December 11 is the submission deadline for Stage 1 of GoAERO—a three-year contest backed by NASA, Boeing, RTX, and other key aviation stakeholders seeking to aid the estimated 4.5 million Americans living in “ambulance deserts,” who may need to wait longer than 25 minutes for emergency services to arrive. The aircraft created by competitors could rescue people in danger and respond to disasters, medical emergencies, or humanitarian crises.

Officially launched on February 5, GoAERO (Aerial Emergency Response Operations) has been recruiting teams of university students who lack the financial backing of large corporations. But the competition is open to just about anyone over the age of 18, GoAERO founder and CEO Gwen Lighter told FLYING.

“It is a call for engineers and entrepreneurs and innovators and universities and students and professors and retirees and businesses and corporations and all of that to join us and to create these emergency response fliers,” said Lighter.

Lighter envisions GoAERO’s emergency response flyers as “another tool in the first response toolkit.” Helicopters, she said, are great for emergency response but are expensive to procure and operate, require a pilot, and struggle to operate in tight spaces.

Drones, at the other end of the spectrum, are excellent for delivering medical supplies. Drone delivery companies Zipline and Wing, for instance, have collectively transported hundreds of thousands of shipments of blood, vaccines, and equipment. But when it comes to search and rescue, drones can only complete the latter portion of the mission.

“What we are doing is we are saying, ‘OK, helicopters are one end of the spectrum, drones are the other,’ and then putting them together, molding them into something that can deliver a first responder to someone in need, rescue someone who needs help, deliver needed goods and supplies, all within the rubric of natural disasters, everyday medical emergencies, events caused by climate change, humanitarian crises,” Lighter said.

The aircraft are intended to be simple, compact, and uncrewed, flying either entirely on their own or with help from a remote pilot. They must also be easily transportable, deployable within minutes, and capable of delivering first responders, patients, or supplies in cities, rural areas, and disaster zones.

Aviation for Public Good

Lighter previously organized GoAERO’s predecessor GoFLY, which similarly sought to put groundbreaking technology into the hands of people who otherwise would not have access. But whereas GoFLY was geared toward personal, recreational flight, GoAERO is about helping others.

“GoAERO is really focused on a singular mission, which is saving lives,” Lighter said. “It is aviation for public good.”

According to Lighter, all GoFLY partners have signed on to the new initiative, and even more have joined. Boeing is the lead GoAERO sponsor, but the contest is also backed by RTX, Honeywell, Iridium, and industry groups such as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS). First responders, aviation regulators, and other organizations are on board.

“We’ve had hundreds of discussions with not only aviation [firms], but first responders in a wide variety of different types of response, whether that is search and rescue, whether that is wildfire, whether that is earthquake, whether that is everyday medical emergencies and EMTs,” said Lighter.

She added: “Collectively, we have landed on these technical rules and specifications to create aircraft that really allow first responders to be first responders, rather than pilots and all of these other things.”

GoAERO will provide teams with some design guidelines. But Lighter told FLYING that the goal is for participants to produce a wide range of designs. Teams will be permitted to focus on medical needs and disaster scenarios specific to their area, for example.

“Success for us looks like in three years, at the end of the competition, that we have a multitude of different flyers that show up, and some are better in everyday medical emergencies, and some are better in urban environments, and some are better in remote environments, and some are better in wildfires,” said Lighter.

Participants will have some help from above. The competition offers what Lighter called a “full education platform,” with educational webinars, legal assistance, and one-on-one mentorship opportunities with experts from Boeing, U.S. government agencies such as the FAA or Department of Defense, and other mentors. Those relationships can help them refine design concepts, build autonomy, or raise funding.

GoAERO earlier this month, for example, signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA that will see the space agency lend its personnel to the initiative. NASA also committed $400,000 through its University Innovation Project to support U.S.-based university teams and will grant access to free or discounted software, services, and products.

“I think GoAERO represents bringing the best of aeronautics and aviation to the public space, to public good, making sure that we are bringing our capabilities, our technologies, our genius together to work for the American people and for the people across the globe that need these kind of services,” said Bob Pearce, associate administrator of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) and GoAERO mentor.

