Important Innovations Collection

25 New Air Taxi Orders From Japan                                                                 Source:  Vertical Aerospace Flying Taxi Accelerating Toward Certification UK-based aerospace and technology company Vertical Aerospace has secured 25 new pre-orders for its eVTOL VX4 from Japanese trading and investment company Marubeni Corporation.  Here are the key facts: Vertical Aerospace has secured 25 paid pre-orders for VX4 for use as commuter air taxis in Japan The orders from Marubeni could soar to 200 and that is on top of 1400 orders by airlines like Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines and Japan Airlines Vertical takeoff and landing, all electric aircraft VX4 carries a pilot and up to 4 passengers Range on a charge is 100 miles Top speed is 200 mph and cruising speed is 150 mph Compan...

Delta to Invest Up to $200 Million in eVTOL Maker Joby Aviation                                             Source:  Joby Aviation Flying Taxis Are Right on the Horizon Delta Airlines is making a big bet on the future of flying taxis.  It is partnering with leading, California-based eVTOL maker Joby Aviation to deliver "Home to Airport" flying taxi services.  Delta just made a $60 million investment in Joby for a 2% stake in the company. Delta has the option to invest $200 million in Joby if Joby reaches certain operational milestones. The partnership's goal is to push air taxis forward to become fully operational in the commercial marketplace.   Tech Specs Joby's 5-seat aircraft is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle that's a cross between a helicopter and a drone. It's propelled by 6 tilt-rotors and battery powe...

Mad Bat eVTOL                                        Source:  Razvan Sabie Highly Advanced Aviation Technology Mad Bat is one of the world's most unusual and unique electric flying machines.  The Mad Bat eVTOL is an all-electric, vertical takeoff and landing design prototype created by famous Rumanian aviation designer Razvan Sabie.  Sabie, a few years ago, unveiled his omnidirectional, potentially supersonic and incredibly agile UFO-like flying machine, the ADIFO flying disc. It received global press coverage. He has now created an eVTOL that incorporates and builds on many of the ADIFO capabilities in order to deliver exceptionally fast and easy transitions from vertical to horizontal flight.  Sabie also says this new design creation is scalable across aircraft genre from small drones, personal flying machines, multi-passenger air taxis and e...

New eVTOL Flies Like a Butterfly                                        Source:  Hyundai's Supernal New Hydrogen Powered eVTOL South Korea-based automaker Hyundai is developing two, highly innovative eVTOL (electric, vertical takeoff & landing) vehicles for inner-city and intra-city commuting.  Hyundai's Advanced Air Mobility division, Supernal, unveiled an electric flying taxi concept that seats 5 at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK.  Specifically, they unveiled the very futuristic and elegant passenger cabin.  Supernal is working with Hyundai's top automotive designers and engineers to integrate automotive capabilities into the flying taxi. In terms of flight, it is being designed to mimic the flying capabilities of a butterfly.  Hyundai also disclosed that it is working on a larger, hydrogen powered eVTOL that will roll ou...

UMiles' Integrity 3 eVTOL                                                       Source:  UMiles The Drone of Drones Spain's aerial mobility vehicle developer UMiles has unveiled two, new, fascinating aircraft.  One is a remotely piloted, electric air taxi concept and the other is a piloted, two passenger eVTOL vehicle called Integrity 3.  The single seat, remotely piloted air taxi is being called the "drone of drones" by UMiles. It has been built as a prototye and will be test flown in a number of European cities later this year.  UMiles is a new contender in the growing air mobility market and an experienced drone manufacturer to watch.  It is quite a technological feat for a relatively small to medium sized aviation company to be unveiling two new models of flying technology at once. The Drone of D...

British Airways' Sister Company's $600 Million Deal for Airlanders                                                                                   Source: Hybrid Air Vehicles The Airlander:  New Mode of Regional Travel in Europe By 2026, passengers could be flying back and forth between the UK and Spain on next-G, helium powered airships, called the Airlander  10. The Airlander is a long-endurance, multi-intelligence vehicle (LEMV) and the world's biggest lighter-than-air vehicle.  It can travel at speeds of 148 km or 92 mph.  For passenger service, the maximum speed will be 80 mph and the average travel distance will be 185 to 250 miles.  As unique aviation technology and multifunctional in operations, it can be config...

Venus Aerospace's Mach 9 Space Plane Stargazer                                               Source:  Venus Aerospace Hypersonic Air Travel For Passengers Texas-based aerospace startup Venus Aerospace has unveiled the first conceptual design of its hypersonic space plane Stargazer that is capable of Mach 9 or 6,905 mph.  The hypersonic space plane is designed to take passengers anyplace in the world in an hour or less. The vehicle will take off from and land in any conventional airport and travel to the edges of space for fast, long-distance flights. The new concept is a look at the future of warp-speed global travel for passengers by hypersonic aircraft. The company is also working on a Mach 9 hypersonic drone. Well-Funded Startup, Technology and Business Plan Stargazer will initially be able to carry 12 passengers.  It will tak...

