Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, manufacturer of the solar-powered, ultralong-range K1000ULE uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), last week won a contract to provide the Navy with its first UAS capable of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL). The contract was agreed through PMA-263, the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Air Systems program office at Patuxent River, Maryland.

KHAero’s K1000ULE is a 100 percent electric, solar-powered, Group 2 UAS. The company claims the aircraft boasts a greater flight endurance than any eVTOL in its category, capable of remaining airborne for 26 hours during a single flight.

The U.S. Marine Corps Small Unit Remote Scouting System will field K1000ULE to enable what KHAero predicts will be simpler, faster, and more cost-effective intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. The UAS will also enhance the Navy’s beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations in “denied or contested areas.” Operations are fully autonomous, relying on onboard artificial intelligence and autopilot technology.

“Today we live with the prospect of a new era of defense technology in which autonomy and artificial intelligence will become more important,” said Fatema Hamdani, CEO of KHAero. “The Navy wants to discover what’s possible. And we’re honored to give them the solutions they need.”

KHAero claims K1000ULE has the longest endurance of any fully electric, zero-emissions, autonomous UAS in its size and weight category. Its 26-hour flight time comes from a propulsion system that runs on lithium ion batteries and photovoltaics (or solar power), powering a brushless electric motor and folding propeller. The aircraft’s solar technology is licensed by the U.S. Department of Energy, per the company.

KL1000ULE is about 10 feet long with a 16.5-foot wingspan, capable of taking off at a weight of 42.5 pounds and reaching an altitude of 20,000 feet msl. The aircraft cruises at around 30-40 knots, giving it a 1,000 sm (867 nm) range. It can be equipped with electro-optical, infrared, communications and other payloads. In addition, KHAero says it can accommodate any Department of Defense MOD Payload compliant payload.

KHAero’s focus is largely on data, intelligence, and communication services, created using multidrone coordination systems. It aims to service customers in emergency and disaster relief, data and telecommunications, defense, agriculture, oil and gas, climate change, and wildlife preservation.

The company’s system additionally shares information across platforms to allocate aircraft on demand, based on sensor needs. In the case of the Navy, crews across operations will be able to keep informed on the UAS’ status.

A single Navy operator could operate a swarm of K1000ULE drones, creating a “self-aware constellation,” in KHAero’s words, that autonomously makes decisions and performs terrain and airspace deconfliction.

The system is controlled through a wearable tablet interface, which helps the user select a coverage area and launch the correct number of assets within 15 minutes. Operators can review or change the coverage area or mission objectives, view the position, flight time, and battery power of the aircraft, and track how many drones are in the sky.

Before awarding the contract to KHAero, the Navy made sure to vet the aircraft, requesting that the manufacturer demonstrate a range of capabilities. U.S. and international partners deployed it for the first time in March 2023,  conducting operations over Aqaba, Jordan, as part of the International Maritime Exercise 2023.

Further evaluations were performed at both KHAero and U.S. government test facilities and overseen by the UAS Research and Operations Center at the University of Maryland. Among the capabilities and technologies tested were flight endurance, vertical takeoff and landing without a runway, and operations in daytime, nighttime, and other environmental conditions.

Removing the runway requirement is a key component of KHAero’s offering. The company also aims to reduce the Navy’s UAS operational footprint from 120-150 to less than five people, performing testing on K1000ULE’s maneuverability. Further, KHAero expects these operations to be nearly undetectable, which it tested by having the Navy track the drone’s audio and visual signatures from the ground.

After gauging K1000ULE’s capabilities, the partners performed reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition tests. They evaluated the aircraft’s full motion video capabilities, which can identify and classify targets, among other mission systems packages.

The Navy could use the UAS to scout an unidentified vehicle, track enemy force movements, shadow friendly troops on the move, or perform other ISR tasks. KHAero is among several aircraft and technology manufacturers collaborating with the U.S. military—Archer Aviation, Pivotal, Xwing and many others are working with the Air Force via its innovation arm, AFWERX.

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Venture capital firm UP.Partners last week published the 2024 edition of its annual Moving World Report, a deep dive into the movers and shakers in aviation and transportation more broadly. Though the industry’s challenges are steep, the company believes the introduction of new aircraft types—such as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL), hydrogen-powered, and blended wing body designs—offers hope that they can be solved.

“Our goal with this report is to equip industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers with a comprehensive understanding of these changes, enabling them to effectively navigate and shape the future of mobility,” said Cyrus Sigari, co-founder and managing partner of UP.Partners.

