The manufacturer has begun ground testing a new, more advanced full-scale prototype of its flagship VX4 air taxi after an initial prototype was damaged during an uncrewed flight test last year.

A failed pylon affected the way the aircraft’s flight control system communicated with its motors, causing it to tumble from about 30 feet in the air onto the runway at Cotswold Airport (EGBP) in the U.K.

Vertical’s latest prototype air taxi is more powerful, capable of reaching 150 mph—the intended cruise speed for its flagship model—courtesy of an improved power-to-weight ratio. It features new propellers, which were developed prior to last year’s crash, and proprietary battery technology manufactured at a dedicated facility in Bristol.

Sixty percent of the aircraft’s technology and components come from suppliers including Honeywell, Leonardo, GKN Aerospace, Hanwha, and Molicel, compared to 10 percent on the first prototype. The company is also developing an identical prototype.

The new aircraft and its systems have been tested and commissioned, and Vertical has already completed initial ground testing, including propeller balancing and spinning tests that measure the weight distribution of each blade. The next step will be powered propulsion system testing of the air taxi’s powertrain and battery packs, during which the engines will be run while the vehicle is anchored. 

After that, Vertical will need to secure a permit to fly from the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which will allow it to move to the “wheels up” phase: crewed testing of tethered aircraft and low-speed untethered flights. It will also need to perform thrustborne, wingborne, and transition flights, demonstrating that the aircraft can maneuver and gain lift as expected.

The manufacturer’s type certification safety target is the same as that for commercial airliners. Its flagship model will enable a pilot to fly as many as four passengers up to 100 sm (87 nm) while producing zero operating emissions and just 50 dBA of noise during cruise, which the company says allows it to fit seamlessly within an urban soundscape. The firm claims it will be capable of flying from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in only 11 minutes.

Despite suffering a crash, Vertical continues to receive support from the U.K. government, which in February awarded it $10 million to develop its next-generation propellers. The allocation brings the manufacturer’s total U.K. government grant funding received to $47 million

Vertical founder Stephen Fitzpatrick also committed $50 million to the company, which he predicted would keep it liquid through mid-2025. The money will be used to support the aircraft testing and certification process, which the manufacturer hopes to complete by the end of 2026.

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The FAA—which so far has published final airworthiness criteria for two air taxi designs, Archer Aviation’s Midnight and Joby Aviation’s flagship model—issued an advisory circular (AC) that would create the foundation for certification of powered lift vehicles, such as eVTOL aircraft. The AC, which lays out acceptable means for showing compliance with FAA Part 21 requirements for special class aircraft, is open for comment for 60 days.

EASA, meanwhile, updated its special condition for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (SC-VTOL) rules to incorporate new requirements agreed upon with the FAA, covering safe flight and landing, handling qualities, and single-point failures.

Simultaneously, the regulators together revised Safety Emphasis Items (SEI) lists—which determine an agency’s level of involvement in aircraft validation projects—for parts 23, 27, and 29. According to the FAA, the partners have reduced SEI requirements and placed greater responsibility on the authority actually certifying the aircraft.

“The FAA and EASA have achieved a significant milestone on the path to certifying eVTOL aircraft,” the FAA said in a statement. “This also marks important progress in our effort to more closely align rulemaking and policy initiatives between the United States and the European Union. We’re committed to ensuring the safety of the flying public both at home and abroad.”

Both the FAA and EASA have announced ambitious initiatives designed to cement their respective AAM industries as the world’s biggest and best. But before tackling challenges such as eVTOL infrastructure, which will require a network of vertiports and electric chargers to support the aircraft, the regulators first need to define clear certification pathways for the novel designs.

The FAA’s new criteria, intended for powered lift designs with maximum weights of 12,500 pounds and a maximum capacity of six passengers, were developed using standards in FAA parts 23, 27, 33, and 35. The regulator said it leveraged its work on Archer and Joby’s type certification applications to develop the standards, claiming they will create a more efficient path to developing the certification bases for powered lift projects.

For example, the FAA will no longer need to publish airworthiness criteria in the federal register for public notice and comment, as it was required to do for Archer and Joby’s aircraft, for designs that use the standards in the AC. Applicants can now propose certification bases that draw from previously approved designs, such as Archer’s Midnight, or use equivalent level of safety findings to adopt existing airworthiness criteria for their own projects.