Germany's Prolific Flying Taxi Company                                  Source:  Volocopter eVTOLs Aerial Technology Platforms Being Tested You might call it a technological trifecta.  Germany-based flying taxi startup Volocopter has developed three, distinctively different eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles) that are engaged in flight testing.  This is a unique, technological achievement in the global eVTOL market. Volocopter's latest eVTOL, the 4-passenger VoloConnect, just successfully completed its first flight. VoloConnect Tech Specs VoloConnect is a fixed wing, electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.  It is powered by two propulsion fans and 6, lift electric motors and rotors.  It can carry four passengers and a pilot.  VoloConnect is designed for speeds up to 155 mph. Its mission is to air taxi passengers between cities and...

Embraer's Eve Has Order Backlog of 1,785 eVTOLs                                        Source:  Embraer's Eve Green, Zero Emissions Urban Air Mobility Brazil's aviation giant Embraer has a very hot eVTOL flying taxi subsidiary, Eve Urban Air Mobility, which is doing record business.  Eve, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, has an order backlog of 1,785 eVTOLs or electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles.  That big backlog amounts to $5.4 billion in flying taxi orders.  And, at the 2022 Singapore Air Show, the backlog got bigger.  Eve has signed a number of new deals to make its eVTOLs operational in Australia by 2025.  Western Australia air charter companies Aviair and Helispirit, which specialize in scenic charter flights, have ordered 50 Eve eVTOLs.  Melbourne based helicopter company Microflite ordered 40 Eve eVTOLs....

 Aerospace Giant Invests a Further $450 Million in Wisk Aero                                                  Source:  Wisk Aero Autonomous Air Taxi Travel Silicon Valley, California-based air taxi startup Wisk Aero has raised $450 million from Boeing to build an air taxi flee, capable of 10 million flights per year.  Wisk has developed an electric, vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle that is capable of autonomous, pilot-less flying and can carry 2 passengers.  Wisk Aero is owned by Boeing and Google co-founder Larry Page's flying car company Kitty Hawk.  There are more than a dozen, major flying car companies globally.  But what distinguishes Wisk is its focus on autonomous flying vehicles.  The company says that autonomous functionality is being built into every aspect of the design and develo...

High Speed Plane With "Bladeless Fans on Steroids"                                             Source:  Jetoptera New Aviation Tech From USA Edmonds, Washington based aviation startup Jetoptera is developing a unique, bladeless, high speed vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (HSVTOL). The applications will be for civilian passenger travel including flying cars, military and special operations uses. The aircraft relies on a unique aerodynamic system called "bladeless fans on steroids". The "Fluid Dynamics System" of bladeless fans uses a small amount of compressed air to pull in huge quantities of ambient air at high speed.  The system directs the air flow over the flight surfaces in a controlled way to enable lift and flight.  Highly Efficient Fleet According to Jetoptera, the system reduces fuel consumption by 50% and saves 30% in w...

New Disruptive Aircraft Design-Inspired by Bats                                       Source:  Phractyl's Macrobat Epic New Flying Experience South African electric aircraft startup Phractyl has invented an electric, vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL) that is unique in design and technology.  Called the Macrobat, the aircraft takes its design inspiration from bats.  The 1-seat aircraft can be flown by a pilot or be operated remotely like a drone by a ground operator.  It is new, disruptive aviation technology and it provides, green zero emissions travel.  Potential uses include personal air travel, cargo transport, emergency services and more. Like a Wild Bird in the Air The vehicle has two, large propellers powered by electricity generated from a bank of batteries.  The wings are designed to gain lift at very low speeds.  The v...

New French, Hybrid VTOL "ATEA"                              Source:  Ascendance Flight Technologies Ascendance Flight Technologies' New Green Aviation French aviation startup Ascendance Flight Technologies has invented a new, hybrid, vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (VTOL) for intracity and regional aircraft commuting.  The 5-seat ATEA uses two forward facing propellers and 8 fan engines in its wings.  The eight electric powered fan engines enable vertical takeoffs and landings.  The diesel fuel powered forward facing propellers enable forward flight.  The unique VTOL has a range of 250 miles.  Its hybrid powertrain uses jet fuel and electricity as power sources.  The company says the combination cuts carbon emissions by 80%.  Importantly, AETA can be reconfigured to use green fuels, including hydrogen fuel cells, biofuels and sustainable aviation fuels to fur...

Airlander 10 - World's Largest Hybrid Aircraft                                                   Source: Airlander 10 Airlander 10 - Unique Travel Vehicle The world's largest aircraft, known as Airlander 10, is a hybrid vehicle that's part airship/blimp, plane and helicopter.  Its capabilities are remarkable.  The flying "cruise ship" can carry up to 100 people and emits 90% less emissions than other aircraft.  It is the innovative creation of Hybrid Air Vehicles of Bedfordshire, England and it will start carrying passengers in 2025.  Airlander 10 has been designed to be a very different flying experience with zero emissions by 2030. New Aviation Technologies & Key Operational Stats The aircraft uses both aerodynamics and lighter-than-air technologies to generate lift. Airlander 10 relies on a gigantic "balloon" of ...