UP.Partners, which holds stakes in a range of mobility-focused startups, estimated that the pilot shortage will grow to 65,000 by 2030. At the same time, transportation is the biggest culprit of U.S. carbon emissions, with aviation contributing an estimated 8 percent within the segment. Based on announced pledges, UP.Partners claims aviation emissions are expected to rise 79 percent between 2020 and 2030—theoretically, that figure would need to be capped at 22 percent to remain in line with global net-zero by 2050 targets.

These issues will need to be addressed quickly. And an influx of new intercity and long-distance air mobility options may be the catalyst.

The Innovation Problem

According to UP.Partners, there’s an “innovation problem” in commercial aviation.

As Stripe CEO Patrick Collison pointed out, the inception of the Boeing 737 design is now closer in time to the Wright Flyer than it is to the present day. At the same time, efficiency gains in carbon-emissions reduction have leveled off over the past 70 years.

According to the report, those gains are due almost entirely to engine development rather than airframe innovation. However, commercial airlines are exploring blended wing body designs—which UP.Partners called the first major airframe innovation during that span—and other sustainable configurations. The U.S. Air Force in August awarded startup JetZero a $250 million contract to develop a blended wing body demonstrator, and Airbus previously announced a similar concept.

Emissions reductions may improve further with the introduction of electric and hydrogen aircraft. The report predicts electric models will hit the market in 2025, followed by hydrogen fuel cell designs in 2030 and hydrogen combustion aircraft in 2040. 

However, that comes with the caveat that electrifying or switching to hydrogen “likely has a limited impact, at a huge cost.”

UP.Partners estimated that electrifying all flights less than two hours could reduce emissions by 28 percent, a respectable figure. But electrifying or using hydrogen for longer flights—which account for the remaining 72 percent of emissions—is not technically or financially feasible with current technology.

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is expected to bridge the gap, contributing to 65 percent of emissions reductions by 2050 according to International Air Transport Association (IATA) projections. However, the report estimates that SAF is still 43 percent more expensive than conventional jet fuel. Bringing those costs in line could take more than a decade, it predicted.

UP.Partners also raised concerns that certain SAF commitments may be examples of “greenwashing.” RyanAir, for example, has pledged to obtain about 10 percent of its fuel from SAF by 2030. But the airline does not know exactly where it will come from.

“There isn’t enough cooking oil in the world to power one day of green aviation,” Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said in December.

Electric Aircraft Have Arrived

Producing SAF and other sustainable fuels presents a massive challenge for aviation. But there are plenty of aircraft in development that will use them when the time comes.

In fact, many are already flying. The term drone may conjure up images of buzzing, microwave-sized aircraft. However, many designs resemble small cargo planes, with similar ranges and payloads. 

In 2023, electric drones completed 1 million deliveries. Commercial drone flights, meanwhile, have increased by 135 percent per year since 2018. Today, the aircraft mainly deliver air freight, parcels, and medical cargo. But the report predicts the pilot shortage will only accelerate the technology further, opening up even more use cases.

Adding to the momentum for drone delivery is its declining cost. According to UP.Partners research, the price is about $4 per delivery when a remote pilot is able to monitor multiple drones. That’s nearly one-third the price of a comparable automobile delivery, the firm said.

Per the report, Walmart is the world’s leading developer of drone delivery services outside of the war in Ukraine. In the past two years alone, the retailer completed more than 2,000 U.S. deliveries out of 36 hubs across seven states. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, 1.8 million households are now eligible for drone delivery through Walmart and its partners.

Amazon Prime Air, meanwhile, has faltered. It has now been more than a decade since former CEO Jeff Bezos promised to permeate U.S. skies with drones, but the e-commerce giant has made only a handful of deliveries.

Compared to Walmart, Amazon has a few strategic disadvantages, UP.Partners said. For example, as Walmart partners with leading drone manufacturers and providers such as Zipline, Wing, Flytrex, and DroneUp, Amazon has taken a vertically integrated approach.

And while Walmart has more than 4,600 stores located within 90 percent of the U.S. population, Amazon has around 100 active fulfillment centers. However, Prime Air recently announced an international expansion and a ramp-up of its service in Texas.

As drones take to the skies, eVTOL aircraft may be the next to emerge. According to the report, there is an 18,000-unit global backlog for eVTOL aircraft valued at $111 billion. United Airlines leads the way, with large commitments for air taxis from Archer Aviation and Embraer’s Eve Air Mobility.