The Fly-Off

The GoAERO competition will culminate in a three-day “fly-off” beginning February 2027, during which teams will put their aircraft through a series of missions to gauge adversity, productivity, and maneuverability.

At stake are $2 million worth of prizes, including a $1 million grand prize for the winner. In addition, the top performer in each of the three fly-off missions will win $150,000. A $100,000 RTX Disruptor Award will be handed out for “disruptive advancement of the state of the art,” while a $100,000 autonomy prize will highlight the best use of automation.

All missions will be flown in a single-occupant aircraft carrying a mannequin, “Alex,” or other nonhuman payload. The contest will evaluate a range of different scenarios, testing competitors’ ability to save an injured person from under a forest canopy, douse a wildfire, rescue a drowning victim, and complete other emergency missions.

All of these must be performed under difficult conditions such as inclement weather, unknown terrain, or uncooperative air traffic control. Competitors will not have access to the mission courses or locations of obstacles until the day of the event. In addition, they should “expect the unexpected”—mission conditions and elements may not be exactly as advertised.

The FAA helped write the technical rules of the competition and will mentor teams to ensure their aircraft comply with federal rules. The agency will be “deeply involved” in the fly-off to maintain safety.

“We are closely working with the FAA in a number of their departments, and we have fully integrated our programming into today’s FAA certification process, and we will be helping our teams through that,” Lighter said.

During the contest, teams will have to dodge pylons and walls and contend with less-than-ideal takeoff and landing conditions. “The Flood” site, for example, is an 18-inch deep pool with simulated rain conditions—teams must touch or pop a balloon floating on its surface. Other locations will feature inclined slopes, sandy pits, or heavy winds.

A panel of expert judges will rank attempts by completion, speed, and payload, with bonus points awarded for one-person crew operations, quick deployment, and few operator inputs. To be eligible for the grand prize, a team needs to complete two missions, or complete one and partially complete another.

What Happens After?

Lighter emphasized that GoAERO hopes to produce not just emergency response flyers, but an ecosystem around them.

“We’re building this ecosystem so it’s not one company, it’s not one university, it’s not one entrepreneur, it’s not one regulator, it’s everybody coming together to use transformative technology to save lives,” she said.

At the end of the fly-off, the winning teams will have full control over what happens next. They will retain all intellectual property rights and do not necessarily need to commercialize their technology with a partner.

But while there are zero post-competition requirements, GoAERO aims to set teams up for success. Partners such as Boeing and RTX will be present for the fly-off, and winners will then have the option to meet with them and start a partnership.

“What we want to do is enable our teams to make the best choices for themselves at the end of the competition, whether that is licensing technology, whether that is building on their own, whether that is raising funds to commercialize, whether that is joining with a strategic partner—all are open and options for each of our teams,” Lighter said. “We certainly would never dictate to our teams how they should deploy. Rather, we will create the conditions where they have multiple options to be able to commercialize should they wish to do so.”

She added: “We all came together because we realized that there’s been a convergence of breakthrough technologies in aviation and in adjacent industries, and we now have this first moment in history that we have the ability to create new forms of emergency response aircraft.”

How to Get Involved

The deadline for GoAERO’s initial paper submission phase is December 11, which means there is plenty of time to apply.

To do so, applicants can visit goaeroprize.com to find the Stage 1 application forms, which include short biographies of each team member and legal documents covering liability and insurance, for example. Application is free, but there is a design submission fee of $250 for individuals and $500 for teams.

“Everything is on the website, from the technical rules to the schedules to the webinars to who the advisors are and who the partners are to how to engage with us,” said Lighter.

GoAERO excludes applicants under the age of 18, employees of Boeing or RTX and their families, and citizens or residents of countries subject to U.S. sanctions or export controls. But all others may apply, and the competition already includes teams from 40 countries. Entities that would prefer not to form a team but are interested in a partnership can also contact GoAERO.

Ten $10,000 winners will be selected from the Stage 1 pool, and eight Stage 2 teams will win $40,000 each. But teams can enter the competition at any time, including during the final fly-off. For that last phase, participants will need an aircraft with registration and airworthiness certification that has demonstrated, via video evidence, controlled flight with a full payload.