EASA, which had already published an initial set of standards for VTOL projects, made a few key changes in the second issue of its SC-VTOL criteria. Unlike the FAA AC, it will not be subject to public consultation.

The most notable change is an increase of the maximum certified takeoff mass (MCTOM) from 7,000 pounds to about 12,500 pounds, one of many examples of the regulator adjusting standards or wording to better align with the FAA AC.

Another key provision is the introduction of a requirement around electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS), which transmit data and signals across aircraft systems. Manufacturers will need to prove these can be operated without risk.

So far, China’s EHang is the only eVTOL manufacturer in the world to achieve type certification, awarded by China’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC) for the company’s EH216-S in October. Already, the manufacturer has completed commercial demonstration flights and begun mass production.

Things are moving a bit slower in the West, much to the chagrin of U.S. lawmakers and regulators, who don’t anticipate AAM operations at scale until 2028. It’s no secret that Western officials are wary of Chinese drones and electric vehicles, and the country’s growing AAM industry could be a threat to their dominance in that sphere as well.

Monday’s announcements should help accelerate the technology’s growth in the U.S. and Europe. In the coming months, expect the list of eVTOL companies with type certification bases to grow beyond Archer, Joby, and the handful of companies, among them Lilium and Volocopter, collaborating with EASA.

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Archer on Wednesday announced its subsidiary, Archer Air, received an FAA Part 135 air carrier and operator certificate, authorizing it to operate as a commercial airline as Midnight advances toward type certification. The manufacturer anticipates it will achieve that milestone next year. In the meantime, it plans on using its Part 135 approval to fly conventional aircraft “to refine its systems and procedures in advance of launching Midnight into service for airlines like United Airlines,” which in 2021 agreed to purchase $1 billion worth of Archer aircraft.

“Over my career, I’ve helped lead the buildout of JetBlue and Breeze Airways, and now that Archer has its Part 135 and 145 certificates from the FAA, I’m thrilled for our incredible team to commence operations on this innovative new air taxi service soon,” said Tom Anderson, chief operating officer of Archer Air.

The Part 135 certification process comprised five stages, Archer said. The manufacturer was required to submit operational manuals and procedures to the FAA, and company pilots demonstrated compliance with those materials under agency observation.

“This milestone reflects our team’s unwavering dedication to safety and operational excellence as we stand up one of the world’s first electric air taxi services for communities across the U.S. with a safe, sustainable and low noise transportation solution,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer.

Archer’s flagship Midnight is a zero-emission model designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on 20 to 50 sm (17 to 43 nm) air taxi routes, cruising at up to 150 mph (130 knots). The air taxi is intended to be cost competitive with ground-based rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft, replacing lengthy commutes with 10-to-20-minute flights, while producing significantly less noise than a helicopter.

Archer is one of just two eVTOL air taxi manufacturers to receive Part 135 permissions from the FAA, the other being competitor Joby Aviation. Joby, which unlike Archer intends to operate its own aircraft in the U.S., obtained its authorization in 2022.

Archer will have a hand to play in United’s operation of Midnight, though.

The company is developing a proprietary operations software platform, mobile booking platform, and technology that will integrate with vertiports, all of which will be essential to a commercial service. Now, it can begin to refine those platforms using conventional aircraft.

With Wednesday’s announcement, Archer now holds Part 135 and Part 145 certification, the latter of which authorizes it to perform select maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services. But Midnight won’t be able to fly commercially until it achieves type certification, which would validate the aircraft’s design, and production certification, which will allow Archer to begin producing the type-certified model.

The manufacturer has already begun building three type-conforming Midnight air taxis to be used in crewed flight testing later this year. For-credit evaluations with the FAA will follow and represent one of the most critical steps in the type certification process.

The agency in May awarded Archer final airworthiness criteria for Midnight, which laid out the standards it will use to gauge the aircraft’s ability to integrate safely into the national airspace. Competitor Joby is the only other eVTOL manufacturer to reach that step with the regulator, obtaining its own criteria one month prior.

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According to Tecnam, the company is now on track to begin deliveries to U.S. flight schools.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Tecnam P-Mentor

“The FAA certification of the P-Mentor is another significant milestone for the Tecnam team,” said  Giovanni Pascale Langer, Tecnam managing director. “We look forward to working with all U.S. flight schools to improve the quality of training and help them keep hourly rates low.” 

