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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Personnel at MacDill Air Force Base (KMCF) in Tampa, Florida, closed the base to all nonessential personnel on Tuesday and have begun evacuating aircraft for the second time in as many weeks following Hurricane Helene. The base avoided the worst of Helene but sits in the middle of Tampa Bay, directly in Milton’s projected path. It is also home to the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command.

• READ MORE: NASA Postpones Europa Clipper Launch as Hurricane Milton Takes Aim at Cape Canaveral

According to an Air Force spokeswoman, MacDill’s 6th Refueling Wing this week relocated 12 KC-135 Stratotankers to McConnell Air Force Base (KIAB) in Kansas, just two days after the aircraft returned home. The spokeswoman also said that the 482nd Fighter Wing at Homestead Air Reserve Base (KHST) near Miami has begun relocating seven F-16 fighters to San Antonio.

The U.S. Navy and Space Force, meanwhile, are preparing to close bases across Florida and southeast Georgia. Navy officials told Military.com that aircraft will be evacuated from Naval Station Mayport off the coast of Jacksonville or hangared at the base.

Patrick Space Force Base near Cape Canaveral will close to nonessential personnel from Wednesday to Friday. Officials this week also postponed the launch of NASA and SpaceX’s Europa Clipper at nearby Kennedy Space Center. Milton is expected to hit the Space Coast after making landfall near Tampa.

• READ MORE: ‘Hurricane Hunters’ Fly Into the Eye of Hurricane Milton

The hurricane has also triggered airport closures across Florida and is expected to produce a potentially devastating storm surge.

As the military moves aircraft out of Milton’s path, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will continue to send its “hurricane hunters”—a pair of Lockheed WP-3Ds, or P-3s, affectionately dubbed “Kermit” and “Miss Piggy,” and a Gulfstream IV-SP nicknamed “Gonzo”—into the eye of the storm to help predict its trajectory.

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Ultra short aircraft manufacturer Electra on Monday announced that it completed successful demonstration flights of its EL-2 Goldfinch prototype at Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico (KNYG) and Felker Army Airfield (KFAF) at Joint Base Langley-Eustis (KLFI) in Virginia. U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel were present for the demonstrations, which were the first Electra has performed for the military, the firm told FLYING.

Electra’s nine-passenger design has garnered contracts from the Air Force, Army, and Navy, which view it as a potential game-changer for military resupply missions, tactical insertions, and medical evacuations. The firm is also backed by Lockheed Martin.

The demonstrations at Joint Base Langley-Eustis were conducted under a strategic funding increase (STRATFI) agreement with AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, worth up to $85 million. AFWERX offers a quid pro quo arrangement, providing electric aircraft manufacturers and other developers of novel aviation technology with a sandbox in which to mature their systems. In return, the military gets early access to non-commercially available designs.

“This aircraft’s efficient, quiet, and sustainable operations align with military objectives for contested and expeditionary logistics,” said Jacob Wilson, acting branch chief of AFWERX’s Agility Prime division dedicated to electric and autonomous models. “Its hybrid-electric propulsion system provides extended range and endurance, making it suitable for Agile Combat Employment missions in austere locations with compromised or nonexistent runways.”

The Goldfinch uses a unique blown-lift mechanism to amplify lift, allowing it to take off at what the company describes as neighborhood driving speeds. This reduces the vehicle’s runway requirement to just 150 feet, allowing it to operate from locations with a closed or damaged runway, including ships or barges.

Electra test pilot Cody Allee took the Goldfinch through a series of grass field takeoffs and landings, with no ground infrastructure required. The company describes the aircraft as a “mobile power generator” offering 600 kilowatts of continuous power, capable of reaching 1 megawatt in “short bursts.” According to the firm, its fuel consumption is one-third that of helicopters performing the same mission.

Allee flew 150-foot radius turns to showcase the aircraft’s maneuverability at low speed and altitude. The test pilot also helped demonstrate a mobile power generation display, using the aircraft’s power supply to fire up its own sound system and preflight presentation equipment.

