On Monday, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announced that it and the Air Mobility Command (AMC), which provides aerial refueling and airlift services for U.S. forces worldwide, began testing a UAS traffic management (UTM) system at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

The system, called CLUE, or Collaborative Low-Altitude Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Effort, is designed to integrate UAS flights next to crewed aircraft above and around Air Force installations. According to the AFRL, MacDill is the first base to use a UTM system in airspace overseen by Department of Defense air traffic controllers.

“This is a significant milestone for AMC, AFRL, and the CLUE program, as the MacDill Air Traffic Control Tower and Base Defense Operations Center are first in the Air Force to operationally assess UTM capabilities,” said Phil Zaleski, manager of the AFRL CLUE program.

CLUE was born out of the AFRL’s Information Directorate as a project meant to provide “air domain awareness, situational awareness, and UTM operational capabilities for UAS operators, air traffic control [ATC] personnel, Security Forces and other stakeholders.”

The system arrived at MacDill in 2022, where initial testing focused on airspace deconfliction, communication, and security. The goal was to enable drone flights beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the operator, which are heavily scrutinized and restricted by the FAA.

Since then, the UTM platform has been developed to give air traffic controllers a three-dimensional view of UAS activity and make it possible to grant flight permissions automatically.

“Equipping airspace managers and UAS operators with a 3D operational viewing capability and additional features designed to reduce lengthy manual and advanced planning procedures will be critical to achieving real-time flight planning and mission execution,” said James Layton, chief of plans and programs at MacDill.

The system is also sensor-agnostic, meaning it integrates with an array of different sensors designed to detect, track, and identify drones, including a counter UAS system being tested at MacDill.

The Air Force in May began formally testing CLUE’s capabilities on the base, opening it to the site’s ATC tower, Defense Operations Center, and airfield management team. Personnel so far have used the system to plan the intent of UAS flights or let operators know where they are approved to fly a drone, for example.

Operators ask CLUE for the all clear to fly, and their request is either approved or denied by the control tower. Once permission is granted, they can fly within a bounded area. CLUE feeds the operators information about the airspace and other nearby aircraft, helping them stay within the approved zone while avoiding other drones.

The UTM system has also been installed at Eglin AFB’s Duke Field (KEGI) in Florida, where the AFRL conducted a demonstration of its capabilities in 2023. There, CLUE will begin by integrating flights of small UAS (weighing less than 70 pounds) before moving to larger designs, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis such as Joby Aviation’s five-seat S4.

Joby, partnering with AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, earlier this year committed to deliver two air taxis to MacDill and has also shipped a prototype aircraft to Edwards AFB in California.

MacDill in May also hosted flights of a KC-135 Stratotanker equipped with an autonomous flight system from developer Merlin Labs, which is designed to one day enable fully remote flights. That technology, as well as systems from fellow AFWERX collaborators Xwing and Reliable Robotics, could one day be integrated into the CLUE UTM.

AFWERX and the AFRL are not the only government entities studying UTM systems. The Air Force is working with NASA to build a digital operations center for drones and electric air taxis nationwide and is collaborating with the FAA to integrate novel and uncrewed aircraft with air traffic control and other systems within the national airspace.

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The company believes these were the first such deployments for an electric aircraft with major commands of the Air Force.

The on-base and cross-country missions with the Air Combat Command (ACC) and Air Mobility Command (AMC) included daylong and even multiday exercises. Beta characterized them as “real-world” missions that were conducted at the behest of the ACC and AMC, with a little help from AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm with which the manufacturer has worked since 2019.

The goal of these flights was to see how Beta’s Alia, a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) design, could support defense use cases such as resupply, cargo delivery, and personnel transport, including during combat. The aircraft seats up to five passengers and has a range of 250 nm.

Alia took off from Beta’s headquarters at Burlington International Airport (KBTV) in Vermont and embarked on a series of cross-country flights before arriving at the Air National Guard’s Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) in Alpena, Michigan. There, with the ACC, the aircraft completed a four-day exercise.

Over the course of 24 flight hours, Alia moved more than 2,200 pounds of cargo—including 500 pounds at a time—delivered meals and equipment, simulated a medical evacuation between two bases, and filled in for a Lockheed C-130 Hercules that had a scheduled airlift canceled.

