technology. The event could also serve as a proving ground for the integration of AAM aircraft with other transportation systems.

In support of that effort, the FAA last year released its Innovate28 blueprint for air taxi integration. Earlier this year, the agency proposed comprehensive certification criteria for AAM aircraft, laying the groundwork to get them approved to fly.

But there is still a long way to go, and the powered-lift SFAR—whenever it is released—will be a key part of the process.

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The Brisbane City Council last week published a proposal outlining an array of improvements to the city’s transportation system that could be made in time for the Games, with UAM among them. Such a project would require collaboration across all levels of government to install special infrastructure in city centers, including domestic and private airports.

While the proposal does not mention electric air taxis specifically, Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) defines UAM as “short- to medium-range and endurance [services] designed for low altitude point-to-point passenger or cargo carrying tasks in, and between, urban areas.”

Among the aircraft that would fulfill these services, according to the regulator, are electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis. These outlandish designs can take off like a helicopter and cruise like a conventional plane.

“When we secured the Games, we knew it meant more than hosting for a few weeks: it was a chance to leave a lasting transport legacy for our city,” said Adrian Schrinner, mayor of Brisbane, in the proposal. “The Games present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to accelerate investment in our transport network and deliver long-term benefits for our community that are inclusive and accessible to all.”

One eVTOL air taxi manufacturer, Boeing’s Wisk Aero, in July hinted that its self-flying Generation 6 could make its debut in time for the 2032 Brisbane Games. Wisk is collaborating with vertiport developer Skyports Infrastructure, which is building vertical takeoff and landing sites equipped with electric aircraft chargers.

In the opinion of Clem Newton-Brown, CEO of another vertiport developer, Skyportz, the proposal is confirmation that Brisbane is considering hosting flights of electric air taxis such as Wisk’s.

“Brisbane is well suited for waterfront vertistops co-located with ferry terminals, as the [Brisbane] river wraps around the [central business district],” Newton-Brown told FLYING. “But they are also going to need suburban vertistops stretching from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast and into the hinterland.”

In addition to the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, the proposal names Brisbane’s Moreton Bay, Scenic Rim, and international cruise ship terminal as potential UAM destinations. The city council said it is exploring direct access to the city center from its key transport hubs and that these routes would complement “future autonomous air taxi services,” which would appear to be a nod to Wisk.

“With eight years to go, the Games present a strong opportunity to showcase the potential of urban air mobility,” the proposal reads. “[The South East Queensland] Council of Mayors is playing a key role in facilitating collaboration between government agencies involved in the planning for urban air mobility.”

Added Newton-Brown: “In Australia, we have strong support from our air regulator, CASA, federal and state governments, but what we need is strong buy-in from local governments, and South East Queensland is currently leading the way.”

The city council expects to receive a commitment from state and local governments to fund the Olympic transportation projects by 2025. A business case would be developed between early 2025 or late 2026, with government approvals, funding, and the delivery of aircraft and infrastructure before the end of the decade. The goal is for the system to be operational by 2031.

“Our plan is sensible, affordable and achievable by 2032,” wrote Schrinner in a post on X, “but it’s going to require a team effort by all three levels of government to ensure Brisbane’s transport network can both cater for the games and cater for our city’s incredible growth.”

Though they did not ferry passengers between venues as originally planned, electric air taxis did soar at the Paris Olympic Games this summer. German manufacturer Volocopter completed two test flights of its two-seat VoloCity design, including one that lifted off in front of the Palace of Versailles. The company did not receive approval in time to fly spectators despite offering for French President Emanuel Macron to be its inaugural passenger.

Electric air taxis are expected to fly again at the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, where American manufacturer Archer Aviation aims to launch a network by 2026. City transportation officials are preparing for Archer, and potentially others, to fly passengers at the big event.

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The FAA on Thursday issued final airworthiness criteria for the company’s Midnight Model M001, making the aircraft only the second eVTOL air taxi to achieve that regulatory milestone in the U.S. The approval lays out the standards the regulator will use to gauge the aircraft’s ability to integrate into U.S. airspace. Archer aims to launch Midnight air taxi routes in New York and Chicago in partnership with United Airlines as soon as next year.

