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Archer, NASA link-up on future AAM uses starts with enhanced battery capacities

Archer NASA AAM

Air taxi developer Archer Aviation has announced a new partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which will initiate their mutual research into future advanced air mobility (AAM) applications with what they see as the lynchpin of the new tech’s performance – powerful but safe batteries.

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Air taxi developer Archer to equip Atlantic Aviation airports with eVTOL charging tech [Update]

Archer evtol air taxi

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) plane manufacturer Archer has announced a deal to outfit a host of airports across the US run by aeronautical fixed-base operator Atlantic Aviation with charging equipment for electric ground transport vehicles and future air taxis.

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Skepticism, legal action add drag to EHang’s air taxi launch effort

EHang air taxi eVTOL

EHang continues to advance toward the introduction of air taxi services following the reception of the “Type Certificate” of its EH216-S electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) craft from China’s regulators, and most recently inaugurated its Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Operation Demonstration Center in Shenzhen’s Bao’an district. Yet despite – or perhaps because of – its continued progress, the startup’s US detractors appear bent on complicating its launch of passenger activity with repeated attacks.

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EASA opens drone, AAM, air taxi public acceptance platform

EASA AAM air taxi

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has introduced a digital space to enable exchange between stakeholders of future advanced air mobility (AAM) craft – from drones to air taxis – and act as a resource for interested members of the public who’ll ultimately be using their services. The question now is, will José and Jacques Q. Public actually consult the platform?

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Volocopter, short on partners, pauses Singapore air taxi plan: report

Volocopter Singapore air taxi

European urban air mobility (UAM) company Volocopter is experiencing unexpected turbulence in its efforts to roll out initial air taxi services around the world, with its launch project in Singapore reportedly having been put on hold just as its plans to debut aerial activity in Paris have met sharp political opposition.

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Air taxi maker Joby gets $10M California pre-production AAM grant

Joby AAM air taxi

Leading global advanced air mobility (AAM) company Joby may have decided to set up its future production line in Ohio as the most financially alluring locale vying for its presence, but California is looking to get as much job creation and economic activity from the Santa Cruz-based air taxi startup before its focus shifts east – and has just handed over a nearly $10 million grant to prove it.

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Joby throws shade on Archer-BETA eVTOL recharging partnership

Joby Archer BETA eVTOL

In a direct rebuff of this week’s announcement by electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) plane rivals Archer and BETA Technologies on co-developing an open-use aircraft recharging system, air taxi company Joby not only insisted it’s sticking with its own battery-juicing tech, but urged the entire sector to adopt it as the industry standard to boot.

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Joby says its air taxi is 84% through FAA Stage Three certification

Joby FAA air taxi

Air taxi developer Joby has offered a few reminders of why it has gained the reputation for being among (if not the) leading advanced air mobility (AAM) companies with an update to investors revealing it had completed 84% of its Stage Three certification work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

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US Air Force and FAA to work together on AAM aircraft integration

FAA Air Force AAM

Responding to political criticism and even some concern within the next generation aviation sector, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said it will team up with the US Air Force to study the operation and effective integration of advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft into the nation’s airspace.

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Japan grants eVTOL maker SkyDrive $82M for AAM development

SkyDrive AAM eVTOL

In a move reflecting the national interests in the race between next-generation aviation companies to bring advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles to market, Japan’s SkyDrive has received 12.4 billion yen ($82.7 million) from the government to support the development of the startup’s electric vertical takeoff and landing craft (eVTOL).

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Senate approves AAM, airline exec Michael Whitaker as FAA chief

FAA AAM

The US Senate has confirmed aviation veteran Michael G. Whitaker to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at the time when the nation’s system for managing traditional aircraft shows signs of serious strain, and the agency struggles to integrate nearing advanced air mobility (AAM) services like air taxis into the national airspace.

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Fickle Wall Street: Publicly traded drone, AAM companies grapple with stock delisting warnings

drone aam wall street

Like most successful startups that preceded them, many drone companies – and above all, the advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft developers first inspired by UAVs – factored in stock flotations as an essential source of their financing (and possibly self-perceptions as leading sector forces). Now, however, some are finding being traded on Wall Street can generate as much distraction and drag as it has capital to soar from.

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FAA conditionally approves first vertiport for air taxi, AAM testing

air taxi aam vertiport

With the anticipated start of air taxi services in the US set for 2025, it’s not exactly premature for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to have issued its first approval of a vertiport – a conditional greenlight that nevertheless permits development and research of nearing advanced air mobility (AAM) activity.

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