The stage is set. The rules are clear. All interested parties need to do is join the competition.

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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Tuesday announced a partnership with the Advanced Air Mobility Association (AAMA), a nonprofit initiative working with the private sector, universities, government, and other stakeholders to create “road maps” for the introduction of AAM aircraft, tailored for major U.S. cities. Under the agreement, AAMA will leverage the expertise of Embry-Riddle faculty and provide students with opportunities for project collaboration, internships, and more.

AAMA was launched publicly in April and is led by president and CEO Antonio Campello, an Embraer executive of more than 30 years who most recently headed Embraer-X—the company’s innovation arm and technology incubator.

Johann Bordais, president and CEO of Embraer air taxi arm Eve Air Mobility, a spinoff of EmbraerX, sits on the group’s board, which also includes Bristow Group executive David Stepanek and Republic Airways executive Charles Hillis. Both Bristow and Republic are Eve partners.

In addition, AAMA adviser Frank Di Bello previously served as president and CEO of Space Florida, an Eve investor. Michael Amalfitano, who sits on Eve’s board, is on Embry-Riddle’s board of trustees.

However, Campello told FLYING that AAMA receives no funding from Embraer or Eve and is fully agnostic, working with all platforms and OEMs and favoring no company. He said the group has been inviting AAM operators, aircraft manufacturers, industry groups, universities, and city governments to help build the ecosystem needed to bolster a new wave of transportation.

Passenger- or cargo-carrying electric air taxis, for example, will require vertiports, special takeoff and landing sites fitted with chargers and other equipment. Designing, building, operating, and regulating these sites will be a collaborative effort.

AAMA intends to establish “readiness laboratories,” where stakeholders can create and implement a minimum viable product (MVP). Businesses use MVPs, which typically are designed with just enough features to be usable for early customers, to gauge the feasibility of an idea. Essentially, the group is looking to launch a beta version of an AAM ecosystem and receive feedback from customers on how it could be improved.

AAMA will use funding generated from membership fees, grants, events, and fees charged to use its readiness labs to create reports describing how different regions can integrate air taxis and other novel aircraft. Per a pitch deck viewed by FLYING, it will also advocate for key regulations on Capitol Hill.

According to Embry-Riddle, AAMA will work with university faculty that lead AAM programs, such as within the Eagle Flight Research Center. Kyle Collins, an assistant professor of aerospace engineering and the director of the center, said it has been exploring the topic for years.

Embry-Riddle students will also be able to work directly with AAMA members on projects and will have opportunities to intern with the association and its member organizations.

“We’re excited to see our team of experienced professionals collaborating with researchers, faculty, and students to propose innovative and customized solutions aimed at implementing a safe and efficient advanced air mobility ecosystem in cities and regions across the globe,” said Campello.

Separately, Embry-Riddle is collaborating with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), which manages Orlando International Airport (KMCO), to explore the integration of AAM operations at that site. In addition, researchers are working under a $1.4 million NASA grant to study how air taxis can take off quietly and safely in dense urban environments and turbulent conditions.

It’s unclear how much access AAMA will be granted to those projects, but the organization will hope to glean insights from top aviation experts.

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On Thursday, Boston-based Merlin Labs announced it began what it claims is the first test campaign of a certification-ready, takeoff-to-touchdown autonomous flight system. The company’s Merlin Pilot is designed to one day allow small aircraft to fly with no humans on board.

But first, it will need to obtain a supplemental type certificate (STC) from the FAA, awarded by the regulator when a company intends to modify an aircraft from its initial, type-certified design. The STC authorizes the modification and how it will affect the original product.

According to Merlin, the test campaign, which is using a Merlin Pilot-equipped Cessna Grand Caravan 208B, will culminate in an STC that can be extended across other FAA Part 23 aircraft types and classes. That includes the modified Lockheed C-130J Hercules and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker the company is developing for the U.S. Department of Defense.