“These flight demonstrations mark a significant milestone for Electra as we show the capabilities of the technology in the real-world,” said JP Stewart, vice president and general manager of Electra. “Our ultra short aircraft make it possible to operate from austere locations previously only reachable by helicopters, with 70 percent lower costs and very quiet operations.”

Electra in January said it surpassed 2,000 orders for its flagship design, with commercial customers including regional air carrier JSX, helicopter operator Bristow Group, and private charter marketplace JetSetGo. But as the company continues to refine its design, military customers will get their hands on it first.

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Reliable Robotics, a developer of automated flight systems for remotely piloted operations, was awarded an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to retrofit Air Force aircraft with its continuous autopilot system, which is designed to be installed on any model.

The partners will have flexibility under the agreement, which calls for the delivery of an unspecified quantity of services within a fixed window. The Air Force can place orders under the contract, authorizing specific work and the funding that comes with it. The contract will further allow Reliable and AFWERX—the innovation arm of the Air Force—to explore partnerships with other military branches, tailoring the system for additional missions.

According to retired Major General Dr. David O’Brien, senior vice president of government solutions at Reliable, the agreement “signals long-term engagement with the Air Force and provides flexibility for us to further demonstrate our autonomous flight system in operational readiness activities.”

The IDIQ arrangement, which will support the development and deployment of Reliable’s autopilot system, comes less than one week after AFWERX awarded the company $3.6 million under a Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI), tightening a relationship that began in 2021 and has since expanded with a series of small business innovation research (SBIR) contracts.

The TACFI will allow Reliable to perform uncrewed cargo missions for the military, building on a pair of Air Force demonstrations it completed earlier this year.

Reliable’s automation system covers all phases of flight from taxi to takeoff to landing, using hardware and software to automate control surfaces and engine controls. It’s designed to prevent controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control in flight (LOC-I)—two of the leading causes of aviation accidents.

Detect and avoid and precision navigation systems help the aircraft understand where it is and where it’s going, while voice and data links enable remote communication. Remote supervisors or onboard safety pilots can communicate with air traffic control and redirect the aircraft to an alternate landing site in the case of inclement weather, for example. According to Reliable, the system is just as reliable as crewed flight.

Some within the Air Force believe autonomy systems like Reliable’s can safely support longer duration missions in “contested environments” more cheaply than its own technology while reducing aircrew needs. The partners are particularly focused on the Indo-Pacific region, where tensions between the U.S. and China are strained over relations with Taiwan.

Lieutenant Colonel Josh Fehd, branch chief of AFWERX’s Autonomy Prime division, called the technology a “mission critical capability.” Autonomy Prime was announced in January and greenlit by Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, after officials “recognized a need,” according to AFWERX.

“This IDIQ contract is driven by demand from Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces and commands that want to employ advanced aircraft automation in their fleets as soon as possible,” said Fehd.

Reliable’s primary testbed aircraft for its system is the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, which in November completed what the company claims was the first remotely piloted cargo flight of that model. The FAA-approved trial lasted about 12 minutes and was remotely operated from a ground control station.

The Caravan was a loan from potential launch customer FedEx, and Reliable is collaborating with Cessna manufacturer Textron Aviation and Textron eAviation to retrofit additional aircraft. The remotely piloted Caravan could enable same- or next-day shipments to locations currently served by piloted models. The company plans to operate a Part 135 airline subsidiary led by former Ameriflight executives.

Reliable has also shared with the Air Force a blueprint to automate the KC-135 Stratotanker, the military’s core aerial refueling aircraft. But according to the company, under the IDIQ agreement, its aircraft-agnostic system could find its way onto other models such as the Cessna 408 SkyCourier. The system is designed to support cargo aircraft with 3,000-plus-pound payloads.