The performance specs of the Tecnam P-Mentor put its hourly fuel consumption at 3.7 U.S. gallons per hour.

• READ MORE: Tecnam Signs Deals for HCH Aviation Fleet Transition

Deliveries of the aircraft in North America will begin soon, with the first 20 going to HCH Aviation/Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Deliveries will also be made to Kilo Charlie Aviation in New Century, Kansas, and EpicSky Flight Academy in Des Moines, Iowa.

About the P-Mentor

The two-place P-Mentor sports a Rotax 912isC3, with a variable pitch propeller, simulated retractable landing gear, and optional ballistic parachute. The cockpit features a Garmin G3X IFR touchscreen suite compliant with the latest CS-23 EASA and FAA amendments. The aircraft is designed to take a learner from private pilot and instrument training up through commercial certification on a single platform.

According to Capua, Italy-based Tecnam, the P-Mentor is one of the most environmentally efficient designs available, with very low carbon dioxide emissions. 

“Recent study shows that flight schools operating with Tecnam single- and twin-engine fleets can reduce emissions by up to 60 percent: 10 tons of CO2 for each student by the time they receive their commercial pilot license,” the company said in a statement.

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The company on Wednesday announced it completed the build of its Certification System Bench, a flight test simulator designed to speed its path to an STC. The simulator contains the company’s certifiable software and hardware components and is located at its Boston headquarters.

An STC is issued by a regulator when a company intends to modify an aerospace product from its initial, type-certified design. The approval authorizes the modification and how it will affect the original product.

In the case of Merlin, the company is seeking an STC from New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for Merlin Pilot, its platform-agnostic, takeoff-to-touchdown autonomy system for fixed-wing aircraft. Pilot uses an array of sensors to understand the state of the aircraft and its surroundings. The firm is working toward concurrent validation with the FAA through a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between it and the CAA.

However, Merlin’s goal, at least in the short term, is not to remove the pilot from the cockpit entirely. Rather, it intends to supplement pilot workloads to combat the ongoing pilot shortage.

“In many ways, the Certification System Bench acts as a testing ‘funnel,’” said Sherif Ali, chief engineer for Merlin Pilot. “It allows us to test hundreds of cases with speed and ease, selecting edge cases to take to in-flight testing. As a result, we’re able to reduce the use of our test aircraft and keep it for limited cases only.”

The Certification System Bench will allow Merlin to test its automation systems from its headquarters, with no limitations due to factors such as weather, maintenance schedules, or pilot availability. The company says it provides a one-to-one replica of its in-flight technology, with three screens representing the pilot deck, instrument panels, and primary flight display.

The technology is equipped with the same software and hardware components found within the Pilot system. Further, cameras installed on the Bench allow Merlin’s global team to access it and perform testing remotely.

“With pilots on the Certification System Bench, we are able to learn multitudes about human factors while gaining accreditation towards our STC,” said Ali. “No other company in the sector has put more resources towards this type of testing simulator.”

According to Merlin, the Certification System Bench represents a “significant investment” for the firm—costing millions of dollars more than its actual aircraft—but one that will be worthwhile.

The company says ground tests on the Certification System Bench are accredited by aviation regulators, allowing those evaluations to contribute toward STC approval. Further, the technology should allow testing to become more routine. Technicians won’t need to worry about heavy rain or malfunctioning aircraft parts.

“Ensuring the Merlin Pilot is robust, safe, and reliable is our top priority, which underscores this [Certification] System Bench build as a huge milestone in Merlin’s certification journey,” said Matt George, founder and CEO of Merlin. “It took the team six months to design, vet solutions for, and build the Certification System Bench to extremely stringent specifications.”

Merlin is taking a “crawl-walk-run” approach to certification and operations, beginning with testing with the FAA and CAA, from which it recently obtained Part 135 operator approval. The next step will be to fly small aircraft with reduced crews, relying mostly on Pilot but augmented by a safety pilot. After that, the company intends to remove crews from small aircraft and reduce crews on larger aircraft.

Merlin received the first certification basis for an autonomous flight system from the CAA in 2023. Last year, Pilot also became the first autonomy system to secure U.S. National Airspace System integration and FAA validation, following agency-contracted uncrewed cargo network trials in Alaska, the company says.