“This flight test campaign proves the system that we have been developing and testing in simulation and hardware labs on the ground over the past few years,” Matt George, CEO of Merlin, told FLYING. “This is a first for the industry and serves as the flight test platform for the final development and verification of the certified system for the regulatory authority.”

Just Like a Human

In Merlin’s words, Pilot “takes the skills of a human pilot and translates them into software.” The platform-agnostic hardware and software solution will make decisions like a human, the company says, allowing it to fly smoothly even when a mission suffers from turbulence. At first, the system will serve as an AI copilot for reduced-crew operations, with a safety pilot remaining onboard. Eventually, though, the company plans to remove the safety pilot on small aircraft.

Merlin Pilot uses an array of sensors and cameras to understand exactly where an aircraft is and where it’s going. Data is fed into the system after being processed by flight control computers, which send commands to actuators connected to the aircraft. The system’s AutoNav capability can generate alternative routes for a pilot to approve and will assist with emergency descents or precautionary landings.

Unlike competitors such as Joby Aviation’s Xwing and Reliable Robotics, whose systems communicate with air traffic control via a remote supervisor, Merlin digitizes everything. The system is “standalone,” according to George, using natural language processing algorithms to understand commands from a range of accents and voice types and “speak” to ATC. The safety pilot can step in if anything gets lost in translation.

According to Merlin, the system has spent over 800 hours in the air across more than 500 “systems-on” flights, powering five different aircraft types. In addition to the Cessna Caravan, C-130J, and KC-135, it has been integrated on the Beechcraft King Air, de Havilland Twin Otter, Long-EZ, and Cozy Mark IV.

But these certification-ready test flights are a different animal. George referred to the campaign as a “final draft,” explaining that Merlin Pilot is no longer in prototype form. It now includes updated design data, drawings and substantiation reports, custom racks and structures, and compliant wiring, for example.

Meanwhile, the company’s Cessna Caravan—which it affectionately calls “Big Red”—has been converted with a glass cockpit, advanced avionics, new sensors, autopilot, and automated communications system.

“We stripped everything out of this Cessna Caravan and replaced the instrument panel and legacy systems with state-of-the-art modern avionics, the latest display systems, and custom hardware and software for the Merlin Pilot,” said Sherif Ali, chief engineer for Merlin. “This includes an air data computer, inertial navigation system, heading system, radar altimeter, all of which were integrated at an incredibly high level of quality in order to meet certification standards.”

The modified Cessna underwent integration check flights in June followed by functional check flights. Now, Merlin says it is conducting open, inner, and closed looping test flights in California’s Mojave Desert, phasing out human involvement a little bit at a time.

“The first step is system integration and activation of our automatic flight control system,” George told FLYING. “We then will integrate flight guidance, ATC communications, auto throttle, approaches for landing, full landing, and full takeoff. We test each phase to ensure full integration, which will meet the regulatory requirements.”

George said the campaign will culminate in the third quarter with FAA validation. Merlin is certifying the software concurrently with New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which in February awarded the firm the first Part 135 certification basis for an autonomous flight system.

Mission-Critical

The U.S. military, though, is getting the first crack at Merlin Pilot. The Air Force enlisted Merlin in 2022 to test single-pilot C-130J crews and is looking at automating other aircraft such as the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus and Sikorsky UH-60A Blackhawk.

In July, Merlin completed autonomous KC-135 flights at Pittsburgh Air National Guard Base under a contract awarded in February. Further data collection flights were conducted with Air Force pilots in the Stratotanker at MacDill Air Force Base in May.

In June, the company earned a $105 million contract from the U.S. Special Operations Command to build production-ready, reduced-crew capabilities for the C-130J. The contract further provides for the technology to be introduced within the broader special operations forces (SOF) fixed-wing fleet.

“The same foundational system is being used for both our civil and military programs, and the [U.S. Air Force] is an important stakeholder in our civil process,” said George.

The FAA too is interested in what Merlin Pilot can do. In 2023, Merlin completed automated cargo network trials in Alaska backed by agency approval and a $1 million contract.