“We can be ready to take off in a matter of minutes, and the battery has a low center of gravity, which is not affected by the way you load the cargo,” said Ross Elkort, flight test engineer for Beta.

The next stop for Alia was Springfield, Ohio, where a pilot for UPS Flight Forward completed a ground school program, simulator training, and evaluation flight. Flight Forward in 2021 placed an order for the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) variant of Alia.

After that came a simulation of planned Alia routes in Virginia and a joint demonstration at Atlantic City International Airport (KACY) in New Jersey alongside the FAA, AMC, and others.

The AMC helped finish out the campaign with a series of flights between Dover Air Force Base in Delaware (KDOV) and McGuire Air Force Base (KWRI) in New Jersey, which are considered key hubs for military logistics. During a daylong exercise, AMC pilots flew Alia five times, delivering multi-hundred-pound payloads and slashing delivery times by more than half.

“It brings key innovation to the mission. It’s going to make things faster and simpler,” said Alyxandra Scalone of the Air Force’s 305th Maintenance Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. “Dover (AFB) is about two and a half hours away from us. Today’s flight only took 45 minutes.”

Over the course of the monthlong campaign, Beta said it deployed Alia with a 100 percent success rate.

Beta has worked with AFWERX through its Agility Prime division, which focuses on vertical lift technologies, since 2020.

Beta last year installed the first electric aircraft charger at a Department of Defense site at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The Alia eVTOL in 2021 became the first electric aircraft to receive military airworthiness approval for human flight.

The CTOL, meanwhile, was responsible for the first airman flight of electric aircraft and was the first of its kind to complete an Air Force deployment: a three-month campaign at Eglin’s Duke Field (KEGI) and Robins Air Force Base (KWRB) in Georgia.

From October to January, it completed what Beta claims to be the first simulated casualty evacuation and first live military exercise with an electric aircraft. The latter saw Alia fly alongside 350 airmen, demonstrating how the aircraft could integrate with existing military operations.

Meanwhile, in April, the Alia eVOL completed its first crewed transition from hover to forward flight, a key stage in that model’s development. The vertical lift version of Alia has received less attention than its counterpart, but AFWERX has shown interest in the configuration, working with eVTOL manufacturers such as Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation.

If all goes according to plan, the CTOL version of Alia will hit the market in 2025, followed by the eVTOL in 2026. The aim, however, is for the military to get its hands on the aircraft first.

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Joby on Tuesday announced it acquired the autonomy division of Xwing, the developer of autonomous gate-to-gate flight software Superpilot, as it looks ahead to a transition to self-flying air taxi services. The manufacturer plans to initially operate the aircraft with onboard pilots and has a partnership with Delta Air Lines to launch commercial service as early as next year, beginning in New York and Los Angeles.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But the acquisition was paid for with Joby shares and covers “all of Xwing’s existing automation and autonomy technology activities,” the company said.

“The aircraft we are certifying will have a fully qualified pilot on board,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, “but we recognize that a future generation of autonomous aircraft will play an important part in unlocking our vision of making clean and affordable aerial mobility as accessible as possible.”

Like competitors Wisk Aero, the eVTOL subsidiary of Boeing, and Archer Aviation—which in August agreed to make Wisk the exclusive provider of autonomous systems for a future variant of its flagship air taxi—Joby evidently believes autonomy will be key to scaling up its operations.

The manufacturer began exploring pilotless flight in 2021 with the acquisition of radar developer Inras, whose technology it said it would use to develop an onboard sensing and navigation system.

One problem the eVTOL industry faces is a lack of powered-lift pilots, for which the FAA is working to develop a training and certification pathway. In the short term, autonomy could take on more flight functions, akin to autopilot technology on commercial airliners, to allow operations with smaller crews. Further out, it could allow Joby to remove the pilot from its aircraft entirely.

Wisk argues that the technology will further make operations safer and more affordable for passengers. That’s important, because eVTOL manufacturers, including Joby and Archer, claim their air taxi services will be cost-competitive with ground-based rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft.