The FAA in February formally accepted the certification requirements for Reliable’s aircraft navigation and autopilot systems, including a means of compliance for testing and analysis. The company claims its full aircraft automation software is the only system of its kind with an FAA-approved project specific certification plan (PSCP), on which the agency signed off last year.

Another autonomous flight developer working with the Air Force, Xwing—which earlier this year was acquired by electric air taxi manufacturer Joby Aviation—submitted its PSCP in April 2023. Merlin Labs, meanwhile, has a basis for certification with New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority for its Merlin Pilot system.

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Earlier this month, Joby Aviation and Reliable Robotics operated self-flying Cessna 208B Grand Caravans during the U.S. Air Force’s Agile Flag 24-3 exercise at Mojave Air and Space Port (KMHV) in California. The goal of the five-day campaign was to weigh how the technology could support the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept, which it describes as a “proactive and reactive operational scheme…to increase resiliency and survivability while generating combat power.”

Airmen from the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base (KVAD) in Georgia and 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base (KBAB) in California used technology from Reliable and Joby—which in June acquired autonomous flight provider Xwing—to fly the souped-up Caravan across California and Nevada.

“Previously, we faced a tough choice: either use a cargo aircraft with all the associated expenses or forgo the flight altogether, which created difficult decisions for warfighting commanders,” said Colonel Max Bremer, management officer of the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command Special Access Program. “The return on investment with this technology is significant.”

The Air Force has awarded Reliable, Joby, and Xwing Phase II and III small business innovation research (SBIR) contracts through Autonomy Prime, a technology program within AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm. AFWERX offers a sort of quid pro quo: Manufacturers get a controlled environment where they can perform flight trials and development work, in exchange for early military access to the technology.

Autonomy Prime earlier this year invited both Reliable and Joby to participate in February’s Agile Flag 24-1 exercise.

“We wanted to build on that success by bringing both vendors back for Agile Flag 24-3, which imposes more realistic constraints on the training participants,” said Ian Clowes of AFWERX Prime stakeholder engagement.

Autonomous flight software, in particular, is in high demand.

A Caravan equipped with Reliable or Joby’s technology can taxi, take off, fly up to 1,150 miles, and land with 1,200 pounds of cargo. According to the Air Force, that translates to an operating cost between $1,200 and $1,600 per hour, compared to more than $7,000 for a C-130J Hercules and $20,000 for a C-17A Globemaster.

The autonomous aircraft would be best suited for carrying small cargo, freeing up larger cargo aircraft to transport large parts or weapons.

“Looking ahead, if the Air Force adopts autonomous aircraft for asset transport in forward locations, it will increase sorties and flying hours by reducing delays in aircraft maintenance,” said Staff Sergeant Miguel Sarmiento, aircraft parts store supervisor for the 633rd Logistics Readiness Squadron.

During Agile Flag 24-3, airmen were tasked with deploying fighters to meet a mission objective while contending with “adversary activities” that complicated their goal. For the purposes of the exercise, cargo aircraft had limited ability to deliver the parts needed to keep the fighters flying.

That was no problem for Joby and Reliable, whose technology powered an autonomous Cessna across 47 flights covering more than 6,600 miles while operators watched them from a mobile ground control station. Personnel carried a laptop and satellite communication terminal in a small backpack—no additional infrastructure was needed. Reliable said its flights also included an onboard safety pilot.

“In this exercise scenario, where distance is a significant challenge, this capability is helping us overcome it,” said Colonel Charles Hanson, commander of the 9th Mission Support Group.

Added Captain Mackenzie Thompson, flight commander of the 480th Sortie Generation: “My job is to ensure we have safe and reliable aircraft for the mission. AFWERX has been awesome in helping us transport parts quickly, which has saved us a lot of time and manpower.”