According to George, the firm “is the most funded company working in this space,” with investments from Google Ventures, Baillie Gifford, Snowpoint Ventures, and First Round Capital. Its 2022 series B funding round raised $105 million. Combined with revenue from defense contracts, the company in George’s view has plenty of cash on hand to fund its certification activities.

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The space agency on Monday introduced the Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments, or AIRVUE—a specially designed pod that attaches to the bottom of a helicopter and can train AAM aircraft to “see” obstacles in their path. The technology is designed to hone computer vision systems for autonomous flight.

Agency researchers in April conducted initial AIRVUE testing at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, attaching it to a piloted NASA helicopter to survey the environment.

“The computer algorithms that will enable the aircraft to sense the environment must be reliable and proven to work in many flight circumstances,” NASA said. “NASA data promises that fidelity, making this an important resource for industry.”

Developed and built at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, the pod is equipped with cameras and sensors to collect visual information on weather and other hazards, compiling them into a massive dataset that will be shared with AAM manufacturers.

In the space agency’s view, data collected independently by manufacturers is seldom shared with competitors. That creates fragmentation in an industry the U.S. hopes to one day lead.

“Data is the fuel for machine learning,” said Nelson Brown, lead NASA researcher for the AIRVUE project. “We hope to inspire innovation by providing the computer vision community with realistic flight scenarios. Accessible datasets have been essential to advances in driver aids and self-driving cars, but so far, we haven’t seen open datasets like this in aviation.”

The space agency said it plans to develop more pods that integrate with other aircraft once it refines and evaluates the Airvue design.

This is not NASA’s first foray into self-flying systems. In 2022, for instance, it contracted autonomous flight developer Xwing, which in June was acquired by electric air taxi firm Joby Aviation, to design a safety management system for uncrewed flight.

Joby is just one of the manufacturers collaborating with NASA under its AAM mission, which seeks to give commercial firms the data they need to safely integrate air taxis, drones, and other vehicles within the national airspace.

Also working with the agency are Boeing self-flying air taxi subsidiary Wisk Aero and Archer Aviation, which last year agreed to make Wisk the sole provider of autonomy systems for its flagship Midnight air taxi. Joby and Archer’s aircraft will fly with a pilot at launch, but both anticipate a move to uncrewed flight in the future.

NASA’s research with these companies has spanned everything from turbulence and noise to battery safety and simulated operations around busy U.S. airports. The space agency has also operated self-flying drones to further study automated AAM operations.

Drones operations are on the agenda too. This month, for example, NASA gathered representatives from the drone industry, police and fire departments, and FAA to help the regulator develop a rule for operations beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the pilot.

In lieu of a final BVLOS regulation, the FAA awards these permissions via waiver. Lifting BVLOS restrictions is expected to greatly expand the service area for drone delivery by allowing operators to essentially manage their own airspace—with FAA supervision, of course.

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Earlier this month, Joby Aviation and Reliable Robotics operated self-flying Cessna 208B Grand Caravans during the U.S. Air Force’s Agile Flag 24-3 exercise at Mojave Air and Space Port (KMHV) in California. The goal of the five-day campaign was to weigh how the technology could support the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept, which it describes as a “proactive and reactive operational scheme…to increase resiliency and survivability while generating combat power.”

Airmen from the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base (KVAD) in Georgia and 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base (KBAB) in California used technology from Reliable and Joby—which in June acquired autonomous flight provider Xwing—to fly the souped-up Caravan across California and Nevada.

“Previously, we faced a tough choice: either use a cargo aircraft with all the associated expenses or forgo the flight altogether, which created difficult decisions for warfighting commanders,” said Colonel Max Bremer, management officer of the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command Special Access Program. “The return on investment with this technology is significant.”

The Air Force has awarded Reliable, Joby, and Xwing Phase II and III small business innovation research (SBIR) contracts through Autonomy Prime, a technology program within AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm. AFWERX offers a sort of quid pro quo: Manufacturers get a controlled environment where they can perform flight trials and development work, in exchange for early military access to the technology.

Autonomy Prime earlier this year invited both Reliable and Joby to participate in February’s Agile Flag 24-1 exercise.