Additionally, Joby said Xwing’s Superpilot will help it fulfill obligations for the U.S. Department of Defense, through which it is under contract with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force. The manufacturer has so far committed to four deliveries out of a total of nine air taxi orders—two each to Edwards Air Force Base in California and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida—delivering one to Edwards.

Joby in March estimated that the agreement has a total contract value of $163 million but on Tuesday said Xwing’s technology gives it room for growth.

“Autonomous systems are increasingly prolific in the private sector and bring potentially game-changing advantages to the Air Force as well,” said Colonel Elliott Leigh, director of AFWERX and chief commercialization officer for the Air Force. “We created Autonomy Prime to keep up with this shift and to stay engaged as a partner while this technology evolves so that we can adapt and evolve along with the private sector, maintaining our competitive advantage.”

Rather than develop autonomous software in-house, as it does for most of its aircraft’s components and systems, Joby will instead adopt the technology Xwing has been building since its founding in 2016.

A platform-agnostic system, Superpilot uses AI and machine learning algorithms to automate a range of tasks such as vision system processing, detect and avoid, decision making, and mission management, including route planning and live updates.

The system integrates into type-certified aircraft and is designed to change the role and location of the pilot, enabling remote supervision from a ground control station within the existing air traffic control system. However, Xwing on its website says the technology “is applicable to and will improve safety in both piloted and autonomous aircraft.”

Xwing began flying Superpilot-equipped aircraft in 2020 and has since completed more than 250 autonomous flights and 500 autolandings using a modified Cessna 208B Grand Caravan. Since 2021, it has operated a Part 135 air carrier business, flying 400 feeder cargo flights per week for UPS. Through a nonexclusive agreement with Cessna manufacturer Textron Aviation, the company intends to retrofit more small cargo aircraft, beginning with the Grand Caravan.

Last year, Superpilot became the first standard category large uncrewed aerial system (UAS) to receive an official FAA project designation, initiating the process for it to be approved for commercial cargo operations in U.S. national airspace. Under a three-year contract with NASA, Xwing is allowing researchers to study the technology and develop a safety management system (SMS) to integrate routine, pilotless flights alongside conventional aircraft.

In May 2023, the Air Force committed to exploring Superpilot for defense applications through a 21-month flight trial awarded by AFWERX. It must like what it’s seen so far, because less than a year into the partnership, it granted military airworthiness to Xwing’s modified Cessna, allowing it to begin performing cargo missions in unrestricted airspace. In February, the aircraft completed the Air Force’s first autonomous logistics mission.

Joby on Tuesday said Xwing engineers, researchers and technologists will join the manufacturer to seek out new technology development partnerships with the DOD. The department is eyeing autonomous cargo aircraft as a way to take human pilots out of potentially dangerous scenarios.

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Pyka, a manufacturer of electric uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), on Monday partnered with aerospace and defense contractor Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to introduce a variant of its flagship Pelican Cargo drone for DOD use.

“SNC has extensive experience modifying products from the Silicon Valley technology ecosystem to fit DOD requirements, and they are committed to making cutting-edge technology like Pelican Cargo available to the United States government,” said Michael Norcia, co-founder and CEO of Pyka.

The cargo version of Pelican—which also comes in a crop-spraying configuration, Pelican Spray—is the world’s largest zero-emission cargo aircraft, according to Pyka.

Unveiled in January, the UAS has a massive 400-pound payload and 70 cubic feet of cargo volume, far larger than what is seen on a typical delivery drone. It has a length of about 22 feet and a 38-foot wingspan, with a range of up to 200 miles and cruise speed of 60-70 knots.

“Pyka’s Pelican Cargo is unlike any other UAS solution on the market for contested logistics,” said Michael Bertman, vice president of programs at SNC. “We assessed a number of leading capabilities and concluded that the Pelican Cargo is significantly more capable than any other platform. It is the only all-electric, austere environment cargo aircraft with that kind of range, payload capacity, and cargo volume.”

Pyka and SNC together introduced RumRunner, a modified version of Pelican Cargo that also has a 400-pound payload and 200-mile range but was designed specifically for defense applications.