EHang, a Chinese manufacturer, completed the world’s first commercial passenger-carrying eVTOL air taxi flight in December, more than a year before the first American firm expects to enter service. But the industry is crowded. Several manufacturers are neck-and-neck on SMG Consulting’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Reality Index, a monthly report that measures a company’s ability to type certify and mass produce AAM aircraft. The top dogs include EHang, Archer, Eve, Joby Aviation, Beta Technologies, and Boeing’s Wisk Aero.

Meanwhile, personal, single-seat eVTOL designs, such as the Pivotal Helix, and “flying cars” capable of driving on the freeway and taking off from the runway, such as the Jetson One, have already entered service.

Automated flight systems, such as those from Xwing, Reliable Robotics, and Merlin Labs, are also approaching certification. And soon, the industry may even introduce humanoid co-pilots.

The arrow is certainly pointing up for drones, eVTOL, and other emerging designs as they attract investments from private firms. But according to the report, the U.S. Department of Defense is the single largest customer of mobility technology. 

Through innovation arm AFWERX, the Air Force is working with a plethora of manufacturers to develop the next generation of aviation technology. Contracted firms include Archer, Beta, Pipistrel, Xwing, and Reliable.

During periods of conflict—a fair characterization of today’s state of play—U.S. military spending and venture capital investment in defense go up, according to data from PitchBook and the Office of Management and Budget. So, it’s possible that wars in Europe and the Middle East will accelerate these projects even further.

Battle for the Final Frontier

Private industry, government, and other stakeholders are coming together to address the issues facing the planet’s skies. But some are looking higher.

2023 was a banner year for commercial space activity. About 13,000 satellites are now in orbit, a number UP.Partners expects to rise to 50,000 in 2030. Satellite constellations, led by SpaceX’s Starlink, have increased tenfold over the past four years. And dollars spent on global space activity have tripled over the past decade, buoyed by growth in commercial ventures.

Orbital launch attempts, meanwhile, have spiked following Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with the U.S. and China leading the way. At the same time, the cost to send a satellite to low-Earth orbit (LEO) has declined significantly.

For example, SpaceX claims Starhip—the largest and most powerful rocket ever built—will deliver payloads for about $45 per pound. The spacecraft has attempted two suborbital test flights, both of which resulted in the loss of its rocket and booster and spurred FAA mishap investigations.

Still, SpaceX far surpasses all other launch providers in terms of payload, the report said. If successful, its Starship human landing system (HLS)—which NASA will use to return humans to the moon through the Artemis program—would drastically reduce the cost of lunar payload delivery compared to the Apollo program, from $36 billion to $70 million per ton.

However, UP.Partners worries that the U.S. may fail to lead in the final frontier. Venture capital investment in space startups has risen almost 3,500 percent over the past decade. But most space special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) have fared poorly. For almost all of them, stock price as a percentage of valuation has declined more than 50 percent.

The report also raised concerns around the Artemis program. NASA in December delayed the Artemis III moon mission from 2025 to 2026, in part due to the issues facing Starship. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk estimated each lunar landing will require eight Starship launches to perform cryogenic refilling in orbit. But the Government Accountability Office predicts it will be double.

Any delay to Artemis or other U.S. space initiatives could open the door for China. The Eastern superpower is quickly accelerating its commercial space program, with companies such as Space Pioneer and Deep Blue already landing reusable rockets. Blue Origin and Stoke Space are among the U.S. firms developing similar spacecraft.

A Moving World

The issues facing aviation are not insignificant, nor are they easy—or cheap—to solve. The industry will soon need to complement or supplement thousands of pilots, eliminate significant  quantities of carbon, and maintain aircraft performance and efficiency while doing it.

The good news is that pressure makes diamonds. While it may not be enough just yet, hundreds of startups are pouring billions of dollars into new airframes, fuels, and other technologies.

However, regulation will need to catch up with innovation. The FAA has finalized some early drone regulations, for example, but still needs to address flight beyond the pilot’s visual line of sight (BVLOS). AAM regulations, meanwhile, are still in a primitive state—only initial guidelines have been released.

For the U.S.—or any nation—to lead aviation into a greener, more efficient future, regulators will have just as large a role to play as the manufacturers themselves.

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Engaging its six electric ePropellers—and confirming the proper function of the flight control computer, high-voltage battery pack, distributed electric propulsion, and hybrid electric turbogenerator, the Eco-Pulse took off at 10:32 a.m. local time and flew for 100 minutes, ranging up to roughly 12,500 feet according to flight tracking data. Its ePropellers were powered during the flight by both a battery and a turbogenerator.

