On Monday at the Farnborough International Airshow in the U.K., Wisk, in an expansion of its partnership with vertiport developer Skyports, announced an electric air taxi network that it hinted could be ready in time for the marquee event.

Wisk and Skyports in 2022 gave an early look at their vision for an eVTOL air taxi network, complete with infrastructure for vertical takeoff and landing, or vertiports. They will function much like heliports with electric aircraft chargers to juice up Wisk’s air taxi.

The partners now are working with the Council of Mayors of Australia’s South East Queensland (SEQ) region, with which Wisk has collaborated since 2022, to devise a network for the company’s Generation 6 model.

A prototype of the flagship design has a range of 90 sm (78 nm) with reserves and charge time of 15 minutes. Like designs from competitors Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation, the Gen 6 features tilting propellers that aid in both vertical and forward flight. Wisk, though, is one of a handful of firms in the industry looking to fly autonomously at launch. It projects a commercial rollout will happen by the end of the decade.

Wisk and Skyports will pick out hubs for the air taxi across the SEQ region, home to an estimated 4 million and growing. The partners said they will study regional travel patterns, conduct feasibility studies, and speak with local communities about what to expect from the service.

They also noted that the region is already preparing for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games, saying they expect to plan out air taxi infrastructure in time for the big event.

“We’re excited to see this evolving industry bring high-value local jobs to SEQ and support improved services like medical and tourism,” said Scott Smith, CEO of the SEQ Council of Mayors. “To secure our place as a global destination, we must be at the forefront of adopting emerging technologies.”

Wisk is developing a similar network in Japan in partnership with flag carrier Japan Airlines.

It likewise has plans for the U.S. in the Greater Houston region of Texas and is working toward bringing the Gen 6 to Long Beach, California. Officials in Los Angeles are preparing for the introduction of air taxis ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, though it is unclear if Wisk will meet that deadline.

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The Chinese firm on Monday announced it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China Southern Airlines General Aviation (CSGAC), the GA subsidiary of China Southern Airlines, which in 2023 ranked as one of the 10 largest public airlines by revenue. EHang and CSGAC will focus mainly on flight operations, infrastructure support, demonstrations, and the development of new use cases for the former’s flagship EH216-S.

Since the aircraft is self-flying, the partners will not need to worry about pilot training, a common concern among U.S. manufacturers of piloted eVTOL models. Boeing air taxi subsidiary Wisk Aero is one of the few U.S. manufacturers seeking to fly autonomously at launch.

EHang’s model is intended to be a part of China’s low-altitude economy, an analog to the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry taking shape in the U.S. and abroad.

“CSGAC is actively exploring expansion into the emerging low-altitude industry,” said Erbao Li, chairman of CSGAC. “This cooperation will create innovative archetypes for the low-altitude economy, unlocking new growth opportunities for the general aviation industry and driving the high-quality advancement of the low-altitude economy industry chain in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.”

The companies intend to create demonstration sites at Zhuhai Jiuzhou Airport (ZGSD) and Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, a popular theme park, that will serve as hubs for aerial tourism in Zhuhai and the surrounding Greater Bay Area.

“As a frontrunner in the eVTOL industry, we believe that the safe operations of pilotless eVTOL aircraft is crucial to the industry’s development,” said Zhao Wang, chief operating officer of EHang. “Together with CSGAC, we will establish demonstration sites for pilotless eVTOL operations in the Greater Bay Area and spearhead safe, sustainable, and efficient low-altitude operations.”

The partners will also look at potential island-hopping use cases for the EH216-S, including cargo transport, emergency response, and medical evacuations. CSGAC will help train EHang operational personnel, build vertiport infrastructure, develop a platform for flight services, and define maintenance standards.

The arrangement is somewhat similar to those between Archer Aviation and United Airlines and Joby Aviation and Delta Air Lines, for example.

