Industry news digest · eVTOL Insights
A consortium including ANRA Technologies, Wing, Manna Air Delivery, and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service successfully demonstrated coordinated drone flights sharing the same airspace in Chorley, UK. The demonstration involved both beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and visual line of sight (VLOS) operations, combining commercial delivery and emergency service flights
The platforms exchanged flight intentions using ASTM F3548-21 standard to identify potential conflicts pre-flight. The UK Civil Aviation Authority described this as a key step toward safe, scalable integration of multiple drone operators in shared airspace, reducing reliance on segregated operating zones
Source: eVTOL Insights
GE Aerospace and BETA Technologies completed a hybrid-electric assisted takeoff demonstration using a modified Saab 340B aircraft. The test involved one side powered by a conventional gas turbine and the other by a hybrid-electric system combining a modified gas engine, electric motors, and batteries to provide additional thrust during takeoff
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Electra Defense has been awarded a $4.7 million contract by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to conduct ground and flight testing of its hybrid-electric EL9 aircraft. The program aims to assess propulsion system functionality, aircraft performance, and operational potential for military missions including distributed logistics and Agile Combat Employment
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Future Flight Global announced plans to launch a regional air mobility service in Florida using certified Pilatus PC-12 turboprop aircraft in early 2027. The company aims to establish customer relationships and operational experience before transitioning to electric and eVTOL aircraft in a subsequent phase
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