Up until last week, Eco-Pulse had flown with electric portion of the system inactive, making 10 hours of flight test and extensive ground runs from the facility at Tarbes. The demonstrator is based on the TBM airframe, with the integrated ePropellers, power distribution and rectifier unit (to guard the high-voltage network) and high-voltage power harnesses supplied by Safran, and the high-energy-density battery pack from Airbus. That battery pack is capable of delivering up to 350 kilowatts of power and is rated at 800 volts. The distinctive architecture of the system demonstrates that a single electrical source can power multiple electric motors positioned throughout the aircraft.

Proving the Decarbonization Roadmap

“We confirmed today that this disruptive propulsion system works in flight, which paves the way for more sustainable aviation,” said Eric Dalbiès, Safran’s executive vice president of strategy and chief technology officer. “The lessons learned from upcoming flight tests will feed into our technology roadmap and strengthen our position as leader in future all-electric and hybrid-electric propulsive systems.”

“This is a major milestone for our industry and we’re proud to have powered the EcoPulse demonstrator first flight with our new battery systems,” said Sabine Klauke, CTO at Airbus. “High-energy density batteries will be necessary to reduce carbon emissions from aviation, whether for light aircraft, advanced air mobility or large hybrid-electric aircraft. Projects like EcoPulse are key to accelerating progress in electric and hybrid electric flight, and a cornerstone of our aim to decarbonize the aerospace industry as a whole.”

“The flight campaign will give Daher invaluable data on the effectiveness of the onboard technologies, including distributed propulsion, high-voltage batteries and hybrid-electric propulsion,” said Pascal Laguerre, Daher’s CTO. “We’re working to converge practical and significant know-how on design, certification and operation to shape our path toward more sustainable aircraft for the future.” 

Previously, the group had flown the Eco-Pulse to the Paris Air Show last June, to showcase the sustainability initiatives of the collective companies, in concert with CORAC (the French Civial Aviation Research Council), the DGAC (French civil aviation authority), France Relance, and NextGeneration EU. The Eco-Pulse had its first reveal at the 2019 Paris Air Show—so significant progress has been made in the four years since that moment.

The next time the public can see the Eco-Pulse on display is December 6-7, at the Green Aero Days in Pau, France.

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From a literal standpoint, many examples of this concept jostled for attention on the static display and in the halls at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget this year. But the distributed power demonstrated by CORAC-supported collaboration between major aerospace OEMs Daher, Safran, and Airbus on the EcoPulse project has also emerged as a theme in the drive toward a market-ready airplane.

CORAC stands for “le Conseil pour la Recherche Aéronautique Civile,” or French Aeronautic Research Council, a focal group in France leading the charge toward decarbonization. EcoPulse is also funded by the DGAC (France’s civil aviation authority) through France Relance and NextGenerationEU. While governmental motivation is critical, what powers a project toward real sustainability solutions is the will to commit precious workforce and material resources at the corporate and teams level.

What Is EcoPulse?

From a distance, the silhouette of the EcoPulse belies its basis on the Daher TBM airframe. Already an efficient utilizer of the Pratt & Whitney PT6-series turboprop engine, the TBM 900 formed a shell for the project with well-understood aerodynamics and serviceability as a baseline for the effort.

Daher was already “in anticipation” of the current climate on decarbonization for some time, according to head of aircraft design Christophe Robin, lead for the EcoPulse project for Daher’s team, with chief technology officer Pascal Laguerre. 

“We started to think about that five years ago, and at that time it was not a very common word—decarbonization—so we said we need to do something,” said Robin in a walkaround the airplane with FLYING. “But let’s make something very concrete. No PowerPoint, no things like that. Let’s build an aircraft—and let’s build an aircraft with partners, with people that have the technology that we don’t have as an aircraft manufacturer. Above 28 volts of electricity, we don’t know too much.

“The goal is not to modify a TBM. The goal is to put as much technology as possible on an aircraft, to make something which is probably completely stupid from a product point of view, but which makes sense from a technology point of view.” 

From this, the consortium would learn and capture immense amounts of data from which to draw conclusions that could inform a marketable initial product offering.