Unlike Archer and Joby, EHang already has begun delivering aircraft to customers. In December, the EH216-S became the first eVTOL air taxi to complete a commercial flight, a feat made more impressive by the fact that the aircraft flies entirely on its own. It followed that in May with the Middle East’s first passenger-carrying eVTOL demonstration.

The two-passenger aircraft has a range of about 22 sm (19 nm) and cruises at about 80 mph (70 knots), making it smaller and less capable than most piloted eVTOL designs, such as Archer’s Midnight or Joby’s air taxi. While those companies are focused mainly on transportation to and from airports, EHang will prioritize out-and-back aerial sightseeing trips.

A wingless design, the EH216-S deploys a coaxial dual-propeller architecture, with eight foldable arms housing 16 lift-and-thrust rotors.

The Chinese manufacturer has received plenty of help, obtaining financial and regulatory support from local and regional governments, particularly those in the cities of Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hefei. Unlike the FAA or European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), China’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC) wants to get autonomous aircraft in the skies first, perceiving them as safer than their crewed counterparts. EHang’s closest competitor is Autoflight, another manufacturer of self-flying eVTOL air taxis.

In addition to being the first to receive type certification, the EH216-S is also the first aircraft of its kind to be approved for airworthiness and mass production, which began in April. In February, the manufacturer revealed the price tag for the model: around $330,000, which, based on FLYING’s analysis, would make it one of the cheapest eVTOL air taxis on the market.

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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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“This shows that warfighter-centric innovation is not only possible; it’s producing real results,” Kathleen Hicks, U.S. deputy secretary of defense, said in a statement last week. “Together with the private sector and with support from Congress, the Replicator initiative is delivering capabilities at greater speed and scale while simultaneously burning down risk and alleviating systemic barriers across the department.”

Hicks did not specify which systems have been delivered, how many, or to whom. But the update marks progress toward equipping the U.S. military with aircraft that the deputy defense secretary previously described as “small, smart, cheap, and many.”

Replicator has largely been shrouded in secrecy since it was revealed by Hicks in October. The program seeks to produce UAS cheaply and at scale with the assistance of the private sector, including commercial manufacturers and defense companies.

“We are seeing contract awards for autonomous, attritable systems being increased in size and pulled forward,” the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which is supporting the program, says on its website.

The drones, which the DOD characterizes as all-domain attritable autonomous systems (ADA2), are designed to be deployed in minutes and be shot down with little to no impact on military capabilities, making them ideal for operations in high-risk environments, such as the battlefield.

Replicator’s primary objective is to help the U.S. keep pace with China’s growing military strength—the People’s Liberation Army has an estimated 2,200 combat aircraft and boasts the world’s largest Navy, per DOD data—but the aircraft will be deployed across multiple domains. The current 18-to-24-month initiative, Replicator 1, is intended to be the first of several iterations of the program.

The DOD operates more than 11,000 UAS across air, land, and sea mainly for training, testing, and surveillance. The smallest is the RQ-11B Raven, which weighs just over 4 pounds and can fly up to 6.2 sm (5.4 nm). At the other end of the spectrum are aircraft such as the remotely piloted RQ-4 Global Hawk, which weighs nearly 15,000 pounds and has a 131-foot wingspan.

Earlier this month, the department announced $500 million in funding for Replicator for fiscal year 2024, much of which comes from the 2024 defense spending bill. It also confirmed the first aircraft to benefit from the program’s accelerated speed and scale: the Switchblade-600, a loitering munition (known colloquially as a kamikaze drone) produced by California-based Aerovironment.

Switchblades, which can hover in the air for as long as 40 minutes before striking a target, have been used by Ukrainian soldiers and will add “additional capability to U.S. forces,” the department said. The first tranche, or batch, of Replicator-backed technology will include additional UAS and counter-UAS systems, some of which remain classified.

Now, at least some of those systems have been delivered. But whether or not they are Switchblades remains a mystery. A possible destination for the aircraft could be the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which oversees operations of U.S. forces in the region.

The DOD is seeking another $500 million in funding for Replicator in next year’s provisional budget, signaling that the program is only just beginning.