“We wanted to build on that success by bringing both vendors back for Agile Flag 24-3, which imposes more realistic constraints on the training participants,” said Ian Clowes of AFWERX Prime stakeholder engagement.

Autonomous flight software, in particular, is in high demand.

A Caravan equipped with Reliable or Joby’s technology can taxi, take off, fly up to 1,150 miles, and land with 1,200 pounds of cargo. According to the Air Force, that translates to an operating cost between $1,200 and $1,600 per hour, compared to more than $7,000 for a C-130J Hercules and $20,000 for a C-17A Globemaster.

The autonomous aircraft would be best suited for carrying small cargo, freeing up larger cargo aircraft to transport large parts or weapons.

“Looking ahead, if the Air Force adopts autonomous aircraft for asset transport in forward locations, it will increase sorties and flying hours by reducing delays in aircraft maintenance,” said Staff Sergeant Miguel Sarmiento, aircraft parts store supervisor for the 633rd Logistics Readiness Squadron.

During Agile Flag 24-3, airmen were tasked with deploying fighters to meet a mission objective while contending with “adversary activities” that complicated their goal. For the purposes of the exercise, cargo aircraft had limited ability to deliver the parts needed to keep the fighters flying.

That was no problem for Joby and Reliable, whose technology powered an autonomous Cessna across 47 flights covering more than 6,600 miles while operators watched them from a mobile ground control station. Personnel carried a laptop and satellite communication terminal in a small backpack—no additional infrastructure was needed. Reliable said its flights also included an onboard safety pilot.

“In this exercise scenario, where distance is a significant challenge, this capability is helping us overcome it,” said Colonel Charles Hanson, commander of the 9th Mission Support Group.

Added Captain Mackenzie Thompson, flight commander of the 480th Sortie Generation: “My job is to ensure we have safe and reliable aircraft for the mission. AFWERX has been awesome in helping us transport parts quickly, which has saved us a lot of time and manpower.”

Joby, for example, delivered cargo from Edwards Air Force Base (KEDW) to Southern California Logistics Airport (KVCV) in Victorville, California. The company said it flew more than 3,900 miles between nine military bases and public airports, performing a taxi, takeoff, and landing at each site.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the U.S. Air Force as we further develop the suite of technologies that could enable greater automation or full autonomy, first on the Caravan and then on numerous other aircraft types,” said Maxime Gariel, autonomy lead at Joby.

The company added that it plans to use autonomy to speed up the completion of its AFWERX contract and, potentially, open up new contract opportunities.

According to Reliable, Agile Flag 24-1 was supposed to represent the Indo-Pacific region, with some locations separated by hundreds of miles. The company said it transported critical cargo to eight locations on demand, with leadership from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center also in attendance.

“Autonomy in small platforms reduces risk and opens up the ability to land in more places including damaged runways or unimproved surfaces,” said Bremer.

Prior to the exercise, Reliable obtained military airworthiness and flight readiness approvals for expanded operations. The company’s aircraft-agnostic system is the only full aircraft automation software with an FAA-approved certification plan.

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After completing the world’s first electric air taxi flights in Guangzhou and Hefei in December, EHang on Sunday made debut passenger carrying flights in the city of Taiyuan.

The trips, completed using EHang’s self-flying EH216-S air taxi, follow the company’s delivery of 10 aircraft to Xishan Tourism, which in May signed a purchase order for 50 units. The companies have a tentative agreement for EHang to deliver 450 aircraft over the next two years, with an eye toward launching aerial tourism and sightseeing services across North China.

“We have gradually delivered EH216-S by batches to Taiyuan, Hefei, Wuxi, Wencheng, Zhuhai, and other places, and are actively assisting our local partners who are creating application scenarios to obtain [air operator certification],” said Zhao Wang, chief operating officer of EHang.

EHang received its own air operator certificate last week from China’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC).

The province of Shanxi, in which Taiyuan is located, has been designated by the Chinese government as a national demonstration province for the country’s low-altitude economy, an analog to the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry forming in the U.S. and elsewhere. Taiyuan is the region’s capital and largest city and is considered a political and economic center.

The measure subsidizes regular, low-altitude tourism flights in the region, as well as the construction of infrastructure and other capabilities needed for routine service.