• READ MORE: EcoPulse Aircraft Headlines Daher’s Sustainability Initiatives

The project was announced at Le Bourget in 2019—the last occasion of the Paris Air Show—and work has taken place since then. Safran produced the six electric ENGINeUS motors (at 80 kwh each) mounted with e-Propellers distributed along the wings, three on each side. The props have two positions, one for normal flight, and one feathered. The propulsion system takes its power from two sources: a turbogenerator—an electricity generator powered by a gas-burning turbine—from Safran and a battery pack supplied by Airbus. The Power Distribution and Rectifier Unit protects the high-voltage network and distributes the available electrical power along with the high-voltage harnesses (all from Safran). That’s important, because the system manages a total capacity of 800 volts—a leap in electrical system management unprecedented in this type of vehicle.

“Hybridization and electrification are key to the aerospace sector’s decarbonization journey,” said Sabine Klauke, CTO at Airbus. “With EcoPulse, we learned a lot from developing the high-power battery pack entirely, from the monitoring system to the thermal runaway and short-circuit tests. Some of these key learnings are already applied in several of our demonstrators with the common ambition to lower emissions. We are now all eager to see this technology flying and continue to progress on our electrification roadmap.”

First Flight: Normal Power

The EcoPulse took its maiden flight in 2022 using its stock PT6A engine before the electrical system was operational. Ground and flight testing thus far in 2023—including 27 hours in flight—have gone toward proving the aerodynamics of the engine configuration along with the operability of its systems. The flight deck features a Garmin G1000 standard on the airframe, with additional avionics to support the new systems. The consortium looks forward to the first flight engaging the electric motors later this summer.

“The demonstrator has so far amassed around 27 hours of flight time with the electric propellers feathered,” said Laguerre of Daher. “Flight tests of the hybrid-electric powertrain are due to begin later this summer. We are going to learn a lot. From this demonstration program, we plan to develop our future product roadmap and basically spec the hybrid aircraft we intend to produce by the end of our five-year plan. We expect by the end of 2027 to be able to offer our first hybrid aircraft to the market.”

Eric Dalbiès, executive vice president of strategy and CTO for Safran, said: “After endurance ground test campaign for the e-Propellers, the first hybrid-electric flight with the six e-Propellers activated will be an important milestone for our technology roadmap as Safran’s objective is to position itself as the leader in future hybrid and all-electric aircraft systems.” 

“For us this project is a sweet sport,” Dalbiès added in the press briefing. “Whatever happens in the future, about the maturity of this kind of system, it’s really answering the goals of research and technology projects, to make a representative demonstration—full scale—of the complete system.”

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Electra.aero unveiled the eSTOL (electric short takeoff and landing) demonstrator at a special ceremony at 5 p.m. EDT Monday to present the concept and answer questions about both the technology and vision for its future use. According to the company, the aircraft represents the first use of blown lift using distributed electrical propulsion, allowing the airplane to to take off and land in short distances.

The two-seat airplane utilizes eight motors and an internal hybrid-electric power generator to recharge its battery system. The company plans to put the aircraft into a full flight test program this summer as it works towards a nine-seat production model. The production version is expected to begin testing in 2025. In all, the company anticipates the final version to carry 2.5 times the payload and exhibit a 10-times-longer range with 70 percent lower operating costs than vertical takeoff alternatives. Electra.aero claims this will transpire “with much less certification risk, proving that climate-friendly technology can also be cost-effective.”

• READ MORE: Electra eSTOL Developer Acquires Airflow

“In the three years since we founded Electra, we’ve designed our eSTOL aircraft, validated our blown-lift technology with a subscale demonstrator, and run a fully integrated test of our 150-kilowatt, hybrid-electric generator at full scale,’’ said John Langford, founder and CEO of Electra.aero. “Now we’re ready to test the entire system with this technology demonstrator aircraft. We can’t wait to fly this plane and show the world what our eSTOL aircraft can do.”  

Electra expects a 1,900-pound passenger and cargo load capacity, and it’s shooting for a 434 nm (500 sm) range.

Certification and Investor Backing

The idea is to give operators the best of both worlds—airplane and rotorcraft—with the capability to use similar spaces to land and take off. Entry into service is hoped for 2028, with the company seeking FAA Part 23 type certification by that time. Electra’s financial backing comes from a recent $30 million funding award from the U.S. Air Force as part of a total of $85 million it can draw from. The company also holds letters of intent from more than 30 potential customers, with a valuation of $4 billion if fully realized.

“Electra was founded to build electric aircraft that make sense,” said J.P. Stewart, vice president and general manager for Electra. “We are meeting market demand for cleaner, cost-effective aircraft that can fly people and cargo closer to where they want to go, and this technology demonstrator aircraft will prove that our eSTOL technology makes that possible.” 