Joby, for example, delivered cargo from Edwards Air Force Base (KEDW) to Southern California Logistics Airport (KVCV) in Victorville, California. The company said it flew more than 3,900 miles between nine military bases and public airports, performing a taxi, takeoff, and landing at each site.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the U.S. Air Force as we further develop the suite of technologies that could enable greater automation or full autonomy, first on the Caravan and then on numerous other aircraft types,” said Maxime Gariel, autonomy lead at Joby.

The company added that it plans to use autonomy to speed up the completion of its AFWERX contract and, potentially, open up new contract opportunities.

According to Reliable, Agile Flag 24-1 was supposed to represent the Indo-Pacific region, with some locations separated by hundreds of miles. The company said it transported critical cargo to eight locations on demand, with leadership from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center also in attendance.

“Autonomy in small platforms reduces risk and opens up the ability to land in more places including damaged runways or unimproved surfaces,” said Bremer.

Prior to the exercise, Reliable obtained military airworthiness and flight readiness approvals for expanded operations. The company’s aircraft-agnostic system is the only full aircraft automation software with an FAA-approved certification plan.

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The agreement, signed last August with AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, will allow Air Force pilots to gauge the aircraft’s usefulness for defense operations and could be leveraged by other military branches.

“Together, our goal is to prove Midnight’s potential and ensure the United States continues to lead the way with the world’s most advanced technology,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer.

Archer’s Midnight is a piloted, zero-emission model designed to carry up to four passengers on 20-to-50 sm (17-to-43 nm) trips, cruising at about 130 knots. The manufacturer is selling the aircraft to airlines and other operator customers who intend to use it for home-to-airport services, round-trip tourism routes, and other flights largely handled by helicopters.

The military, however, will get its hands on Midnight first. Defense leaders are drawn to the aircraft’s unique combination of vertical takeoff and landing capability and low noise profile.

“Archer’s Midnight aircraft has the potential to significantly enhance our operational capabilities,” said Colonel Elliott Leigh, director of AFWERX and chief commercialization officer for the Air Force.

The U.S. Department of Defense earlier this month accepted the aircraft’s military airworthiness assessment, “a critical approval that confirms Midnight’s readiness for flight testing by AFWERX,” Archer said.

According to the company, Air Force personnel were on-site for the inaugural Midnight delivery and have already performed simulations of medical evacuation, cargo, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) flights.

The military’s interest in eVTOL designs is not limited to Archer.

Competitor Joby Aviation, for example, has its own multimillion-dollar contract with AFWERX for the delivery of nine aircraft, one of which arrived at Edwards Air Force Base in California last year. Electric aircraft manufacturer Beta Technologies is also working closely with the Air Force and has already conducted what it describes as “real-world” missions.

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The manufacturer’s EL-2 Goldfinch, which first flew in May, got its first off-runway action when it lifted off from a grassy area smaller than 300 feet near a company facility in Manassas, Virginia.

The company has multimillion dollar contracts across the military, with the Air Force, Army, and Navy all exploring the use of eSTOL technology. The relatively cheap, runway-independent aircraft are viewed as an attractive alternative to conventional fixed wing aircraft and rotorcraft

Electra said the demonstrator completed several takeoffs and landings, climbing at a steep angle of 32 degrees. The aircraft did not require electric charging infrastructure, as many electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis do, because its propulsion unit charges the batteries in flight.

All the while, the Goldfinch produced just 55 decibels of noise, equivalent to the volume of a typical conversation, while flying overhead at 500 feet. Electra says its full-scale design, which will carry nine passengers or up to 2,500 pounds of cargo on trips up to 500 sm (434 nm), will be inaudible from the ground at its typical cruise altitude.

It seeks to certify a full-scale model under FAA Part 23 regulations by 2028.

“eSTOL technologies increase the number of available landing sites by orders of magnitude relative to traditional fixed wing aircraft while providing for higher cruise speeds, lower costs, and lower noise than vertical lift solutions,” said JP Stewart, vice president and general manager of Electra. “These first flights from a field demonstrate the beginnings of this strong capability that we will continue to develop.”