The manufacturer’s unique, zero-emission aircraft is designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on back-to-back, 10-to-20-minute flights. The air taxi takes off vertically like a helicopter but cruises at up to 150 mph (130 knots) using a combination of fixed wings and forward propellers. Its optimal range is 10 to 50 sm (8.7 to 43 nm), but it can fly as far as 100 sm (87 nm) on a single charge.

Midnight has a total of 12 propellers, six of which are “tilt props” that can be positioned vertically or horizontally to aid in takeoff, landing, or forward flight. Propulsion is generated by six proprietary lithium-ion battery packs, each powering a pair of electric engines. The result, Archer claims on its webpage, is flights that are “up to 100 times quieter than a helicopter.”

The air taxi uses fly-by-wire flight controls and will be certified in the powered-lift category, a relatively new classification that still requires final FAA regulations on pilot certification. Archer claims it will ultimately be cost competitive with ground-based rideshare services, such as Uber and Lyft, on trips to and from urban centers and airports.

The FAA in December 2022 issued Archer’s proposed airworthiness criteria, allowing stakeholders and members of the public to comment on the prospective certification requirements. Competitor Joby Aviation received its own proposed requirements one month prior and is the only other eVTOL manufacturer to obtain final airworthiness criteria from the regulator, issued in March.

Archer’s finalized criteria are scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Friday, where they will be visible to the public.

“Midnight is one giant step closer to taking passengers into the sky in the coming years in the U.S.,” said Billy Nolen, chief regulatory affairs officer at Archer and a former FAA administrator. “Thank you to the team at the FAA for their continued hard work in support of making the electrification of aviation a reality.”

The issuance of final airworthiness criteria allows Archer to proceed to for-credit flight testing with the regulator, a key step in the type certification process. For-credit testing will allow the FAA to gauge Midnight’s performance against the standards released Thursday, which could result in the aircraft being deemed safe to fly in U.S. skies.

Archer in February began building three type-conforming aircraft prototypes to be used in those evaluations. The manufacturer said Thursday that the first of those models will begin piloted flight testing later this year, followed by for-credit FAA testing.

“[Thursday’s] milestone adds significant momentum to Midnight’s certification program as we further ramp up our for-credit testing efforts with the FAA,” said Eric Wright, head of certification for Archer.

So far, only China’s EHang has managed to obtain type certification for an eVTOL air taxi from an aviation regulator, the country’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC). The manufacturer in December made the world’s first passenger-carrying eVTOL flight, completing a pair of commercial demonstrations in China.

German manufacturers Lilium and Volocopter also aim to launch commercial air taxi services in the next few years.

But Archer and Joby’s models are expected to be the first to take flight in the U.S., starting with major metro areas such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The companies have partnerships with major U.S. airlines, Archer with United and Joby with Delta Air Lines, though Joby intends to operate its own air taxi.

The manufacturers now have about a year and a half to meet their stated launch target of 2025. But the publication of final airworthiness criteria certainly gives them a lift.

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The manufacturer on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mukamalah Aviation—a subsidiary of state-owned oil and gas company Saudi Aramco that according to Joby operates the world’s largest fleet of corporate aircraft—to introduce its eVTOL air taxi in the country.

Mukamalah serves 13 airports across Saudi Arabia with multiple fleets comprising a total of 55 aircraft. The operator manages nine of these locations in addition to more than 300 onshore and offshore helipads.

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, and Captain Khalid Al Natour, CEO of Mukamalah, signed the agreement, which may culminate in the direct sale of Joby aircraft to Mukamalah, at the Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh.

The MOU builds on Joby’s agreements with the leadership of Dubai and Abu Dhabi to fly in the neighboring United Arab Emirates—which is quickly becoming a hot spot for eVTOL activity—as early as 2025.

“Saudi Arabia presents a remarkable opportunity for our technology, and the scope and scale of Mukamalah’s operations make them a natural partner for us,” said Bevirt.

Joby’s flagship air taxi is designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers at up to 200 mph (174 knots), with a range of 100 sm (87 nm). Flights will largely be based out of vertiports installed at locations such as airports and hotels, generating a fraction of the noise produced by helicopters, the manufacturer says.