Launch partners Bristol and Southern Airways were on hand for the rollout, along with representatives from the Air Force’s Agility Prime program. Ground tests will continue this month, with first flight anticipated later this summer.

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The Australian entrepreneur founded FlyOnE with the express purpose of decarbonizing general aviation in the region, and he believes the answer lies in the implementation of electric aircraft.

FlyOnE is based at the Jandakot Airport (YPJT) south of Perth, in Western Australia. Jandakot serves as a busy reliever to the primary Perth International (YPPH). The start-up has collaborated with flight training organization Cloud Dancer Pilot Training at Jandakot to deliver the first recreational pilot course in electric-powered aircraft in Australia—and one of a handful now shepherding the new style of learning to fly worldwide—in a Pipistrel Alpha Electro.

Electric-Powered Training, Approved

In order to present a training syllabus in the Alpha Electro, the FTO needed approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Australia (CASA). The signoff on the Alpha Electro to operate in Australia was secured nearly five years ago. “CASA has been amazingly supportive of electric aviation in Australia,” said a post on FlyOnE’s LinkedIn page, “and was one of the first governing bodies in the world to enable electric aviation with the first certificate of airworthiness issued for a Pipistrel Alpha Electro in 2018, with the help of Recreational Aviation Australia.”

Approval of the integration of the airplane into a training syllabus came next.

With the lower cost of operation for the electric aircraft, Cloud Dancer offers that a prospective pilot could secure their recreational certificate—the initial one in Australia—for less than $10,000 (Australian) and in 20 to 30 hours of training.

“I want the electric aviation sector of aviation to grow and be effective but it’s not going to be quite as wild as some make it out to be,” said Ellis, referring to the prospect of completing an entire certificate using just electrics at this point.

The project overall has put 200 hours on the first Alpha Electro, with a second aircraft coming online in mid-February for training at Cloud Dancer. The chief instructor for the school, Adrian Van Schouwen, has 85 hours in the airplane giving dual—certainly more than anyone else in the country.

A large part of what FlyOnE and Cloud Dancer are proving is the viability of training in electric aircraft on a day-to-day basis in the real-world weather and airport conditions at Jandakot. They can fly 11.5 months out of the year, based on the VFR days in Perth, according to Ellis, with exceptions for when it’s too hot or windy to fly.

The wind limits are similar to those of any light sport or UL aircraft weighing 600 kg or less at max gross—the Alpha Electro’s limit is 570 kg—but the heat limitation has special nuances to it that are specific to the electric motor and the way the Alpha is designed. When the thermometer shoots to 40 degrees Celsius—as it can do easily in a Western Australian summer—the Alpha Electro reaches battery temperature limits quickly, particularly in the climb.

“We’re just learning so much about what we can and cannot do and how to get through the hot days,” said Ellis, “so when we do get to market with another aircraft, all our competitors will have to go through some pain in testing to discover that.” To this end, FlyOnE is seeking partners to join its Skycademy program along with Cloud Dancer.

First Electric Flight Over Sydney

An opportunity presented itself with the advent of Avalon 2023, the Australia international Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition at Avalon Airport (YMAV) in Geelong, Victoria. Not held since 2019, the largest event of its kind on the continent offers a week of industry meetings and displays, as well as a long weekend open to the general public.

Because it is based in Perth, on the opposite end of a country nearly as broad as the U.S., FlyOnE saw a way to demonstrate the innovation already transpiring in alternative aviation powerplants and fuels by transporting one of the Alpha Electros used in training to go on display at the event. Ellis also secured the ability to make a demonstration flight over Sydney—a first for electric flight in the country’s largest metropolitan area.

On February 25, Ellis soared over Sydney’s Homebush Stadium and Olympic Park, demonstrating the first passenger aircraft powered by an electric motor in the area. While the current model won’t prove the ultimate trainer for the market, it represents a critical first step in proving the business case for electric aircraft and flight training globally.

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Ampaire said it expects its Eco Caravan to earn FAA certification in 2024, claiming it could be the first electrified regional aircraft to enter commercial service.

The maiden flight launched from Camarillo Airport (KCMA), close to Los Angeles, early Friday morning. It was piloted by Elliot Seguin, who flew for 33 minutes. During the flight, the company said Seguin climbed to 3,500 feet at full power, which combined power from the combustion and electric engine. At cruise, Ampaire said Seguin spent approximately 20 minutes conducting various power tests and collecting critical engine performance data.

