SAFRAN SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH ELECTRA TO DEVELOP TURBOGENERATOR FOR ITS HYBRID-ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT

Safran Helicopter Engines has signed an agreement with Electra to develop the 600 kW electric turbogenerator propulsion system for the prototype of Electra's nine-passenger hybrid-electric short take-off and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.

ARE ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS PULLING OUT?

Last month NASA announced that it was abandoning its multipropellor electric X-57 Maxwell project as unflyable while Daher, Safran and Airbus whisked the cover off a multi-prop electric aircraft at the Paris airshow. They said it has flown 27 test hours. In addition Tecnam said the company was suspending work on its P-volt twin, an electric airliner based on the piston-powered P2012.

WHY HYBRID ELECTRIC? FEATURE BY AMPAIRE

This is a question Ampaire often fields from those interested in why we are not going full battery electric like the Tesla, or why we do not just switch to burning a new type of fuel such as hydrogen. The answer lies in the unique way that aircraft operate and the need to scale to a wide variety of aircraft sizes and missions.

INNOVATIVE STARTUP REVOLUTIONISING AERIAL MONITORING AND LOGISTICS WITH AUTONOMOUS AIRSHIPS

South African startup, Cloudline, is making a remarkable global impression with its groundbreaking autonomous airship technology. The innovative platform, developed in Stellenbosch South Africa, is set to transform the realm of aerial monitoring, data gathering and remote logistics.

PRIMOCO UAV AND AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Czech UAV manufacturer Primoco UAV SE executed a Memorandum of understanding with Airbus Defence and Space and its affiliate, Airbus DS Airborne Solutions, on cooperation in the area of unmanned aerial systems.

ARE DRONE LIGHT SHOWS SLOWLY REPLACING FIREWORKS DISPLAYS?

As the world moves towards a greener outlook from the highly dangerous fireworks displays on Guy Fawkes 5 November and New Year's Eve that terrorise the neighbourhood may be replaced by much safer drone light shows as a colourful alternative.

US STANDS READY FOR POTENTIAL SPACE CONFLICT, AMID TENSIONS WITH RUSSIA AND CHINA

The United States stands prepared for potential orbital conflicts amid escalating tensions with Russia and China, a top US military official told The Guardian, adding that the US \"is ready to fight tonight in space if we have to.\"

HYDROGEN HELICOPTER TO BE DEVELOPED BY PIASECKI AT SIKORSKY FACTORY

Piasecki Aircraft Corporation (PIAC) will develop its PA-890 hydrogen-powered helicopter at the former Sikorsky factory in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.

VERTICAL AEROSPACE RELEASE DATE SLIPS

Vertical Aerospace has pushed its certification timetable back towards the end of 2026 after a confluence of factors began to induce drag on operations

BLADE AIR MOBILITY SEES GROWTH IN MEDICAL BUT STAGNATION IN PASSENGER SERVICES

Soaring over Westchester County Airport (KHPN) in White Plains, New York, was Beta Technologies' ALIA-250 eVTOL aircraft, part of a flight test between Beta and partner Blade Air Mobility as the latter looks to transition to an air taxi service.

RESEARCHERS FIND THAT PROPELLERS ARE LOUDER OVER GROUND

For the very first time the effects of the ground on propeller noise have been measured experimentally by researchers in the Aeroacoustics research team at the University of Bristol

VOLTAERO CASSIO ELECTRIC-HYBRID AIRCRAFT

Bids are being sought for the construction of an industrial site at Rochefort - Charente-Maritime Airport in France's NouvelleAquitaine region where VoltAero is to perform the assembly and deliveries of its Cassio electrichybrid aircraft family.

PIPISTREL VELIS ELECTRO: NOW CERTIFIED IN THE USA

There is so much buzz around the emergence of electric airplanes that it is easy to forget what animates most of the enterprise is press releases. Cutting through this background noise is the innovative Slovenian company, Pipistrel. In 2020, as it promised it would, it announced the first certified electric airplane in the United States, the Velis Electro.

LESSOR ROCKTON TO PURCHASE UP TO 40 ES-30 AIRPLANES FROM HEART AEROSPACE

SeoulSwedish investment and aircraft leasing company Rockton will acquire up to 40 of Heart Aerospace's EA-30 regional electric airplanes, converting an earlier letter of intent with the Swedish airplane maker into firm purchase orders for 20 airplanes with purchase rights for 20 more.

AURA AERO REVEALS FINAL DESIGN FOR HYBRID-ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT

During a public presentation on 12 May 2023, French startup AURA Aero has revealed the final design of its hybrid-electric aircraft currently under development. The ERA, a 19-seater, 900nm-range aircraft designed for the regional market, was unveiled

STEADICOPTER AND BIRD AEROSYSTEMS REVEAL NEW CAPABILITY FOR THE BLACK EAGLE 50H

A leader in the Rotary Unmanned Aerial Systems (RUAS) industry, Steadicopter and BIRD Aerosystems, a global provider of innovative defence technology and solutions that protect the air, sea and land fleets of governments and related agencies, have unveiled the BlackEagle 50H, an advanced hybrid unmanned helicopter, featuring a miniature airborne radar with advanced proprietary technology, for use in maritime intelligence missions.