Pilot so far has been integrated on five different aircraft types, including Dynamic Aviation’s fleet of Beechcraft King Airs and several aircraft from Ameriflight, the largest Part 135 cargo airline in the U.S.

Merlin further has a longstanding relationship with the U.S. Air Force, through which it has modified several military transport aircraft. In 2022, the company tested single-pilot crews aboard a Lockheed Martin C130J Hercules and conducted an autonomous refueling mission using a KC-46A Pegasus with no copilot.

In February, the partners extended their collaboration to demonstrate Pilot on a KC-135 Stratotanker. Merlin expects in-flight trials to begin next year, starting with a series of basic air refueling operations.

However, Merlin is not the only autonomous flight systems partner working with the Air Force. The department also has relationships with providers such as Xwing, Reliable Robotics, and rotorcraft manufacturer Sikorsky, which is developing an autonomy suite called Matrix.

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The approval was granted by the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC), representatives of which met with EHang founder, chairman, and CEO Huazhi Hu at a ceremony in Guangzhou’s Huangpu District on Sunday.

The event was attended by local government officials, including the district mayor of Huangpu District and deputy mayor of Yunfu City—the site of EHang’s main production facility. The facility is expected to churn out 600 aircraft annually once production scales.

EHang has now obtained production, type, and standard airworthiness certification for its flagship EH216-S: a self-flying, two-passenger design with a range of about 19 nm and cruise speed around 70 knots. The company said the latest approval gives the company “all requisite regulatory certifications” needed to lay the groundwork for commercial operations in China.

“We believe the collaborative efforts of pioneering low-altitude enterprises like EHang and governments, will infuse the industry with momentum and confidence, propelling the low-altitude economy towards a prosperous future,” said Dan Xu, deputy district mayor of Huangpu District.

Autonomous eVTOL aircraft like EHang’s EH216-S are intended to form what Chinese officials have termed the “low-altitude economy.” Similar to the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry being developed in places such as the U.S. and European Union, the low-altitude economy is expected to encompass aerial tourism and sightseeing, emergency medical services, passenger air taxi flights, and other eVTOL-related activities.

EHang in December gave citizens a glimpse of the promised services with commercial demonstration flights in the cities of Guangzhou and Hefei. According to the company, these represented the first passenger-carrying flights by an eVTOL. However, customers flew for free, and the service is not yet routine.

With production certification now joining EHang’s prior approvals, the company is in position to scale up those operations.

“The issuance of the PC [production certification] is pivotal for the EH216-S, as it opens the door to mass production and a crucial step for our advancement towards commercial operations,” said Hu. “With the PC as the starting point, we are poised to gradually expand production and delivery to meet escalating market demands. Our vision is to introduce safe and reliable pilotless eVTOL aircraft to the global market.”

The production certificate is validation from the CAAC that EHang’s mass production quality management system meets the regulator’s airworthiness requirements, authorizing it for mass manufacturing.

The quality management system covers EH216-S’s raw materials, supplier management, production organization and quality control, pre-delivery testing, and post-sale repair and maintenance. The system also enables traceability and safety control to ensure the aircraft rolling off the production line adhere to EHang’s type design requirements, the company says.

CAAC assessed 19 elements of the system and the company’s production capabilities, concluding it has the ability to produce aircraft that will fly safely in Chinese airspace.

EHang says the company is now preparing for commercial operations in China, such as by training personnel and developing EH216-S operational systems. According to the manufacturer, about 20 Chinese provinces are prioritizing the development of the low-altitude economy in 2024, including by enacting favorable policies and regulations, allocating funding and subsidies, and identifying suitable eVTOL takeoff and landing sites.

Recently released CAAC guidance positions the Nansha District in Guangzhou—one of the two cities in which EHang flew in December—as the focal point for the industry. The Guangzhou municipal government has announced several policy initiatives intended to back EHang, while Hefei has committed to invest as much as $100 million.

EHang’s China market entry is also being heavily supported by the central government, which last week released plans for the low-altitude economy through 2030. Beijing’s upcoming initiatives include the construction of takeoff and landing infrastructure, streamlining of airworthiness certification, and improvement of the country’s air traffic management system. The government also called to establish a network of eVTOL demonstration sites, with a particular focus on urban use cases.