The UAS has four electric motors powered by triple-redundant batteries, which can be recharged within an hour or swapped out in five minutes. It flies fully autonomously using Pyka’s proprietary Flight Engine, which processes millions of inputs per second from the aircraft’s lidar, downward facing lasers, inertial measurement units, and air data booms. The system uses 3D aerial mapping and dynamic path planning to detect obstacles.

One key feature of the zero-emission design is its super-short takeoff and landing (SSTOL) capability. With a full payload, Pelican Cargo requires just 500 feet of runway to take off. According to Pyka, this enables operations with “an order of magnitude less infrastructure than previously possible.”

In addition, the drone can operate at night using GPS and laser- or radar-based navigation. It can be loaded in just five minutes, Pyka says, using a nose-loading configuration with a sliding cargo tray.

“Creating a more diverse, distributed, and survivable supply chain is expected to be the primary driver in terms of interest from the DOD,” said Bertman. “The zero-fuel component minimizes the need to forward-stage bulk fuel, which significantly reduces the logistics tail normally associated with resupply operations. This presents opportunities to increase the survivability of our service members, reduce risks to the force, and transform the way military operations have historically been conducted.”

Pyka, like many manufacturers of electric or autonomous aircraft, also has a relationship with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force. In February, it delivered the first of three Pelican Cargo aircraft, on lease to AFWERX, to New Braunfels National Airport (KBAZ) in Texas, where Air Force personnel will explore its applications for defense.

Pyka so far has precommitments on over 80 orders and options for Pelican Cargo from three launch customers in North America and Europe, including London-based Skyports Drone Services.

In March, the manufacturer secured a 110,000-square-foot corporate headquarters and production facility in Alameda, California, the site of the historic Alameda Naval Air Station. It will use the facility to design, develop, and manufacture aircraft at scale after it settles into the site later this year.

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The company on Tuesday said it completed a crewed, full transition flight of its Alia-250 (A250) eVTOL, shifting from vertical lift to forward cruise on fixed wings during the same flight. The model is one of two aircraft the firm is looking to commercialize in the coming years, along with a conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) Alia variant. Over four years of flight testing, Beta says its aircraft together have now logged more than 40,000 nautical miles.

Beta competitor Joby Aviation has also completed a crewed transition flight, putting a U.S. Air Force pilot at the helm in 2023. It claims to be the first to achieve the milestone. However, Beta’s flight is believed to be the first to include an out and back. Another competitor, Archer Aviation, said in January it is progressing toward a full wing-borne transition flight after it completed the first phase of its own flight campaign with the Air Force.

Like all of Beta’s test flights to date, the transition flight at the company’s flight test facility in Plattsburgh, New York, was crewed. Alia was piloted by Nate Moyer, a former Air Force experimental test pilot. The transition took place a few feet above the runway, with the aircraft relying solely on its fixed wings for cruise. Vertical propellers got the aircraft off the ground but remained stationary during forward flight.

According to Beta, the transition flight will provide key data the manufacturer will use to validate its design choices, as it works to type certify its eVTOL with the FAA. The eCTOL variant of Alia is expected to be given the all-clear about one year before then. But the company intends to conduct more crewed eVTOL transitions in the coming months.

The runway-independent aircraft will first be deployed by the U.S. military. Beta in January wrapped up its first eCTOL deployment for the Air Force and has delivered both aircraft and electric chargers to Eglin Air Force Base (KVPS) in Florida for Air Force testing.

The manufacturer also continues to collaborate with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force with which it has worked since 2020. Together, Beta and AFWERX in 2022 conducted the first airman flight of an electric aircraft.

Beyond the military, Beta expects its eVTOL to be used by cargo carriers and passenger-carrying operators. It has electrification partnerships with U.S. FBOs Atlantic Aviation and Shoreline Aviation to install charging stations for eVTOL and eCTOL service at FBO terminals from coast to coast.

As of March, the company has installed chargers at 19 locations, with a further 50 in the permitting or construction process. The systems are designed to accommodate both of Beta’s flagship models, but also those of its competitors.

Beta’s eVTOL customers include the United Postal Service, LCI, Blade Air Mobility, and Canada’s Helijet. Air New Zealand, meanwhile, has opted for the eCTOL Alia variant. Customers United Therapeutics and Bristow Group are looking to introduce both aircraft.