“The Eco Caravan propulsion system performed just as expected,” Seguin said in a statement, adding, “It was smooth and quiet. All temperature and power output readings were normal.”

A Faster Solution to Net-Zero?

The flight marked a major milestone for Ampaire, taking a different approach from other industry initiatives to eliminate carbon emissions, such as the fast-growing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) market. According to Our World In Data, aviation is responsible for 2.5 percent of global CO2 emissions. In order to reduce emissions to meet the industry-wide net-zero goal by 2050, SAF would be needed to cut up to 65 percent of emissions. the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in an October 2021 study. Meanwhile, IATA estimated that electric and hydrogen solutions would only contribute 13 percent to the desired reduction. 

If certified, Ampaire’s solution—while smaller—could offer a faster approach to possibly reducing emissions, according to the company.

“Aviation is the hardest industry to decarbonize,” said Kevin Noertker, Ampaire CEO, in a statement following the flight. “Fully-electric aircraft are range limited because of the weight and energy capacity of current-generation batteries. Hybrid-electric aircraft, however, can preserve the range and utility of today’s aircraft. That is why we are focused on hybrid-electric propulsion for a series of increasingly capable regional aircraft. It’s a way for the airline industry to decarbonize more quickly and benefit from lower operating costs.”

Gaining Momentum 

Ampaire said the maiden flight on Friday adds momentum to the program. In October, it announced a financing company, Monte Aircraft Leasing Limited, would order up to 50 Eco Caravans.

• READ MORE: Monte Inks Deal for Up to 50 Ampaire Hybrid-Electric Aircraft

Before that, during NBAA-BACE, the company signed an MOU with Tamarack Aerospace Group to develop aerodynamics upgrades for Ampaire’s hybrid electric aircraft fleet. The agreement would allow Tamarack to deploy its Tamarack’s SMARTWING winglets on all alternative energy variants of the Cessna Caravan 208, de Havilland Twin Otter, and Beechcraft King Air.

Ampaire also said it launched a partnership in October with Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance to provide maintenance services.

• READ MORE: Ampaire and Tamarack Announce MOU on Aerodynamic Upgrades

Looking ahead, Ampaire said it is working with the FAA to certify the Eco Caravan in 2024 under a supplemental type certificate tailored for its propulsion system. The company said this would be less time-consuming and cheaper than a full aircraft certification program.

“Launching hybrid-electric aviation is no simple task, but we have made it easier by upgrading an already certified aircraft,” said Noertker. “We will come to market more quickly and allow airlines around the world to begin to gain operational experience with this new type of propulsion. And we will work with them on follow-on models to meet their network requirements.”

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The two-place, high-wing design is now part of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) at the University of Waterloo and its partner, Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre (WWFC). According to Pipistrel, the Velis Electro will be used for research and in “a collaborative capacity to evaluate battery powered electric flight in Canada.”

“We are privileged to have the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics as our first Canadian customer for the Velis Electro,” said Gabriel Massey, president and managing director at Pipistrel. “This delivery is not only an exciting milestone for Pipistrel and the global presence of the Velis Electro, but also represents a steppingstone for Canada’s strategic investments to promote a greener aerospace industry and economy.”

Pipistrel Aircraft, founded in 1989, is one of the first in the world to deliver training aircraft using electric propulsion technology. The company is also a leading manufacturer of gliders and light aircraft powered by both electric and combustion engines. Pipistrel produces electric and combustion models for the general aviation, defense, and advanced air mobility sectors.

About the Aircraft

The Pipistrel Velis Electro is a two-seat, fixed-wing aircraft that, according to the company, does not produce exhaust gasses and is relatively quiet, with noise levels of only 60 decibels. The Electro is a T-tail design and has a payload of 378 pounds, with a cruise speed of approximately 90 knots and a range of 108 nm.

According to Pipistrel, the Velis Electro is more economical and environmentally friendly than gas-powered aircraft, noting, “The Velis Electro’s operating costs are less than half those of traditional combustion trainers. When used for short-range flying, such as primary flight instruction or traffic pattern practice, this makes a substantial difference in training costs for pilots and could play a huge role in making aviation more accessible, a much-needed change in the context of a looming pilot shortage. The Velis Electro produces noise levels of only 60 decibels, meaning flight training could be brought to more locations without disturbing community residents. Emerging generations of pilots are looking to sustainable flying more and more, so we’re excited to be able to deliver a green trainer option that’s already on the market and can address these industry concerns now.”