EHang, working with CAAC, said it will help establish the world’s first regulatory system and standards for commercial eVTOL operations in the second quarter of this year. Several regulators, including the FAA and more recently the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), have proposed guidelines for such services, but few, if any, have finalized them.

Throughout 2024, EHang says it will coordinate with multiple governments to build eVTOL vertiports and shape the “benchmark” cities it views as ideal candidates for the low-altitude economy. It intends to launch commercial operation ceremonies for use cases such as aerial tourism and urban air taxis, using its demonstration sites in Guangzhou and Hefei in addition to its urban air mobility (UAM) operation center at OH Bay in Shenzhen.

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The milestone paves the way for deliveries of the long-awaited business jet—initially projected for the first quarter of 2024—to begin,

• READ MORE: What’s Next in New Aircraft

“We have successfully completed the most rigorous certification program in company history with the G700,” Gulfstream president Mark Burns said in a statement. “The G700 brings a new level of performance and cabin comfort to business aviation and is doing so while meeting the highest certification standards our industry has ever seen.”

• READ MORE: Engine Certification Brings Gulfstream G700, G800 Closer to Market Debut

The G700 is powered by two Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines and able to accommodate up to 19 passengers. 

According to the manufacturer, the certification of the G700 confirms new performance improvements, “giving customers increased flexibility and airport availability: a balanced field length takeoff distance of 5,995 feet and a landing distance of 3,150 feet (standard [International Standard Atmosphere] day, sea level), both shorter than originally anticipated.”

• READ MORE: New Gulfstream G700 Beats Projections During Testing

In September, Gulfstream said the G700 had a range up to 7,750 nm at Mach 0.85 or 6,650 nm at Mach 0.90, which represented a gain of 250 nm at both speeds compared to original projections. The aircraft’s top operating speed was Mach 0.935, and its cabin altitude was reduced to 2,840 feet.

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The manufacturer last week said it received a $10 million grant from the U.K. government through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) program, its fourth grant award through that initiative. The award brings Vertical’s total U.K. government grant funding to $47 million and follows founder and CEO Stephen Fitzpatrick’s personal commitment to provide another $50 million.

The company will use the money to develop next-generation propellers for the VX4, its flagship, four-passenger eVTOL air taxi. The propellers will be featured on Aircraft Two, a full-scale prototype in production that will build on its Aircraft One model.

Aircraft One is the company’s inaugural prototype that suffered a crash during uncrewed testing at Cotswold Airport (EGBP) in August. The accident damaged the model’s right wing and landing gear, and rendered it unusable for further flight testing.

“This exciting sustainable propeller project is a fantastic example of our commitment to our world-leading aviation sector, supporting high-skilled, high-paid jobs across the U.K. while developing technologies of the future,” said Nusrat Ghani, U.K. minister of state for industry and economic security. “When government and industry collaborate like this, we help our aerospace sector soar to new heights, leading the charge towards net-zero air travel by 2050.”

Vertical will head a consortium of U.K. technology organizations and research institutions, including the University of Glasgow, University of Bristol, Cranfield University, and Helitune, a helicopter monitoring specialist.

Of the more than $25 million being poured into the propeller project, Vertical said it received more than $10 million, or about half of the company’s eligible development costs. Another $4.5 million will be awarded to other consortium members.

According to Vertical, the new propellers will be lower in weight, inertia, and noise than its existing propellers and will be “delivered to a higher safety standard than any model currently on the market.”

“The project will see advancements in rotor technologies vital to the success of eVTOL aircraft developed here in the U.K., growing knowledge, skills and capability in the process,” said Mark Scully, head of propulsion and advanced systems technology for ATI. “Through this investment the ATI Programme is enabling the development of ultra-efficient and cross-cutting technologies.”

The award follows Fitzpatrick’s commitment to support Vertical with $50 million out of his own pocket. The company last week confirmed it has entered into an investment agreement with its founder and CEO, putting the promise to paper.

By its own estimate, Vertical risked running out of cash by September amid the fallout from its August crash and delays to its certification timeline, which over the years has been pushed from 2024 to 2026. The company reportedly missed a target to raise funding by December. Its previous raise of $205 million closed more than two years ago.

However, Vertical said Fitzpatrick’s contribution will extend its cash runway into mid-2025, with more funding potentially lined up pending the completed flight test campaign of Aircraft Two. Last month, it said the full-scale prototype was nearing completion at partner GKN Aerospace’s Global Technology Center in the U.K.