“Taiyuan is a national civil unmanned aerial vehicle test zone, with the foundation and advantages to develop the aviation industry, and will actively seize the lead in the emerging low-altitude economy industry,” said Jicheng Yang, executive vice mayor of Taiyuan and a member of the city’s municipal committee. “Taiyuan will enhance policy support, essential guarantees, and innovation capabilities, and promote the deep integration of technological innovation and the low-altitude economy.”

Xishan Tourism plans to use the designation to launch low-altitude sightseeing and tourism routes to local sites such as Yuquan Mountain, Paddy Field Park, and Juewei Mountain.

On Sunday, two EH216-S aircraft, carrying two passengers each, took off and flew autonomously from Paddy Field Park in a ceremony attended by regional government officials and industry experts. Two of the passengers were officials within the newly formed Taiyuan Xishan Ecological Tourism Demonstration Zone.

Xishan Tourism, though, said it is still working toward “regular operation”—in other words, the flights are not yet routine, as is the case in Guangzhou and Hefei.

“Xishan Tourism plans to collaborate with EHang and other partners on low-altitude scenarios of air mobility, tourism, and public services to establish multiple flight camps or landing pads, alongside various low-altitude sightseeing routes for pilotless eVTOL within Taiyuan and nearby scenic areas,” said Yaozong Chang, chairman of Xishan Tourism. “We aim to build an urban low-altitude tourism mobility network and a new urban air traffic management system, and to establish a low-altitude economy industrial park.”

EHang at the event also demonstrated its longer-range, passenger-carrying VT-30, firefighting EH216-F, and EH216-L for cargo logistics.

All four aircraft were on display in the Middle East in May, when the manufacturer completed that region’s first passenger carrying eVTOL flights in the United Arab Emirates.

The company’s flagship EH216-S is the first and only eVTOL design to receive type certification from a national aviation regulator, the CAAC. The regulator in December also handed the EH216-S the world’s first eVTOL airworthiness certification and in April gave the green light for EHang to begin mass manufacturing the model.

That puts the company well ahead of competitors in the U.S. such as Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation, which are building piloted air taxis but have yet to obtain any of those three approvals. Both companies are targeting commercial rollouts in 2025.

Like EHang, Boeing air taxi subsidiary Wisk Aero is building a self-flying design but does not expect it to fly commercially until the end of the decade.

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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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So this week, Wisk released a “first-of-its-kind” report detailing how vertiports and related systems and infrastructure could better accommodate automated air taxis. 

The report touches on an issue that could make or break the nascent eVTOL industry. Experts have long said the planned business model for eVTOL air taxis will not succeed without permanent, established vertiports where these new, battery-powered aircraft can safely and efficiently land, takeoff, and recharge, as well as securely handle passengers and luggage. 

In fact, vertiports are already being designed and planned, with at least one expected to be completed by this fall in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, though the FAA hasn’t even weighed in yet on requirements. 

• READ MORE: Oshkosh’s Wittman Airport Is Building a Vertiport | FAA Solicits Public Comments on Vertiports

Just think for a minute about how airport operations and configurations are driven by the types of aircraft they serve. Now, extrapolate that to factor in how airports would need to be different if the aircraft were automated. The concept triggers several questions:

• How would automated eVTOLs taxi at vertiports?
• Who would act as the pilot in command (PIC) of a self-flying aircraft and who would maintain situational awareness (SA)?
• What redundancies may be needed to maintain safety levels achieved by piloted aircraft?

Though Wisk’s two-seat air taxis will be self-flying, the company says a human will always “be in the loop,” ready to intervene if necessary—so-called pilot-over-the-loop (POTL) mechanisms. Wisk’s competitors—Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY), Archer Aviation, (NYSE: ACHR) and others—plan to launch on-demand services with onboard pilots flying their aircraft. 

This vision of the near future comes less than three months after Boeing announced a nearly half-billion dollar investment in Wisk—as it seeks to test, certify and manufacture a 21-foot-long eVTOL with a range of about 25 sm, plus reserves. Wisk and its rivals hope to create a new form of environmentally friendly transportation that enables passengers to fly on zero-emissions aircraft over traffic congested cities.