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Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, manufacturer of the solar-powered, ultralong-range K1000ULE uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), last week won a contract to provide the Navy with its first UAS capable of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL). The contract was agreed through PMA-263, the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Air Systems program office at Patuxent River, Maryland.

KHAero’s K1000ULE is a 100 percent electric, solar-powered, Group 2 UAS. The company claims the aircraft boasts a greater flight endurance than any eVTOL in its category, capable of remaining airborne for 26 hours during a single flight.

The U.S. Marine Corps Small Unit Remote Scouting System will field K1000ULE to enable what KHAero predicts will be simpler, faster, and more cost-effective intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. The UAS will also enhance the Navy’s beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations in “denied or contested areas.” Operations are fully autonomous, relying on onboard artificial intelligence and autopilot technology.

“Today we live with the prospect of a new era of defense technology in which autonomy and artificial intelligence will become more important,” said Fatema Hamdani, CEO of KHAero. “The Navy wants to discover what’s possible. And we’re honored to give them the solutions they need.”

KHAero claims K1000ULE has the longest endurance of any fully electric, zero-emissions, autonomous UAS in its size and weight category. Its 26-hour flight time comes from a propulsion system that runs on lithium ion batteries and photovoltaics (or solar power), powering a brushless electric motor and folding propeller. The aircraft’s solar technology is licensed by the U.S. Department of Energy, per the company.

KL1000ULE is about 10 feet long with a 16.5-foot wingspan, capable of taking off at a weight of 42.5 pounds and reaching an altitude of 20,000 feet msl. The aircraft cruises at around 30-40 knots, giving it a 1,000 sm (867 nm) range. It can be equipped with electro-optical, infrared, communications and other payloads. In addition, KHAero says it can accommodate any Department of Defense MOD Payload compliant payload.

KHAero’s focus is largely on data, intelligence, and communication services, created using multidrone coordination systems. It aims to service customers in emergency and disaster relief, data and telecommunications, defense, agriculture, oil and gas, climate change, and wildlife preservation.

The company’s system additionally shares information across platforms to allocate aircraft on demand, based on sensor needs. In the case of the Navy, crews across operations will be able to keep informed on the UAS’ status.

A single Navy operator could operate a swarm of K1000ULE drones, creating a “self-aware constellation,” in KHAero’s words, that autonomously makes decisions and performs terrain and airspace deconfliction.

The system is controlled through a wearable tablet interface, which helps the user select a coverage area and launch the correct number of assets within 15 minutes. Operators can review or change the coverage area or mission objectives, view the position, flight time, and battery power of the aircraft, and track how many drones are in the sky.

Before awarding the contract to KHAero, the Navy made sure to vet the aircraft, requesting that the manufacturer demonstrate a range of capabilities. U.S. and international partners deployed it for the first time in March 2023,  conducting operations over Aqaba, Jordan, as part of the International Maritime Exercise 2023.

Further evaluations were performed at both KHAero and U.S. government test facilities and overseen by the UAS Research and Operations Center at the University of Maryland. Among the capabilities and technologies tested were flight endurance, vertical takeoff and landing without a runway, and operations in daytime, nighttime, and other environmental conditions.

Removing the runway requirement is a key component of KHAero’s offering. The company also aims to reduce the Navy’s UAS operational footprint from 120-150 to less than five people, performing testing on K1000ULE’s maneuverability. Further, KHAero expects these operations to be nearly undetectable, which it tested by having the Navy track the drone’s audio and visual signatures from the ground.

After gauging K1000ULE’s capabilities, the partners performed reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition tests. They evaluated the aircraft’s full motion video capabilities, which can identify and classify targets, among other mission systems packages.

The Navy could use the UAS to scout an unidentified vehicle, track enemy force movements, shadow friendly troops on the move, or perform other ISR tasks. KHAero is among several aircraft and technology manufacturers collaborating with the U.S. military—Archer Aviation, Pivotal, Xwing and many others are working with the Air Force via its innovation arm, AFWERX.