Aircraft Two is expected to be Vertical’s certification aircraft that it will use in for-credit type certification testing with the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). In addition to the next-generation propellers, the updated design adds a revamped powertrain, refined flight control system, and battery packs designed to meet thermal runaway safety requirements. It will feature components made by certification partners Honeywell, GKN, Hanwha, Solvay, and Leonardo.

Vertical intends for Aircraft Two to complete a flight campaign and several public demonstrations this year. These are expected to include an appearance at the Farnborough International Airshow at Farnborough Airport (EGLF) in July, as well as flights to and from London Heathrow Airport (EGLL).

In March, Vertical received CAA design organization approval (DOA), a required step in the regulator’s type certification process. Only a handful of air taxi firms, including Germany’s Volocopter and Lilium, have obtained DOA from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

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The manufacturer claims to have completed the world’s first public electric air taxi demonstration between two cities, flying its Prosperity eVTOL across the Pearl River Delta between the Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai. The flight—a journey that would take about three hours by car—lasted just 20 minutes.

AutoFlight’s five-seat air taxi—designed for a pilot plus up to four passengers—flew fully autonomous, with no onboard crew. The aircraft traveled through a complex environment home to 86 million and bordering several international airports, including Hong Kong International Airport (VHHH), Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (ZGSZ), and Macau International Airport (VMMC).

Prosperity is thought to hold the record for the longest eVTOL flight, completing a 155 sm (135 nm) journey in February 2023 to eclipse the previous high-water mark held by Joby Aviation.

“We are thrilled to showcase AutoFlight’s cutting-edge capabilities [Tuesday] in the world’s first cross-sea and intercity eVTOL demonstration flight,” said Tian Yu, founder, CEO, and chairman of AutoFlight. “Working closely together with the local authorities and partners here, and in other jurisdictions around the world, we will continue to drive this revolution to bring safe, efficient, sustainable and affordable eVTOL flight options to cities around the world.”

The flight path between Shenzhen and Zhuhai is one of an estimated 100 eVTOL routes being developed by the local government to form China’s low-altitude economy, akin to the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry developing in the U.S. and elsewhere. 

AutoFlight said the strategy will eventually create hundreds of air taxi routes and thousands of vertiports in southern China’s Greater Bay Area, providing passenger transport, tourism, logistics, and emergency services. According to the firm, plans are in development to achieve 300,000 uncrewed cargo flights in the region per year.

AutoFlight’s Prosperity boasts an estimated 155 sm (135 nm) range and 124 mph (108 knots) cruise speed, with a maximum takeoff weight of about 4,400 pounds. It is designed for instrument and full weather operations.

Prosperity’s all-electric, zero-emission propulsion systems powers 10 lift and three push propellers, producing just 65 dBA of noise during hover—approximately the volume of laughter or normal conversation. This will allow the aircraft to blend in with typical city traffic, AutoFlight said.

The aircraft was designed by Frank Stephenson, who has developed automobile concepts for Ferrari, McLaren, Maserati, and others. Stephenson was also the former head of product design for Lilium, a German eVTOL manufacturer designing an electric jet for premium customers. Prosperity’s “spacious and ergonomic” interior, which features inflight information and entertainment, mirrors Stephenson’s work for other high-end brands.

AutoFlight expects to receive certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) for crewed Prosperity passenger flights within the next two years. It also plans to perform crewed demonstrations at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, alongside other eVTOL manufacturers such as Volocopter. Working with Groupe ADP, which manages Paris international airports, the firm will install vertiport infrastructure at five sites in the region.

The manufacturer also intends to leverage its relationship with air transport operator Heli-Eastern, its partner in the Greater Bay Area. Heli-Eastern agreed to purchase 100 Prosperity aircraft, which it will fly on routes similar to the one demonstrated this week, as well as out of other regional transportation hubs.

“We warmly welcome our strong cooperation with Heli-Eastern, and together we are rapidly moving towards fully operational air-taxi routes all across the region,” Tian said.

While AutoFlight holds the record for the longest eVTOL flight, a Chinese competitor is the first in the industry to fly actual passengers.

EHang achieved the milestone in December after obtaining the world’s first eVTOL type certificate a few months prior, completing commercial demonstrations in Guangzhou and Hefei. The flights did not mark the official launch of routine service but represented a key step toward commercialization of the company’s self-flying air taxi.