• READ MORE: Boeing Invests $450 Million in Wisk Aero

The report, co-authored by U.K.-based vertiport developer Skyports, points out that now is the time to consider “autonomous eVTOL integration” to “help future-proof the development of [urban air mobility] UAM aviation infrastructure.” Also, the document “serves as a basis for discussion as industry and regulators begin to consider the integration of autonomous eVTOL aircraft systems into the [national air space] NAS.”

Here are a few interesting details contained in the report.

Vertiport Automation System

Wisk envisions a vertiport automation system (VAS) that “would passively interface with the existing ATC traffic flow management system.” Active coordination would be facilitated by a flight operations center (FOC) which “serves as a conduit between air traffic control (ATC) systems and the VAS.” The VAS also would “interface with uncrewed aircraft traffic management (UTM) provider systems for UAM-specific routes through controlled and uncontrolled airspace.”

How Would PIC Work for Self-Flying Air Taxis?

The PIC is defined in the Wisk/Skyports document as “an individual, employed by the eVTOL aircraft operator, who has responsibility and control over the aircraft’s beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations.” PIC would assume “responsibility and control” beginning “when the aircraft doors close on departure, through takeoff and landing, and until aircraft doors open at the destination.”

The PIC would be located at the vertiport’s FOC, where they would “monitor the aircraft “and could “step in to remotely pilot” it, “if the need arises. This individual will directly communicate with the aircraft, vertiport staff, and ATC where applicable.” The FOC, the document says, “may or may not be co-located with a vertiport.”

Passenger Safety

“The FOC will maintain open communication channels with the aircraft’s passengers and monitor passenger well-being and activities throughout the flight.”

What if the availability of resources at the destination vertiport during the flight threatens to affect the ongoing flight plan? 

In that case, the report proposes that “the FOC and vertiport will communicate such changes to the PIC. Fleet management and/or the PIC will maintain SA of the aircraft throughout the journey and may make changes to the current flight plan or future scheduled operations.”

• READ MORE: EASA Issues ‘World’s First’ Design Specs for Vertiports

Emergency Procedures

Out-of-the-ordinary flight situations and emergency procedures “will be designed to safely land an aircraft as close to the original destination or takeoff point as possible.” 

“For each scheduled flight, the eVTOL fleet operator will identify en route contingency landing sites—vertiports, heliports, airports, and other prepared landing sites. These locations can be used for emergency diversions, delay mitigation-prompted diversions, or aborted landings to ensure continued safe flight and landing (CSFL).”

Taxiing

Because of limited space and tight dimensions at vertiports, PICs would not remotely taxi their eVTOLs to designated parking positions. Instead, “autonomous eVTOL aircraft will most likely require a tow or tug solution that transports the aircraft on vertiport taxi routes,” the report says.

Weight and Balance

Air taxis, including Wisk Aero’s eVTOL, will be small—seating two to seven people. Therefore maintaining precise weight and balance for each aircraft will be critical to safety. 

The report says passengers would be weighed before boarding. “After passenger verification, passengers and luggage may go through a non-intrusive security scanner and weight check,” the report says. “Both of these activities will be overseen by a vertiport terminal agent who can perform in-person check-in and security actions as needed.”

During boarding, staff might be needed to designate specific seats based on the weight of each passenger, according to the report.

Things to Keep in Mind

In general, eVTOL commercial air taxis in the U.S. are expected to be operated as commuter and on-demand airlines under Part 135.

Obviously, aircraft or fleet operators would be required to fly type certificated eVTOL aircraft listed on their FAA operating certificates. It’s worth noting that, so far, zero eVTOLs have been type certificated in the U.S., although Wisk, Joby, Archer, and others are making significant progress. Wisk, a privately held company, has not publicly offered a timeline for type certification of its air taxi or when it plans to begin commercial operations. 

Clearly, before this vertiport vision can become reality, eVTOL developers and the FAA have much to do. 

The post What Will Self-Flying Air Taxi Vertiports Look Like? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.