HEVENDRONES LAUNCHES HYDROGEN-POWERED DRONE FOR COMMERCIAL AND DEFENCE USE

As a leader in the development and commercialisation of actionable drones, launched its first drone for commercial HevenDrones hydrogen-powered use, the H2D55. With five times greater energy efficiency than traditional lithium battery-powered drones, the H2D55 is capable of flying for 100 minutes with a payload capacity of seven kg

LEONARDO JOINS THE SHAREHOLDERS AND BOARD OF FLYINGBASKET, CARGO DRONE STARTUP IN EUROPE

Just a few months after its investment by venture capital fund Cysero, the South Tyrolean startup makes another excellent entry and continues its growth path. A new and important milestone in the growth path of Flying Basket, the South Tyrolean startup has been able to carve out a role for itself as an absolute leader in the high-capacity drone industry in Europe just a few years after its inception

AMERIFLIGHT RECEIVES FAA EXEMPTION TO OPERATE DRONES

Ameriflight is the United States's largest Part 135 cargo airline. In the 55-years since its 1968 founding, the company has evolved from a small air-charter provider and cargo service into an international operator with 14 bases, 1,500 weekly departures and two-hundred destinations

MASSIVE ENERGY GROWTH REQUIRED BY FUTURE AVIATION

As the increased use of low carbon aviation fuels, their production and necessary energy input will become a major infrastructure consideration. With sustainability a key area of focus for the aviation industry, design and engineering consultancy Atkins has released a white paper examining the energy requirements needed to meet future aviation demand.

LATEST 'FLYING-CAR' OFFERING: LOOKS LIKE A FERRARI, FLIES LIKE A CITATION MUSTANG

Go for a long drive, or flight- or both, with the Firenze Lanciare, or Fusion JC7, jet-engine car. With more power and torque than both the Ferrari 488 Pista and Lamborghini Aventador, the Firenze is a force on the road or in the air. The future is here and the future is flying cars.

THE 'TOP GUN' PILOTS SELECTED TO FLY THE FIRST COMMERCIAL EVTOL FLIGHTS IN 2025

INTERVIEW WITH STELL A HUGHES FROM CAE

JEKTA SIGNS MOU WITH HONEYWELL

Jekta, the Switzerland-based manufacturer of the electrically powered Passenger Hydro Aircraft Zero Emission 100 (PHA-ZE 100) amphibious flying boat, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Honeywell. The accord signifies the first step in exploring, identifying and confirming a suite of Honeywell systems to integrate with the world's first 19-seat, electrically powered, regional, amphibious aircraft.

SKYPORTS DRONE SERVICES COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL DRONE DELIVERY PROOF OF CONCEPT

Skyports Drone Services has successfully completed a drone delivery proof of concept (PoC) in partnership with Kaga City (Japan) and Kanematsu Corporation. Kanematsu Corporation has partnered with Kaga City since 2021 for the promotion of regional revitalisation through the use of drones and aerial vehicles.

US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE PURCHASE 21 BRITISH TACTICAL RESUPPLY UNMANNED AIR CRAFT SYSTEMS

On 29 March, senior Marine Corps leaders and logisticians attending the ILB observed the TRUAS, a large, drone-like aircraft, carry a payload over a short distance, drop it at a specified location and return to the starting point. According to Master Sgt. Chris Genualdi, an airborne and air delivery specialist with Combat Development and Integration the concept of using a drone to transport supplies may sound simple, but the implications could have a significant impact on combat supply transportation.

SKY POWER INTERNATIONAL TO EXHIBIT TOGETHER WITH UAS GLOBAL SERVICES AT XPONENTIAL 2023

Sky Power International and UAS manufacturer UAS Global Services are exhibiting together at Xponential 2023 in Denver, Colorado. The Texas-based company is using engines from the German two-stroke and Wankel engine specialist.

AEROVIRONMENT AWARDED $64.6 MILLION CONTRACT FOR SWITCHBLADE 300 LOITERING MISSILE SYSTEMS

On 24 March AeroVironment, Inc. received additional funding of US$64,565,126 from the US Army Tactical Aviation and Ground Munitions (TAGM) project office for the procurement of Switchblade Ⓡ 300 loitering missile systems.

DJI ANNOUNCES MINI 2 SE DRONE

Shenzhen DJI Sciences and Ltd, more widely Technologies known as Da Jiang Innovations, or simply DJI is a Chinese state-backed designer and manufacturer of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

SPIRIT OF INNOVATION' STAKES CLAIM TO BE THE WORLD'S FASTEST ALL-ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT

Rolls-Royce believes its all-electric 'Spirit of Innovation' is the world's fastest all-electric aircraft, setting three new world records. We have submitted data to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) that control and certify world aeronautical and astronautical records.

US AIR FORCE AWARDS XWING AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT

Based on the Cessna 208 Caravan, Xwing and the US Air Force have begun autonomous flight trials of the firm's 'Superpilot' flight control system.