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The company on Tuesday introduced its drone Ecosystem, a suite of ground, air, and software products wrapped into a single platform to enable drone delivery for retailers, healthcare providers, restaurants, and other customers. According to DroneUp CEO Tom Walker, the firm will roll out the solution next quarter and continue adding locations over the next 18 to 24 months.

Walker says the DroneUp Ecosystem is the first fully automated end-to-end drone delivery system. It combines a suite of software operating systems, two next-generation drones, and automated ground infrastructure, which the company believes will make its services more scalable, accessible, and affordable.

In partnership with DroneUp, Walmart operates a network of 36 hubs based out of stores in Florida, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Utah, Arizona, and North Carolina. The world’s largest retailer is also working with drone delivery firms Zipline, Flytrex, and Alphabet’s Wing.

In addition, DroneUp has relationships with state agencies in Utah, Hawaii, Iowa, Florida, and Rhode Island.

“Our work with leading retailers and quick-service restaurants has provided us with valuable insights into the speed and convenience that end customers desire from drone delivery,” said Walker. “Our Ecosystem is designed to exceed those expectations, enabling us to perform millions of deliveries daily.”

The DroneUp Ecosystem comprises three components. On the ground is DBX, a secure outdoor locker with climate-controlled package management that can be stored in spaces smaller than a parking spot. DBX will enable autonomous package pickup and returns for customers. The locker can be reconfigured in a variety of ways, capable of being installed on the side of a building or rooftop. Depending on the configuration, it can hold as many as 100 packages.

The company’s two next-generation drones will be able to land automatically and precisely on top of DBX. The smaller model flies at 60 mph for up to 30 sm (26 nm), which DroneUp says gives the Ecosystem a 15-mile service coverage radius around integrated vendors. It can carry up to 10 pounds of cargo. A higher endurance model can fly for 100 miles round trip and accommodate heavier payloads. Both aircraft are designed to complete deliveries in less than 30 minutes.

The drones come equipped with internal package storage for rain, snow, and sun protection, and are capable of flying in winds as fast as 30 knots. DroneUp says the next-generation models will have industry-leading size and weight capacity to support a higher volume of orders than ever before. In addition, Walker notes they will make about as much noise as a refrigerator when flying at delivery altitude.

Onboard charging technology eliminates the need for ground personnel to swap out the drones’ battery packs, giving them more uptime. Onboard vertical clearance sensing, meanwhile, automatically determines the drone’s height over obstacles. At the delivery site, the drone can release a claw-like package grasper to perform aerial drops or winch up to 120 feet, enabling autonomous pickup and drop-off.

Crucially, the drones can fly from a DBX to a customer’s home or between the outdoor hubs. The automated lockers will be deployed as delivery sites in urban areas to serve apartments, college campuses, office buildings, and other hard-to-reach locations.

The process is simple. A retailer packs and places the order in the DBX, which autonomously secures and prepares it for pickup. The locker then opens its top for a drone’s winch to grab the package. Once the order arrives at another DBX, customers can scan a code or use a mobile app to complete an identification verification process and retrieve it.

Orchestrating the drones and ground infrastructure is an autonomous flight planning and control application. Walker points out that DroneUp operators will function like air traffic controllers, monitoring swaths of airspace rather than individual drones. This will allow a single operator to supervise multiple flights.

The autonomous flight planning system includes digitized maps and advanced flight coordination features, such as detect-and-avoid technology, which DroneUp maintains will enable flights beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS). The company in January obtained FAA approval to fly BVLOS without stationing human observers along routes, joining a handful of firms that also includes Zipline and Wing.

The software’s multidimensional pathfinding system allows drones to fly around, over, or under obstacles, adjusting routes accordingly. The cloud-based system can also accommodate surges in demand by allocating drones to areas with high activity.