The company intends to operate its own aircraft in markets such as the U.S. and UAE, contrasting with competitors such as Archer Aviation. But Joby says the direct sale of aircraft to operating partners, such as Mukamalah, is part of its commercialization strategy.

The agreement will include Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and other local aviation stakeholders “to expedite Joby’s entry into the Saudi Arabia market.”

“We are proud to be working together with Joby and Mukamalah on the regulatory framework necessary to support the introduction of eVTOL aircraft,” said a GACA spokesperson. “These initiatives will help the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia meet its climate goals and steer the nation towards a sustainable future.”

Joby first announced its plans to fly in the Middle East in February, signing a definitive agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi operations in the UAE as soon as 2025. 

The company said the partnership gives it “exclusive” rights to operate air taxis in the Emirate of Dubai for six years following the start of service. However, competitor Archer Aviation—which has its own plans for Dubai and the UAE—believes it will have no issue operating in the Emirate.

Joby expanded its plans for the UAE to Abu Dhabi in April, partnering with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and other local stakeholders to establish its services nationwide. The company teased the possibility of air taxi routes connecting the nation’s two largest cities, offering 30-minute trips.

ADIO is also collaborating closely with Archer, EHang, and other eVTOL manufacturers eyeing service in the country, offering them financial incentives to localize manufacturing and other operations.

As Emirati leaders push to make the nation a leader in urban air mobility (UAM), it appears the Saudi government may have a similar goal.

The Arab Center Washington DC characterizes the relationship between the two countries as a “rift,” driven by a desire to become the dominant economic power in the region. Both nations rely heavily on their oil industries and have turned to tourism to diversify revenues.

Saudi Arabia made sustainability a pillar of its Vision 2030 plan to diversify the country’s oil-dependent economy. Saudi leaders hope to reach net-zero carbon emissions across all industries by 2060 and have already enacted regulations, such as around hydrogen production, to help get there.

“Over the past years, we have already invested in a more sustainable future, including taking steps in sustainable aviation fuel [SAF] testing, supporting the development of hydrogen solutions in the aviation ecosystem, and supporting the Kingdom’s green initiatives by delivering sustainable aviation solutions,” said Al Natour.

Earlier this year, The Helicopter and Jet Company, a Saudi state-owned commercial helicopter operator, partnered with Houston-based Bristow Group to explore the introduction of eVTOL aircraft in the country. Bristow has orders for as many as 50 such models from Vertical Aerospace and as many as 55 from Beta Technologies, as well as up to 50 Electra.aero hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.

German manufacturers Volocopter and Lilium are also eyeing eVTOL networks in Saudi Arabia. The former received an order for 10 VoloCity aircraft to be flown in the planned industrial, residential, and tourist zone of Neom, while the latter agreed to sell as many as 100 eVTOL jets to Saudi flag carrier Saudia.

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The company on Tuesday said it completed a crewed, full transition flight of its Alia-250 (A250) eVTOL, shifting from vertical lift to forward cruise on fixed wings during the same flight. The model is one of two aircraft the firm is looking to commercialize in the coming years, along with a conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) Alia variant. Over four years of flight testing, Beta says its aircraft together have now logged more than 40,000 nautical miles.

Beta competitor Joby Aviation has also completed a crewed transition flight, putting a U.S. Air Force pilot at the helm in 2023. It claims to be the first to achieve the milestone. However, Beta’s flight is believed to be the first to include an out and back. Another competitor, Archer Aviation, said in January it is progressing toward a full wing-borne transition flight after it completed the first phase of its own flight campaign with the Air Force.

Like all of Beta’s test flights to date, the transition flight at the company’s flight test facility in Plattsburgh, New York, was crewed. Alia was piloted by Nate Moyer, a former Air Force experimental test pilot. The transition took place a few feet above the runway, with the aircraft relying solely on its fixed wings for cruise. Vertical propellers got the aircraft off the ground but remained stationary during forward flight.

According to Beta, the transition flight will provide key data the manufacturer will use to validate its design choices, as it works to type certify its eVTOL with the FAA. The eCTOL variant of Alia is expected to be given the all-clear about one year before then. But the company intends to conduct more crewed eVTOL transitions in the coming months.

