air taxis

UK drone services and air taxi infrastructure specialist Skyports says it has been commissioned to create “the UK’s first vertiport testbed” at a specialized facility about 65 miles northwest of London.

Air taxi developer AutoFlight is revving up to give fellow electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) plane maker EHang a run for its money in their domestic Chinese market, staging what it called the first inter-city flight ever by a next generation aircraft.

Emerging electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft used in air taxi transportation will generate billions of dollars in new activity – a major new boost to national economies that governments don’t want foreign companies to dominate. The most recent example of that defensive reflex of local aerial markets comes from the UK, where national hero Vertical Aerospace has received an additional $10.5 million in state support.

As part of the recent agreement securing the launch of air taxi services by Joby in Dubai, Skyports Infrastructure has been contracted to oversee the construction of vertiports the activity will require – a critical element that has tended to be overlooked in the excitement surrounding nearing next generation aviation.

China’s top air taxi developer, EHang, not only beat its international rivals to become the world’s first startup to secure certification of its electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL), but it went a step further this month in becoming one of the very few manufacturers in the sector to reveal the list price of its craft – and an exceptionally low one, at that.

London-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft company Vertical Aerospace is getting a critical extension of its cash runway to develop its air taxi, with a $50 million infusion from company founder and CEO Stephen Fitzpatrick.

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.

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.

Competition appears to be heating up between electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) plane manufacturers Joby and BETA Technologies, with the two startups announcing deals to install their air taxi recharging systems in airports on opposite sides of the US.

To understand how uncrewed vehicles avoid each other and other obstacles, researchers at NASA recently flew multiple drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). The test is being seen as an important step towards advancing self-flying capabilities for air taxis.

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.

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?

German air taxi developer Lilium has announced the passing of two major milestones with the production launch of its electric vertical takeoff and landing jet (eVTOL), and an agreement to explore the craft’s operation in partnership with the nation’s flag carrier airline, Lufthansa.

German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) plane startup Lilium has obtained authorization from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) that will allow it far greater flexibility and range in developing its future battery-powered air taxi toward certification.

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.

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.

The planned global introduction of air taxi services next year during the Paris Summer Olympics already risks being grounded after city authorities from across party lines joined up this week to lavishly dump on what elsewhere in France and the world has been the tech’s much-ballyhooed debut.

Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) plane company Joby revealed it staged an exhibition flight in New York, establishing its air taxi as the first ever to take to the skies of Manhattan, and opening the way for future next generation aircraft activities.

The advanced air mobility (AAM) infrastructure unit of UK-based drone services specialist Skyports has been chosen for the second phase of a concept of operations (ConOps) project by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), to prepare for the arrival of air taxi operation in the country.

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.

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).