Electra’s eSTOL achieves its incredibly short runway requirement through the use of blown lift propulsion. Airflows are guided over the wing into flaps and ailerons that redirect them toward the ground, adding to thrust from the aircraft’s eight electric motors. This allows the vehicle to take off at what Electra describes as neighborhood driving speeds.

Though the manufacturer has several commercial customers lined up for its flagship design, it also views the eSTOL as ideal for airlift operations and agile combat employment, a U.S. Air Force doctrine that calls for the rapid deployment of assets to dispersed locations.

The military will be its first customer, but Electra in January surpassed 2,000 aircraft preorder sales from private partners including JSX, Bristow Group, and JetSetGo.

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On Monday, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announced that it and the Air Mobility Command (AMC), which provides aerial refueling and airlift services for U.S. forces worldwide, began testing a UAS traffic management (UTM) system at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

The system, called CLUE, or Collaborative Low-Altitude Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Effort, is designed to integrate UAS flights next to crewed aircraft above and around Air Force installations. According to the AFRL, MacDill is the first base to use a UTM system in airspace overseen by Department of Defense air traffic controllers.

“This is a significant milestone for AMC, AFRL, and the CLUE program, as the MacDill Air Traffic Control Tower and Base Defense Operations Center are first in the Air Force to operationally assess UTM capabilities,” said Phil Zaleski, manager of the AFRL CLUE program.

CLUE was born out of the AFRL’s Information Directorate as a project meant to provide “air domain awareness, situational awareness, and UTM operational capabilities for UAS operators, air traffic control [ATC] personnel, Security Forces and other stakeholders.”

The system arrived at MacDill in 2022, where initial testing focused on airspace deconfliction, communication, and security. The goal was to enable drone flights beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the operator, which are heavily scrutinized and restricted by the FAA.

Since then, the UTM platform has been developed to give air traffic controllers a three-dimensional view of UAS activity and make it possible to grant flight permissions automatically.

“Equipping airspace managers and UAS operators with a 3D operational viewing capability and additional features designed to reduce lengthy manual and advanced planning procedures will be critical to achieving real-time flight planning and mission execution,” said James Layton, chief of plans and programs at MacDill.

The system is also sensor-agnostic, meaning it integrates with an array of different sensors designed to detect, track, and identify drones, including a counter UAS system being tested at MacDill.

The Air Force in May began formally testing CLUE’s capabilities on the base, opening it to the site’s ATC tower, Defense Operations Center, and airfield management team. Personnel so far have used the system to plan the intent of UAS flights or let operators know where they are approved to fly a drone, for example.

Operators ask CLUE for the all clear to fly, and their request is either approved or denied by the control tower. Once permission is granted, they can fly within a bounded area. CLUE feeds the operators information about the airspace and other nearby aircraft, helping them stay within the approved zone while avoiding other drones.

The UTM system has also been installed at Eglin AFB’s Duke Field (KEGI) in Florida, where the AFRL conducted a demonstration of its capabilities in 2023. There, CLUE will begin by integrating flights of small UAS (weighing less than 70 pounds) before moving to larger designs, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis such as Joby Aviation’s five-seat S4.

Joby, partnering with AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, earlier this year committed to deliver two air taxis to MacDill and has also shipped a prototype aircraft to Edwards AFB in California.

MacDill in May also hosted flights of a KC-135 Stratotanker equipped with an autonomous flight system from developer Merlin Labs, which is designed to one day enable fully remote flights. That technology, as well as systems from fellow AFWERX collaborators Xwing and Reliable Robotics, could one day be integrated into the CLUE UTM.

AFWERX and the AFRL are not the only government entities studying UTM systems. The Air Force is working with NASA to build a digital operations center for drones and electric air taxis nationwide and is collaborating with the FAA to integrate novel and uncrewed aircraft with air traffic control and other systems within the national airspace.

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The company believes these were the first such deployments for an electric aircraft with major commands of the Air Force.