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The Army on Thursday awarded a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to Electra.aero, the manufacturer of a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) design, to perform powered wind tunnel testing.

Similar to Electra’s other SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) Phase II and III engagements with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force, the Army contract is a quid-pro-quo arrangement.

Electra will get the opportunity to leverage military test facilities as it collects data that will inform aircraft design and development. The Army, meanwhile, can explore the eSTOL’s unique capabilities—such as its miniscule runway requirement—for logistics operations in “contested” environments.

“There is a substantial benefit to employing the right-sized aircraft for a given payload-range mission,” said Ben Marchionna, director of technology and innovation at Electra. “Many of the most commonly deployed military logistics solutions in use today are flown well below their intended payload capacity. Our eSTOL aircraft can fulfill these missions while using dramatically less fuel, providing much more range, operating at significantly reduced noise levels, and utilizing the same constrained operational ground footprints.”

According to Electra, the eSTOL cruises at 175 knots and is capable of carrying up to nine passengers or 2,500 pounds of cargo. The company claims it will have more than twice the payload, 10 times the range, and 70 percent lower operating costs compared to electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) alternatives, while offering lower noise and fuel consumption.

The aircraft has a range of 500 nm for commercial use cases. But with range extensions, the Army will be able to fly it for 1,000 nm.

The defining feature of Electra’s design is its use of blown-lift technology, which redirects slipstream flows over the aircraft’s wings into large flaps and ailerons. By “multiplying lift,” as Electra puts it, the eSTOL can take off at just 35 mph, reducing the runway requirement to 150 feet.

Electra says it is the first manufacturer to deploy blown lift in an aircraft with a distributed electric propulsion system. That system takes the form of eight electric motors powered by a turbogenerator. The latter can run on both electricity or traditional aviation fuel and recharges the aircraft’s batteries in flight. Because of this, airports will not need to install electric aircraft chargers to accommodate it, Electra says.

The manufacturer intends to certify its flagship model as a fixed wing aircraft under FAR Part 23 and EASA CS-23, allowing it to be operated with a standard fixed wing pilot’s certificate. That removes a key hurdle facing the eVTOL industry, which will need to train a new generation of powered-lift-certified pilots under FAA proposals.

The Army will be one of the earliest users of the eSTOL, but Electra has plenty of commercial arrangements lined up. Those include more than 2,000 preorder sales of its flagship aircraft to major customers, among them American operators Bristow Group and JSX and India’s JetSetGo

This week, the manufacturer announced a partnership with Wilbur Air, the newly formed operator subsidiary of Australian vertiport developer Skyportz. Electra and Skyportz in 2021 signed a letter of intent for 100 aircraft.

Electra expects to begin eSTOL deliveries in 2028 following certification.

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Joby Aviation, a manufacturer of eVTOL air taxis that it expects to begin operating in 2025, on Tuesday committed to deliver two aircraft to MacDill Air Force Base (KMCF) in Tampa, Florida, to be used for Air Force training and testing. The agreement is an expansion of the company’s $131 million contract with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force, which calls for the delivery of nine aircraft.

In total, Joby’s completed and current work with the U.S. Department of Defense represents a contract value of $163 million: a figure the firm claims is the largest in the eVTOL industry. Competitors Archer Aviation and Beta Technologies, among others, also own contracts with AFWERX.

MacDill Air Force Base is home to the U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Central Command, and several Air Mobility Command and logistics-focused units within the military. Air Force personnel will test and train with Joby’s aircraft on the base and in the surrounding area.

“The early investment and vision by the U.S. government in this critical technology is proving foundational as we continue our path toward commercial passenger service,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby. “This work will provide Joby with valuable early operational experience, while providing the U.S. Air Force with firsthand understanding of the performance of our aircraft and its potential applications.”

Joby’s electric air taxi is designed to carry a pilot and up to four passengers, with a range of about 100 sm (87 nm) and cruise speed of 200 mph (174 knots). It produces zero operating emissions and a fraction of the noise of helicopters, according to the manufacturer.

