air taxis

Air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation has announced a trio of developments that, even taken individually, represent huge news for the company – the biggest among them being the abrupt transformation of its bitter legal battle with sector rival Wisk into an autonomous flight tech sharing partnership.

Nearly 48 hours after news began circulating that the prototype air taxi by UK advanced air mobility firm Vertical Aerospace suffered an accident, the company is still managing public response in the worst possible way – by acting like a slow-moving, tight-lipped, stodgy, “Mad Men” corporation rather than the creative, quick, and innovative startup it is.

Archer, California developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has announced a contract with the US Air Force worth up to $142 million, and opening the door to deployment of its Midnight air taxi plane for operation adapted to military activities.

Ambitious air taxi developer AutoFlight added another aerial first to its collection of exploits this week with the announcement it had staged a flight of three different prototypes of its Prosperity I electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in coordinated formation.

The UK developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL), Vertical Aerospace, says it has completed the first untethered test flight of its future battery-powered air taxi, propelling it into an elite of sector startups that have managed to both produce prototypes and get them aloft.

German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Lilium says it has secured over $190 million in additional financing designed to allow it to advance work on its air taxis into test flight phases.

In an effort to fly two major event kites from the same string – and encourage comingling of aerial activities at their heart – the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) are pairing up to host twinned drone and advanced air mobility (AAM) conferences next month at the same time and venue.

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developers Joby and Lilium have announced completion of important steps in their respective work to obtain air taxi certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Joby Aviation has received authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to test fly the first air taxi completed on its production line – a development expected to facilitate the advanced air mobility (AAM) company’s delivery of the craft to its US Air Force client for experimental use next year. 

German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) manufacturer Lilium announced it has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its proposed basis of air taxi certification, making it what the company says is the first power-lift aircraft developer to obtain that all-clear by both US and European Union regulators.

The Paris Air Show broke all records for attendance with its habitual large-draw long-haul passenger planes and military jets, but the main stars of the 2023 biannual event were arguably the next-generation electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis making their first appearance.

German air taxi developer Lilium has announced a pair of deals providing it a foothold in China to build future business activity in what’s expected to be an enormous and effervescent market for advanced air mobility (AAM) services.

Urban air mobility startup Volocopter is finding additional ways to expand uses for its battery-powered craft beyond its principal air taxi services, most recently through a new deal concluded with fellow German organization ADAC Luftrettung to deploy the planes in emergency medical response.

California air taxi developer Archer Aviation announced the reinforcement of its relationship with European automotive giant Stellantis at the opening of the Paris Airshow today, notably the tightening of their financial ties and increasing of their production plans for the Midnight electric takeoff and landing aircraft.

Eve, the urban air mobility (UAM) unit of Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, has announced joint plans with United Airlines to launch future air taxi flights across the San Francisco Bay Area as an aerial commuter option to the region’s frequently clogged roadways.

Archer Aviation, one of the companies driving the nearing launch of air taxi services, has announced its hiring of former top Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) official Billy Nolen to oversee safety operations in the continued development of its electric vertical takeoff and landing plane (eVTOL).

Supernal, the advanced air mobility (AAM) unit of South Korean automotive giant Hyundai, has taken a minority shareholding stake in micro-climate specialist TruWeather Solutions, whose hyper-localized atmospheric tech solutions will be used in operating safe and comfortable air taxi services.

German air taxi developer Volocopter has signed an agreement with Swiss-AS to incorporate the startup’s AMOS software to monitor, analyze, and manage notifications on the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) requirements of its electric takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL).

Aviation giant Boeing has taken full ownership of electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Wisk – a step that closes out the role of cofounding backer Kitty Hawk in the startup’s activity.

Eve Mobility, the electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) unit of Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, says it has passed a pair of milestones in its push to launch next-generation air taxi services, including testing vital components of its future prototype plane.

Developer of the battery-powered advanced air mobility (AAM) Viceroy seaglider, REGENT announced it is continuing testing of its quarter-scale version of the craft nearly nine months after the diminutive prototype successfully performed its inaugural trial outing.