The on-base and cross-country missions with the Air Combat Command (ACC) and Air Mobility Command (AMC) included daylong and even multiday exercises. Beta characterized them as “real-world” missions that were conducted at the behest of the ACC and AMC, with a little help from AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm with which the manufacturer has worked since 2019.

The goal of these flights was to see how Beta’s Alia, a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) design, could support defense use cases such as resupply, cargo delivery, and personnel transport, including during combat. The aircraft seats up to five passengers and has a range of 250 nm.

Alia took off from Beta’s headquarters at Burlington International Airport (KBTV) in Vermont and embarked on a series of cross-country flights before arriving at the Air National Guard’s Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) in Alpena, Michigan. There, with the ACC, the aircraft completed a four-day exercise.

Over the course of 24 flight hours, Alia moved more than 2,200 pounds of cargo—including 500 pounds at a time—delivered meals and equipment, simulated a medical evacuation between two bases, and filled in for a Lockheed C-130 Hercules that had a scheduled airlift canceled.

“We can be ready to take off in a matter of minutes, and the battery has a low center of gravity, which is not affected by the way you load the cargo,” said Ross Elkort, flight test engineer for Beta.

The next stop for Alia was Springfield, Ohio, where a pilot for UPS Flight Forward completed a ground school program, simulator training, and evaluation flight. Flight Forward in 2021 placed an order for the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) variant of Alia.

After that came a simulation of planned Alia routes in Virginia and a joint demonstration at Atlantic City International Airport (KACY) in New Jersey alongside the FAA, AMC, and others.

The AMC helped finish out the campaign with a series of flights between Dover Air Force Base in Delaware (KDOV) and McGuire Air Force Base (KWRI) in New Jersey, which are considered key hubs for military logistics. During a daylong exercise, AMC pilots flew Alia five times, delivering multi-hundred-pound payloads and slashing delivery times by more than half.

“It brings key innovation to the mission. It’s going to make things faster and simpler,” said Alyxandra Scalone of the Air Force’s 305th Maintenance Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. “Dover (AFB) is about two and a half hours away from us. Today’s flight only took 45 minutes.”

Over the course of the monthlong campaign, Beta said it deployed Alia with a 100 percent success rate.

Beta has worked with AFWERX through its Agility Prime division, which focuses on vertical lift technologies, since 2020.

Beta last year installed the first electric aircraft charger at a Department of Defense site at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The Alia eVTOL in 2021 became the first electric aircraft to receive military airworthiness approval for human flight.

The CTOL, meanwhile, was responsible for the first airman flight of electric aircraft and was the first of its kind to complete an Air Force deployment: a three-month campaign at Eglin’s Duke Field (KEGI) and Robins Air Force Base (KWRB) in Georgia.

From October to January, it completed what Beta claims to be the first simulated casualty evacuation and first live military exercise with an electric aircraft. The latter saw Alia fly alongside 350 airmen, demonstrating how the aircraft could integrate with existing military operations.

Meanwhile, in April, the Alia eVOL completed its first crewed transition from hover to forward flight, a key stage in that model’s development. The vertical lift version of Alia has received less attention than its counterpart, but AFWERX has shown interest in the configuration, working with eVTOL manufacturers such as Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation.

If all goes according to plan, the CTOL version of Alia will hit the market in 2025, followed by the eVTOL in 2026. The aim, however, is for the military to get its hands on the aircraft first.

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Joby on Tuesday announced it acquired the autonomy division of Xwing, the developer of autonomous gate-to-gate flight software Superpilot, as it looks ahead to a transition to self-flying air taxi services. The manufacturer plans to initially operate the aircraft with onboard pilots and has a partnership with Delta Air Lines to launch commercial service as early as next year, beginning in New York and Los Angeles.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But the acquisition was paid for with Joby shares and covers “all of Xwing’s existing automation and autonomy technology activities,” the company said.