The Ecosystem is not DroneUp’s first foray into automation. In 2023, it partnered with Iris Automation to build what is essentially an air traffic control system for uncrewed drones. The company will deploy Iris’ ground-based, detect-and-alert system across a network of “nodes” spread throughout its delivery areas. Much like cellphone towers, these will communicate airspace traffic data to improve BVLOS visibility.

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The Lockheed Martin-owned firm on Tuesday unveiled its plan to build, test, and fly a fully autonomous, hybrid-electric VTOL demonstrator called HEX, which it said will be the first in a series of large, self-flying VTOL models.

Sikorsky said the HEX program is its first attempt to integrate hybrid-electric propulsion systems and advanced autonomy onto a VTOL design. The aircraft is intended to save fuel and improve performance for both commercial and military applications.

The manufacturer first hinted at a VTOL design in December 2022, announcing plans to design the HEX prototype in March. But Tuesday’s announcement revealed the aircraft will feature a unique tilt-wing architecture.

Tiltrotor or tilt-propeller designs are common in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi space. They involve the repositioning of those components during the transition between vertical and forward flight. Tilt-wings, by contrast, rotate the entire wing vertically during takeoff to minimize their interference on thrust.

Sikorsky also confirmed that HEX represents the inception of a family of next-generation VTOL aircraft, which was only mentioned as a possibility in March. The designs will include both rotorcraft and winged models, the company said.

The aircraft will feature different degrees of electrification, but each will be powered by the company’s Matrix autonomy system for “optionally piloted flight.” Matrix enables an aircraft to be flown by two, one, or zero pilots.

“Autonomy and electrification will bring transformational change to flight safety and operational efficiency of large VTOL aircraft,” said Paul Lemmo, president of Sikorsky. “Our HEX demonstrator program will provide valuable insights as we look to a future family of aircraft built to the scale and preferred configurations relevant to commercial and military customers.”

Sikorsky is exploring the potential for such aircraft to perform utility missions for the U.S. military or fly passengers between cities. Other manufacturers exploring eVTOL designs for air taxi services, recreational flight, or potential military use include Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, and Pivotal.

According to Sikorsky’s website, HEX will be safer to fly and more efficient, cost effective, and sustainable to operate than conventional rotorcraft or fixed-wing designs. It said the aircraft will be capable of traveling 500 nm at high speed, lowering maintenance costs and limiting mechanical systems to reduce complexity.

Sikorsky Innovations—the company’s prototyping arm leading the HEX program—is working with partner GE Aerospace, the aircraft engine supplier subsidiary of General Electric, to finalize the design for a hybrid-electric power systems testbed aircraft, with a 600-kilowatt motor.

The testbed is the “first step,” according to the manufacturer and will be used to evaluate hover performance of the subsequent HEX demonstrator. The demonstrator will have a maximum gross weight of 9,900 pounds and a 1.2-megawatt-class turbogenerator, instead of the 1-megawatt generator proposed in March. Sikorsky in March also said that GE Aerospace would provide a CT7 turboshaft engine, though Tuesday’s announcement made no mention of it.

Over the next two to five years, the testbed and HEX demonstrator are expected to provide Sikorsky with insights into its future class of VTOL aircraft for regional and intercity travel.

“Within Sikorsky’s electric pillar, we are designing electric motors, power electronics and our own vehicle management hardware and actuation,” said Igor Cherepinsky, director of Sikorsky Innovations. “HEX will integrate these components, showcasing the growing maturity of our Matrix autonomy suite and the potential for maintenance-free systems. Seeing the results will lead us to more efficient overall designs.”

Sikorsky Innovations has developed three experimental helicopter prototypes featuring a coaxial design, with a rear propulsor in place of a tail rotor: the X2 demonstrator, S-97 Raider, and SB-1 Defiant. These models fly twice as fast as a single main rotor helicopter, with improved maneuverability and handling at low speeds, the manufacturer said.

Sikorsky has also worked with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to demonstrate military resupply and casualty evacuation. The missions were completed using an optionally piloted UH-60A Black Hawk retrofitted with Matrix and a full-authority, fly-by-wire flight control system.