Pipistrel’s Velis Electro became the world’s first—and currently the only—electric aircraft to receive full type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in 2020, and it earned its UK CAA TC in 2022. The company is working with Transport Canada as well as the FAA for airworthiness certification in Canada and the U.S. respectively.

Pipistrel, a subsidiary of Textron Inc. under Textron eAviation, is currently developing both hybrid and electric propulsion models.

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“Just as magniX has led the world in electric propulsion, now we have the chance to lead again in the development of hydrogen technology,” Riona Armesmith, chief technology officer at magniX, said in a statement. “This technology has the potential to play a significant role in ushering in the era of zero-carbon flight. By complementing our existing battery-electric and hybrid-electric programs, it will allow us to best serve the electric aerospace marketplace, meeting the needs of the planet and of our customers.”

• READ MORE: Eviation’s ‘Alice’ Electric Demonstrator Flies for the First Time

For the past several years, the Everett, Washington-based company has explored different methods of propulsion that reduce or eliminate an aircraft’s carbon footprint, such as developing hydrogen systems for its leading electric propulsion units (EPUs).

MagniX is working with other companies to produce carbon-free flight. In 2020, magniX partnered with Universal Hydrogen as part of the development of Alice, which sports magniX’s 650-kilowatt motors. Last year, magniX announced it was broadening its efforts by working with PlugPower Inc., which is developing hydrogen fuel cell systems to replace conventional batteries in vehicles powered by electricity, as well as AeroTEC, a company that provides aerospace testing and engineering. 

The entities are joining forces to create a Hydrogen Aviation Test and Service Center at Grant County International Airport (KMWH) in Moses Lake, Washington. The airport, a former military base, has been the site of new technology development since World War II. On September 27, Eviation’s Alice launched from there on its maiden flight.

Why Hydrogen?

Hydrogen is beneficial as a replacement for fossil fuels because, like batteries, it produces zero carbon emissions and will reduce aviation’s impact on the environment, the company explained. 

Hydrogen has a high energy density, providing the capability to power electric aircraft of 50 to 90 passengers.

“By offering this technology alongside battery-electric and hybrid-electric systems, which will remain better suited to powering smaller aircraft, magniX will be able to offer a wider range of electric solutions to operators transitioning to carbon-free fleets,” the company said.

“The future of sustainable aviation will require a mix of solutions,” Nuno Taborda, CEO of magniX, said. “We are bringing our experience and expertise to advance hydrogen fuel cell technology which will enable us to power even more aircraft. MagniX is leading the charge into the future with passion and innovation.”

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Established Portuguese regional carrier and wet-lease contractor Sevenair signed a letter of intent with the Swedish OEM at the Portugal Air Summit last week to reserve three of the ES-30s, with an option to buy three more.

With its capacity for up to 30 passengers and projected range of 200 km, the aircraft is considered ideal to test within Portugal’s existing route structure. Also, the country is pushing towards adoption of sustainable and renewable energy sources across most sectors already, with much of the country’s electricity generation supported by renewables like wind, hydro, and solar.

Sustainable Leadership

Sevenair already operates a trunk service within Portugal, with seven routes that will be well within the ES-30’s proposed range. Heart has now accepted a total of 230 orders and with 100 options for the ES-30, which it expects to begin delivering in 2028 and operational by the end of the decade.

• READ MORE: Will a Larger Airframe Help Heart’s Electric Airplane Become a Reality?

“With the ES-30, we have designed an airplane that can start cutting emissions from regional air travel before the end of this decade and it is progressive airlines such as Sevenair that make it a reality. We couldn’t be happier to have them as a partner, ” said Anders Forslund, CEO of Heart Aerospace, in a press release.

Sevenair chief commercial officer Alexandre Alves elaborated on the plans to expand in a sustainable way in a statement to FLYING. “For Sevenair this commitment with Heart shows our will of being an active part of those who are willing to take the necessary steps to change the industry,” Alves said. “We not only signed this LOI, but we have been invited to be members of the advisory board—and with our experience as regional operators help the technical development and implementation of the project.”

“Heart Aerospace presented itself to us as a start-up company that combined a strong financial backup with an experienced team and strong industry partners,” said Carlos Amaro, chief executive officer of Sevenair. “As members of the Airline Advisory Board we are proud to assist this amazing group in the development of an aircraft that will completely disrupt regional flights.”

“We don’t hide that we would very much like to be the first airline to operate an electric aircraft as we think our operation and our country are perfect as case study,” added Alves in his statement.

• READ MORE: Heart Aerospace Picks Garmin G3000 for Its Electric Regional Airliner

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