According to CAAC, China will certify autonomous or remotely piloted eVTOLs before turning to aircraft with onboard pilots, which could similarly benefit AutoFlight. The company is also developing the CarryAll, an uncrewed cargo version of Prosperity with a payload of about 1,100 pounds and similar performance specifications.

According to comments from Mark Henning, managing director for AutoFlight Europe, the CarryAll is expected to obtain CAAC certification in 2024, with Prosperity following two to three years later. European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and FAA approval for Prosperity would come one to two years after that.

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The company this week said it was selected by Modern Technology Solutions Inc. (MTSI) and AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force, to participate in Agility Prime, a division of AFWERX dedicated to vertical lift technologies.

Under the new agreement, Pivotal delivered the first four of eight BlackFly preproduction eVTOLs and two flight simulators for lease to MTSI, which will be used in AFWERX and Air Force evaluations. MTSI supports AFWERX with flight testing and program management.

“AFWERX’s and MTSI’s decision to partner with Pivotal is a strong endorsement of our platform’s maturity and a milestone on our journey to mission relevance,” said Ken Karklin, CEO of Pivotal.

In addition to aircraft and simulators, Pivotal will provide pilot training and support services to its partners. The Air Force will leverage the partnership to perform a range of remotely piloted missions. It also plans to assess the benefits of the company’s unique “tilt-eVTOL” architecture for a variety of use cases.

Unlike many eVTOL designs that feature tilting motors or propellers, Pivotal decided to slant the entire airframe during the transition from hover to vertical or forward flight. This reduces aircraft weight, complexity, and points of failure, the company said.

“AFWERX continues to look for ways to accelerate our understanding of eVTOL operations, maintenance, logistics, and potential use cases.” said Lieutenant Colonel John Tekell, branch chief of Agility Prime. “One-two person eVTOLs have potential for several missions including special operations, surveillance, and disaster and emergency response with local command and control at a much lower price point than traditional helicopters.”

Pivotal, MTSI, and AFWERX will conduct the program out of New Braunfels National Airport (KBAZ), just 30 miles north of San Antonio in Texas, and the Air Force Research Laboratory’s National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport (KSGH) in Ohio. The goal will be to see if the outlandish design is a good fit for Air Force missions.

“Over the next eight months, we will fly eight BlackFly eVTOL aircraft in different environments to test their mission effectiveness and suitability in military uses,” said Vance Drenkhahn, executive vice president of MTSI’s defense services division.

BlackFly’s ability to fit inside a 16-foot trailer and go from storage to the sky in less than 30 minutes may be piquing the Air Force’s interest since these features make the aircraft easy to transport and deploy.

They are also present on Helix, Pivotal’s flagship model unveiled in October. Helix makes several upgrades to BlackFly, including a redesigned canopy and flight deck, more comfortable seating, and improved power, propulsion, and performance.

Helix hit the U.S. market in January, and customers can now purchase the aircraft for $190,000. For comparison, Helix costs slightly more than a Texas Aircraft Colt but less than a Beechcraft G36 Bonanza, Diamond DA40 NG, or Cessna 172 Skyhawk. Pivotal expects initial shipments to begin in June.

In addition to the strange tilt-aircraft design, Helix is notable for its low barrier to entry. With an empty weight below 350 pounds, the eVTOL qualifies as a Part 103 ultralight, meaning the FAA does not require pilot certification to fly it.

Instead, Pivotal will train customers how to fly the aircraft—which is commanded using fly-by-wire controls and a pair of simple joysticks—at its Palo Alto, California headquarters. In lieu of hundreds of hours of flight training, the company claims customers will be ready to fly in just two weeks, with recurrent training required after they receive their wings.

For those fearing an influx of inexperienced pilots, it may be reassuring that Helix comes with some restrictions. Customers will be required to fly during daytime and in Class G airspace, far from congested airspace and airports. They will also be restricted to about a 20 sm (17 nm) range and 63 mph (55 knot) cruise speed. In addition, pilots must be at least 18 years old, weigh less than 220 pounds, and stand no taller than 6-foot-5.

Customers can place a nonrefundable $250 deposit fee on Pivotal’s website to begin their order. To solidify a production slot and shipping date, they will need to deposit another $50,000 within five business days of the initial order.

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