Through AFWERX, the Air Force is able to experiment with aircraft such as Joby’s without spending billions on development and production. The manufacturers of those vehicles, meanwhile, receive a funding boost and take to the skies before obtaining FAA type certification. These early flights may provide critical data points to inform Joby as it refines its design, particularly when it comes to the experience of pilots.

“The Agility Prime team is very excited to progress through a novel acquisition approach,” said Lieutenant Colonel John Tekell, branch chief of Agility Prime, a division within AFWERX focused on vertical lift technologies. “These two aircraft at MacDill AFB allow the program to take the next steps in learning to maximize the operational opportunity of eVTOLs.”

For the first time, Joby at MacDill will work directly with DOD operational units. Personnel will use the aircraft to conduct logistics missions and test use cases in personnel transport, casualty evacuation, and support of security forces.

Joby in September delivered the first of nine eVTOL air taxis to the Air Force ahead of schedule, shipping it to Edwards Air Force Base in California. With one additional aircraft expected to be delivered to Edwards this year and two scheduled to be shipped to MacDill, the company has now committed a total of four aircraft to the department.

Air Force experimentation at Edwards is expected to inform the future test campaign at MacDill. In addition, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Army aviators, ground crews, and program managers have visited Joby’s flight test facility in Marina, California, for ongoing flight training. 

Personnel are further exploring potential logistics, medical, and personnel transport applications for the aircraft. According to Joby, initial evaluations have proven the model’s high speed, low noise, and minimal maintenance and operating costs make it suitable for a wide variety of use cases.

Continued evaluations and pilot training will allow Joby’s air taxi to log critical flight hours before it enters commercial service, accelerating its development and, in theory, improving safety.

Recently, the manufacturer completed a key step toward that commercial rollout. The FAA in February approved Joby’s certification plans for various aircraft components such as structural, mechanical, and electrical systems, part of the company’s type certification process. The next phase involves submitting a curriculum to be used in for-credit FAA evaluations of the aircraft, which will most likely happen at the end of this year or the start of next.

If Joby can pass that test, it will move to the final steps. Type certification could follow soon after.

Joby is not the only eVTOL manufacturer relying on AFWERX to give it a lift throughout the process.

Competitor Archer, for example, has its own $142 million contract with AFWERX, under which it expects to deliver up to six aircraft to an Air Force base yet to be determined. Both Archer and Joby received $1 million in early payments from the department last year, representing each company’s first revenue.

Another competitor, Beta, in January wrapped up its first electric aircraft deployment for the Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base’s Duke Field (KEGI) in Florida.

In addition to working with private firms, AFWERX is collaborating with the FAA to share eVTOL testing capabilities and data. Another partnership with NASA aims to develop a nationwide digital operations center for air taxi services, which would help manage eVTOL traffic.

The interplay between manufacturers and these government partners will be interesting to watch as the FAA steers the U.S. toward the goals outlined in its Innovate28 blueprint. The document, while holding no legal standing, outlines the agency’s approach to air taxi services in the short term, culminating in scaled operations in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

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The company this week said it was selected by Modern Technology Solutions Inc. (MTSI) and AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force, to participate in Agility Prime, a division of AFWERX dedicated to vertical lift technologies.

Under the new agreement, Pivotal delivered the first four of eight BlackFly preproduction eVTOLs and two flight simulators for lease to MTSI, which will be used in AFWERX and Air Force evaluations. MTSI supports AFWERX with flight testing and program management.

“AFWERX’s and MTSI’s decision to partner with Pivotal is a strong endorsement of our platform’s maturity and a milestone on our journey to mission relevance,” said Ken Karklin, CEO of Pivotal.

In addition to aircraft and simulators, Pivotal will provide pilot training and support services to its partners. The Air Force will leverage the partnership to perform a range of remotely piloted missions. It also plans to assess the benefits of the company’s unique “tilt-eVTOL” architecture for a variety of use cases.

Unlike many eVTOL designs that feature tilting motors or propellers, Pivotal decided to slant the entire airframe during the transition from hover to vertical or forward flight. This reduces aircraft weight, complexity, and points of failure, the company said.