“The aircraft we are certifying will have a fully qualified pilot on board,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, “but we recognize that a future generation of autonomous aircraft will play an important part in unlocking our vision of making clean and affordable aerial mobility as accessible as possible.”

Like competitors Wisk Aero, the eVTOL subsidiary of Boeing, and Archer Aviation—which in August agreed to make Wisk the exclusive provider of autonomous systems for a future variant of its flagship air taxi—Joby evidently believes autonomy will be key to scaling up its operations.

The manufacturer began exploring pilotless flight in 2021 with the acquisition of radar developer Inras, whose technology it said it would use to develop an onboard sensing and navigation system.

One problem the eVTOL industry faces is a lack of powered-lift pilots, for which the FAA is working to develop a training and certification pathway. In the short term, autonomy could take on more flight functions, akin to autopilot technology on commercial airliners, to allow operations with smaller crews. Further out, it could allow Joby to remove the pilot from its aircraft entirely.

Wisk argues that the technology will further make operations safer and more affordable for passengers. That’s important, because eVTOL manufacturers, including Joby and Archer, claim their air taxi services will be cost-competitive with ground-based rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft.

Additionally, Joby said Xwing’s Superpilot will help it fulfill obligations for the U.S. Department of Defense, through which it is under contract with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force. The manufacturer has so far committed to four deliveries out of a total of nine air taxi orders—two each to Edwards Air Force Base in California and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida—delivering one to Edwards.

Joby in March estimated that the agreement has a total contract value of $163 million but on Tuesday said Xwing’s technology gives it room for growth.

“Autonomous systems are increasingly prolific in the private sector and bring potentially game-changing advantages to the Air Force as well,” said Colonel Elliott Leigh, director of AFWERX and chief commercialization officer for the Air Force. “We created Autonomy Prime to keep up with this shift and to stay engaged as a partner while this technology evolves so that we can adapt and evolve along with the private sector, maintaining our competitive advantage.”

Rather than develop autonomous software in-house, as it does for most of its aircraft’s components and systems, Joby will instead adopt the technology Xwing has been building since its founding in 2016.

A platform-agnostic system, Superpilot uses AI and machine learning algorithms to automate a range of tasks such as vision system processing, detect and avoid, decision making, and mission management, including route planning and live updates.

The system integrates into type-certified aircraft and is designed to change the role and location of the pilot, enabling remote supervision from a ground control station within the existing air traffic control system. However, Xwing on its website says the technology “is applicable to and will improve safety in both piloted and autonomous aircraft.”

Xwing began flying Superpilot-equipped aircraft in 2020 and has since completed more than 250 autonomous flights and 500 autolandings using a modified Cessna 208B Grand Caravan. Since 2021, it has operated a Part 135 air carrier business, flying 400 feeder cargo flights per week for UPS. Through a nonexclusive agreement with Cessna manufacturer Textron Aviation, the company intends to retrofit more small cargo aircraft, beginning with the Grand Caravan.

Last year, Superpilot became the first standard category large uncrewed aerial system (UAS) to receive an official FAA project designation, initiating the process for it to be approved for commercial cargo operations in U.S. national airspace. Under a three-year contract with NASA, Xwing is allowing researchers to study the technology and develop a safety management system (SMS) to integrate routine, pilotless flights alongside conventional aircraft.

In May 2023, the Air Force committed to exploring Superpilot for defense applications through a 21-month flight trial awarded by AFWERX. It must like what it’s seen so far, because less than a year into the partnership, it granted military airworthiness to Xwing’s modified Cessna, allowing it to begin performing cargo missions in unrestricted airspace. In February, the aircraft completed the Air Force’s first autonomous logistics mission.

Joby on Tuesday said Xwing engineers, researchers and technologists will join the manufacturer to seek out new technology development partnerships with the DOD. The department is eyeing autonomous cargo aircraft as a way to take human pilots out of potentially dangerous scenarios.

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