VTOL technology is a decidedly new addition to the mix, by Sikorsky’s own admission. But the manufacturer’s long history of producing rotorcraft may help it merge VTOL with its existing airframes and autonomous capabilities.

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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 manufacturer on Wednesday announced a partnership with the city of Sugar Land, Texas, to bring advanced air mobility (AAM) to the Greater Houston area, including plans to build a vertiport at Sugar Land Regional Airport (KSGR).

Wisk and the city will assess locations for a vertiport and potential training and maintenance facilities at the airport, which has been designated as a reliever airport for George Bush Intercontinental Airport (KIAH) and Hobby Airport (KHOU) in Houston. Sugar Land Regional manages 75,000 operations annually, with capacity for up to 268,000.

The initial partnership is intended to establish a larger Wisk network connecting the entire  region, such as routes between downtown Houston and the Houston Airport System.

“The Greater Houston area is experiencing some of the highest population growth in the country, which calls for new and efficient ways to move across the region,” said Brian Yutko, CEO of Wisk. “Sugar Land’s strategic location within the Greater Houston region, and its forward-thinking city leadership, make it an ideal partner for us and one that is uniquely positioned as an early leader in the launch of air taxi services.”

Wisk’s four-seat Gen 6 prototype has a range of 90 sm (78 nm) with reserves. It has an estimated charge time of 15 minutes, and Wisk in 2022 said it was targeting a per-mile price of just $3 per passenger.

Twelve wing-mounted electric propellers—six fore and six aft—power the aircraft, with rear-mounted motors providing vertical lift. In forward flight, the aft propellers turn off and stow while the front propellers tilt forward to support cruising at 110-120 knots on fixed wings.

What makes the design unique, however, is its autonomy. Among major eVTOL air taxi competitors, only China’s EHang—which completed the first passenger-carrying eVTOL air taxi flight in December—is looking to fly without an onboard pilot from the jump.

Wisk said it has spent the past 18 months developing a Greater Houston stakeholder ecosystem to bring self-flying air taxis to the region. The company will work with Sugar Land, local stakeholders, and the FAA to develop ground and air infrastructure. It will also support the technical side of AAM operations, including pilot training, ground operations procedures, and plans for a potential site expansion.

The city, meanwhile, will focus on charting long-term AAM integration, engaging the local community, and creating regulations around considerations such as vertiport permitting and noise levels.

Together, Wisk and the city will explore adding maintenance and training facilities to Sugar Land Regional Airport. They will also collaborate with local and regional stakeholders to draw up routes connecting the city with the Greater Houston area.

“Sugar Land is a great place to start in the Houston region, because we want to be a city where innovation is second nature, where creativity is encouraged and where change is embraced,” said Michael Goodrum, Sugar Land city manager.

So far, Texas is not on the radar of many of Wisk’s competitors. Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation, for example, combined have announced plans to fly in cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles but not Houston, Dallas, or San Antonio.

However, the state is beginning to embrace technologies such as drone delivery, with Alphabet subsidiary Wing and Ireland’s Manna recently touching down in Dallas. Further, Overair, another Wisk competitor, partnered with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW) and the city of Arlington to explore service in the DFW area.

Adding to the momentum is recently passed legislation, Texas Senate Bill 2144, that established a state AAM advisory committee. The bill took effect in September.

“These public-private partnerships are exactly what we hoped would result from the passage of our legislation during the 88th Legislative Session and solidifies Texas as a leader in this new technology space,” said David Cook, a member of the Texas House of Representatives.

Outside the Lone Star State, Wisk is also eyeing operations in Los Angeles, where in October it completed what it says was the city’s first public eVTOL air taxi demo using its fifth generation aircraft, Cora.

The manufacturer does not have firm launch plans for the City of Angels. However, it has an alliance with the Long Beach Economic Partnership to explore the impact of autonomous air taxis on the local economy and has been flight testing in the city since September.