The runway-independent aircraft will first be deployed by the U.S. military. Beta in January wrapped up its first eCTOL deployment for the Air Force and has delivered both aircraft and electric chargers to Eglin Air Force Base (KVPS) in Florida for Air Force testing.

The manufacturer also continues to collaborate with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force with which it has worked since 2020. Together, Beta and AFWERX in 2022 conducted the first airman flight of an electric aircraft.

Beyond the military, Beta expects its eVTOL to be used by cargo carriers and passenger-carrying operators. It has electrification partnerships with U.S. FBOs Atlantic Aviation and Shoreline Aviation to install charging stations for eVTOL and eCTOL service at FBO terminals from coast to coast.

As of March, the company has installed chargers at 19 locations, with a further 50 in the permitting or construction process. The systems are designed to accommodate both of Beta’s flagship models, but also those of its competitors.

Beta’s eVTOL customers include the United Postal Service, LCI, Blade Air Mobility, and Canada’s Helijet. Air New Zealand, meanwhile, has opted for the eCTOL Alia variant. Customers United Therapeutics and Bristow Group are looking to introduce both aircraft.

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The organization on Monday tapped Frequentis Australasia—a regional arm of global communications provider Frequentis—to develop a digital air traffic management (ATM) system that could safely integrate millions of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) into the nation’s airspace.

Airservices said the system—which will allow it to incorporate drones, air taxis, and other uncrewed aircraft alongside traditional models—“will be at the core of Australia’s UAS traffic management (UTM) ecosystem.”

Airservices selected Frequentis as a partner following a comprehensive process that included several other applicants. It said the company “has proven experience in the delivery of operational UTM systems around the world.”

Backing up that assertion is the fact that Frequentis technology is used by the FAA, NASA, and the European Space Agency (ESA). The company is also a key stakeholder in the Single European Sky, a European Commission initiative aiming to reform the continent’s ATC system through better integration of European airspace.

“Frequentis is the only company worldwide to have successfully delivered UTM solutions to multiple Air Navigation Service Providers,” said Martin Rampl, managing director of Frequentis Australia. “This strategic partnership with Airservices Australia represents another important milestone in our mission to support the Australian airspace ecosystem with safe, efficient, and compliant integration of drones.”

Frequentis has been tasked with creating a Flight Information Management System (FIMS), which will be operated by Airservices and linked to the organization’s existing ATM system.

The FIMS will allow Airservices to share flight information between ATC, traditional aircraft, and uncrewed airspace users. According to the plan, drones, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis, and other new designs could all be flown alongside traditional aircraft.

“Drones are the biggest growth area in aviation, and our partnership with Frequentis to develop a FIMS will enable us to integrate traditional and new airspace users into increasingly busy airspace,” said Jason Harfield, CEO of Airservices. “With Frequentis, we will develop a FIMS that meets the needs of Australian airspace users and ensures we can safely integrate millions of drone flights with other users.”

An Airservices analysis published last month predicted that commercial drone flights in Australia will surge from around 1.5 million in 2023 to more than 60 million by 2043, assuming battery technology and propulsion systems advance incrementally and there is a permissive regulatory environment.

That represents an average increase in drone traffic of 20 percent per year. According to Airservices, new technologies will be needed to weather the coming storm.

Per the report, drones in Australia complete about 120,000 deliveries of food and goods every year. The country is the largest market of Wing, the drone delivery arm of Google parent Alphabet, but many drones come from homegrown companies such as Swoop Aero and even the nation’s postal service. At the same time, more recreational flyers are taking to the skies as Australia develops drone regulations.

“Most companies based in Australia are looking to invest and grow their drone fleets by two to five times over the next five years alone,” the report forecast.

The exponential growth predicted by the report is expected to be driven largely by the transportation and logistics industries, which are forecast to account for 77 percent of the anticipated drone traffic increase.

The report further predicts that Australian farmers will make 500,000 drone flights annually to monitor crops, while police will complete 300,000 flights to support frontline personnel. Another 1.5 million deliveries are expected to be made to Australian households, and about 100,000 patients could be transported to hospitals using air ambulances, such as the Vertiia design from Australia’s AMSL Aero.

Electric air taxis will also be in the mix—those models are expected to make one million flights by 2043. Airservices said several providers are targeting Australian launches coinciding with the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane. Among them are AMSL and Boeing’s Wisk Aero.

The FAA has a similar plan, with launches expected to align with the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Before then, air taxis are expected to fly this summer at the 2024 Games in Paris.

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Joby Aviation, the manufacturer of a five-seat eVTOL design, has signed a definitive agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA), the government entity that regulates the city’s public transport, to launch air taxi operations in the UAE by early 2026, targeting initial service in 2025. The agreement gives Joby exclusive rights to operate air taxis in Dubai for six years, starting from the launch of commercial operations.

Notably, the news follows competitor Archer Aviation’s announcement that it too is planning a UAE expansion in 2026. The manufacturer partnered with local operator Falcon Aviation, which previously stated that it would operate Archer’s Midnight air taxi across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Falcon in 2022 also purchased 35 air taxis from Embraer subsidiary Eve Air Mobility, noting that it planned to launch eVTOL tourism flights in Dubai.

Archer further announced the planned sale of 100 aircraft to Dubai-based operator Air Chateau for $500 million, which intends to service both cities.

While the operational partners of Archer, Eve, and other manufacturers will still be able to fly air taxis in the UAE, only Joby will be authorized to operate in the Dubai region, it said.

“We are excited by Joby’s recent announcement to join Archer in bringing electric air taxis to the UAE region in 2026,” Archer said in a statement to FLYING. “We continue to build on the launch plans we announced last year with our long-term investors, Mubadala, the support of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, and several local operating partners, including Falcon Aviation, Air Chateau, and GAL & AMMROC [Global Aerospace Logistics – Advanced Military Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul Center].”

Signed in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, at the World Governments Summit, Joby’s agreement secures financial assistance and other support from RTA for the entry and maturation of operations in the city.

Joby also signed an agreement with Skyports, which will design, build, and operate four initial vertiport sites across Dubai. The three partners settled on Dubai International Airport (OMDB), Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, and Dubai Downtown as launch locations.

“[This] landmark agreement delivers on all three ingredients required to successfully launch an air taxi service—a definitive path to operations, well-placed infrastructure supported by dedicated partners, and an aircraft with the capacity and range to deliver meaningful journeys,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby. “We’re excited to be laying the groundwork for the expansion of our service across the wider UAE.”

Joby’s zero-emission air taxi is designed for a pilot to fly up to four passengers on 100 sm (87 nm) trips at speeds up to 200 mph (174 knots). Unlike its competitors, the company plans to operate the aircraft itself. Archer, for example, intends for partner United Airlines to do the flying. Joby, meanwhile, is working with Delta Air Lines to launch service out of New York and Los Angeles in 2025.

According to Joby and RTA, a journey from Dubai International Airport to the Palm Jumeirah—a 45-minute trip by car—is expected to take just 10 minutes by air taxi. The partners are working with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to develop a regulatory framework for the aircraft’s introduction, building upon FAA guidelines.

“The air taxi service is part of RTA’s efforts to embrace future transportation technologies and offers a novel and efficient mobility option for Dubai’s residents and visitors, enabling fast, safe, and convenient travel to key city spots,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors for RTA. “This service will also enhance seamless multimodal transportation, improving citywide connectivity and ensuring a smooth travel experience for passengers.”

Joby, RTA, and Skyports are now collaborating to design the customer journey, engage stakeholders, and integrate air taxis into Dubai’s wider public transport network. Joby in addition has established a Dubai operational team composed largely of local recruits. It added that it would consider localizing its other business activities in Dubai and the Middle East, which it evidently views as a potentially key market.

The manufacturer will participate in the recently announced Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster established by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), of which Archer is also a member.

Separately, the firm said it will continue its internal flight testing and type certification activities. In November, its production prototype became the first electric air taxi to fly in New York City, taking off from downtown Manhattan. The previous month it began uncrewed flight testing, an important step toward certification.

Joby’s exclusive agreement with RTA could hinder the plans of Archer, Eve, and other competitors. Those companies have announced plans to fly outside of Dubai as well. But the RTA’s decision to tap Joby as the city’s sole air taxi provider will take away—at least for a few years—what appears to be a burgeoning market for future air mobility services.