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San Francisco Bay Area-based MightyFly on Friday unveiled the 2024 Cento: its autonomous, third-generation, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) cargo aircraft for same-day delivery. The announcement comes almost one calendar year after the company revealed its second-generation design.

Like a delivery van, the Cento will arrive at a fulfillment center, receive packages, fly to a destination, unload its cargo, and take off for its next delivery. All of those operations will be automated and monitored remotely from a command center. The aircraft is designed to carry up to 100 pounds of cargo over 600 sm (521 nm), cruising at 150 mph (130 knots).

MightyFly also announced that it received a special airworthiness certificate and certificate of authorization from the FAA to establish an air corridor between California’s Byron Airport (C83) and New Jerusalem Airport (1Q4), up to 5,000 feet agl. It expects to begin flight testing along the route in the coming months.

The 2024 Cento unveiling event at MightyFly’s San Leandro, California, headquarters featured stationary aircraft demonstrations for a crowd of partners, investors, potential customers, and even government representatives.

“MightyFly’s new eVTOL will revolutionize industries, such as manufacturing, retail, and healthcare, and will transform life in rural and remote areas,” said Manal Habib, co-founder and CEO of MightyFly. “All of us at MightyFly are extremely excited to be working at the forefront of a new era of automation and innovation.”

The Specs

According to MightyFly, the new design’s biggest advantage is its ability to accommodate a wide range of payloads’ center of gravity. A basketball hoop, for example, would typically be difficult to transport because of its odd shape and weight distribution. Cento, though, can handle a variety of cargo contents, densities, loading orders, and tie-down positions.

“This design attribute is expected to be a key technology differentiator for the Cento platform and its utility to be extremely valuable and competitive in the market,” MightyFly said in a news release.

The 2024 Cento also introduces a significantly larger cargo bay than its predecessor. MightyFly optimized the cargo area to hold as many packages as possible while sticking to the aircraft’s 100-pound capacity. 

This, the company said, will open up use cases in logistics, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, retail, automotive, and oil and gas. The eVTOL could also be used for humanitarian aid or disaster relief or be deployed on defense or resupply missions. It can even carry refrigeration boxes, often used for organ donor and blood bag transport in the healthcare industry.

The third-generation design flies on its own, and can load and unload packages autonomously. MightyFly’s Autonomous Load Mastering System (ALMS) can open and close the cargo bay door, secure packages in (or eject them from) the cargo hold, and even sense the payload’s weight and balance to determine its center of gravity. All of this minimizes the need for ground support in Cento operations.

The company is working with Agility Prime, the vertical lift division of the U.S. Air Force’s innovation arm, AFWERX, and the Air Mobility Command to further develop ALMS—and possibly uncover a few Air Force use cases along the way.

Some other features of the upgraded model include:

• Bi-wing design to enable substantial trim of the aircraft’s center of lift
• Structural conductors for reduced weight and improved reliability
• Composite structure to boost payload capacity
• Use of the canard for landing gear for reduced drag and increased efficiency

MightyFly completed production of the third-generation Cento this month and will soon begin aircraft qualification tests, picking up the test plan of its previous model. It also expects to launch A-to-B test flights between Byron and New Jerusalem airports, which will see the eVTOL integrated alongside GA aircraft. The next step: A-to-B customer flight demonstrations.

The first of these may come in the fall when the firm plans to publicly debut point-to-point autonomous cargo delivery in Michigan. The state contracted MightyFly for the flights last year, and the company is reportedly in discussions with potential business partners to expand into the region.

Michigan also recently poured $7 million into a drone park at 97-year-old Battle Creek Executive Airport (KBTL). The site will host drones in addition to eVTOL aircraft and is billed as the Silicon Valley of Michigan, with hopes for it to one day lead the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) industry.

MightyFly is also scheduled to demonstrate autonomous loading, unloading, and balancing of packages for the Air Force in 2025, followed by additional proof of concept programs.

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