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The post Joby Aviation Signs Exclusive 6-Year Deal for Electric Air Taxi Service in Dubai appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The National Transportation Safety Board is citing blade failure as the cause of the crash of a remotely piloted Joby Aviation electric aircraft in 2022. According to the NTSB’s final report, the accident, which took place on February 16, happened during the second test flight of the day for the JAS4-2, the first of two second-generation preproduction prototypes.

Since JAS4-2, an uncrewed experimental aircraft designated N542AJ, was involved in flight testing, it was being observed from a manned chase airplane.

The flight began about 09:42 PST with a normal vertical takeoff, transition to wing-borne flight, and climb up to 11,000 feet msl. The remote pilot in command (PIC) put the aircraft into a descent, with the unit reaching a maximum dive speed of 181 knots. As the aircraft passed through 8,900 feet the propeller from propulsion station 3 located on the right inboard wing experienced oscillations in rpm and motor vibrations.

Per the NTSB report, “after reaching a maximum dive speed of 181 knots indicated airspeed (kias) at an altitude of approximately 8,900 feet, a propeller blade on propulsion station 3 experienced a bending failure near the root of the blade which culminated in the release of the propeller blade.” 

The released blade impacted the propeller on propulsion station 4—located on the right wing outboard—which subsequently resulted in a release of the impacted blade. 

The result was a cascading effect, with the other propeller blade failures and separations from the propulsion motors, resulting in loss of aircraft control. The aircraft rolled to the left then entered an inverted dive, and crashed in an uninhabited area near Jolon, California. There were no injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.

“Experimental flight test programs are intentionally designed to determine the limits of aircraft performance and, in doing so, provide critical insight and learnings that support the safe operation of aircraft as well as inform final design elements,” Joby said in a statement to FLYING. “Since the accident, we’ve incorporated a range of improvements to our design and testing methodologies, many of which were already planned, and our second preproduction prototype aircraft has flown nearly 25,000 miles, including more than 100 flights flown by a pilot on board as well as exhibition flights in New York City.”

The company added it will continue to work with the FAA to resolve any safety issues before type certification. It will also share any relevant findings with other electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturers.

According to information recorded by Joby during the test flight, “the variable pitch actuator for station 3 was commanding a typical cruise pitch when the blade release occurred, whereas video evidence indicated a steeper pitch on some blades immediately before the initial blade release.”

The company went on to state that accelerometer data for station 3 “showed a rapid growth in vibration after reaching the accident flights test condition before the initial blade release.” There was also an oscillation present for station 3 at the time, and examination of Joby’s prior flight test data revealed “consistent asymmetric behavior between station 2 and station 3, despite identical mirrored designs.” 

About the Pilot

The remote PIC was 62 years old and held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine and multiengine land along with ratings for helicopter and glider in addition to unmanned aerial systems (UAS). At the time of the event, the PIC had a total of  2,965 hours total time, with 43 hours flying the JAS4-2.

About the Aircraft

The aircraft was all-electric, fly-by-wire, and capable of vertical takeoff and landing. The design has space for five occupants, pilot, and four passengers, though it could be piloted remotely. The design’s maximum gross takeoff weight was 4,200 pounds. 

The aircraft was configured with six tilting propellers directly driven by six dual-powered electric motors with power supplied by four battery packs. The six electric propulsion unit (EPU) stations are identified numerically based on location as station 1 (outboard left wing), station 2 (inboard left wing), station 3 (inboard right wing), station 4 (outboard right wing), station 5 (left tail), and station 6 (right tail). Each of the six variable pitch propeller assemblies were equipped with five blades and actuated by a single variable pitch actuator driving a mechanical pitch change mechanism.

Joby conducted a frame-by-frame review of GoPro video captured during the test flight to help the NTSB reach a conclusion as to the cause of the crash.

The accident did not slow down Joby, as last week the FAA accepted its propulsion system certification plan. According to company officials, this is a “critical step” toward type certification of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi.

The post NTSB Cites Blade Separation in Electric Aircraft Accident appeared first on FLYING Magazine.