“AFWERX continues to look for ways to accelerate our understanding of eVTOL operations, maintenance, logistics, and potential use cases.” said Lieutenant Colonel John Tekell, branch chief of Agility Prime. “One-two person eVTOLs have potential for several missions including special operations, surveillance, and disaster and emergency response with local command and control at a much lower price point than traditional helicopters.”

Pivotal, MTSI, and AFWERX will conduct the program out of New Braunfels National Airport (KBAZ), just 30 miles north of San Antonio in Texas, and the Air Force Research Laboratory’s National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport (KSGH) in Ohio. The goal will be to see if the outlandish design is a good fit for Air Force missions.

“Over the next eight months, we will fly eight BlackFly eVTOL aircraft in different environments to test their mission effectiveness and suitability in military uses,” said Vance Drenkhahn, executive vice president of MTSI’s defense services division.

BlackFly’s ability to fit inside a 16-foot trailer and go from storage to the sky in less than 30 minutes may be piquing the Air Force’s interest since these features make the aircraft easy to transport and deploy.

They are also present on Helix, Pivotal’s flagship model unveiled in October. Helix makes several upgrades to BlackFly, including a redesigned canopy and flight deck, more comfortable seating, and improved power, propulsion, and performance.

Helix hit the U.S. market in January, and customers can now purchase the aircraft for $190,000. For comparison, Helix costs slightly more than a Texas Aircraft Colt but less than a Beechcraft G36 Bonanza, Diamond DA40 NG, or Cessna 172 Skyhawk. Pivotal expects initial shipments to begin in June.

In addition to the strange tilt-aircraft design, Helix is notable for its low barrier to entry. With an empty weight below 350 pounds, the eVTOL qualifies as a Part 103 ultralight, meaning the FAA does not require pilot certification to fly it.

Instead, Pivotal will train customers how to fly the aircraft—which is commanded using fly-by-wire controls and a pair of simple joysticks—at its Palo Alto, California headquarters. In lieu of hundreds of hours of flight training, the company claims customers will be ready to fly in just two weeks, with recurrent training required after they receive their wings.

For those fearing an influx of inexperienced pilots, it may be reassuring that Helix comes with some restrictions. Customers will be required to fly during daytime and in Class G airspace, far from congested airspace and airports. They will also be restricted to about a 20 sm (17 nm) range and 63 mph (55 knot) cruise speed. In addition, pilots must be at least 18 years old, weigh less than 220 pounds, and stand no taller than 6-foot-5.

Customers can place a nonrefundable $250 deposit fee on Pivotal’s website to begin their order. To solidify a production slot and shipping date, they will need to deposit another $50,000 within five business days of the initial order.

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AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force, has awarded autonomy technology provider Xwing military airworthiness for its self-flying Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in the form of a Military Flight Release (MFR), allowing it to perform cargo missions for the Air Force in unrestricted airspace.

The approval designates Xwing as a contractor-owned-and-operated public aircraft operation (PAO) and is the first under that designation for Autonomy Prime, the autonomous flight division of AFWERX.

After receiving airworthiness, Xwing’s autonomous Caravan transported time-sensitive cargo during the Air Force’s weeklong Agile Flag 24-1 Joint Force exercise. Over the course of daily flights—which covered about 2,800 nm, 22 hours of flight time, and eight public and military airports—it demonstrated the ability to integrate autonomous aircraft into the national airspace system. Agile Flag ran from January 22 to February 4.

“Achieving an Air Force MFR certification is a momentous milestone, removing the barrier to transition and unlocking key testing and experimentation opportunities,” said Kate Brown, deputy branch chief of AFWERX Autonomy Prime. “Agile Flag was an opportunity to showcase autonomous light cargo logistics and demonstrate operational relevance and increased technical readiness.”

The exercise included the first autonomous logistics mission for the Air Force, flying from March Air Reserve Base (KRIV) outside Los Angeles to McClellan Airfield at Sacramento McClellan Airport (KMCC) in California. The autonomous aircraft also visited California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base (KVBG), Meadows Field Airport (KBFL), and Fresno Yosemite International Airport (KFAT).

“Our technology has proven effective over hundreds of successful autonomous flights,” said Craig Milliard, Xwing flight test manager, who remotely supervised the flights from a ground control station at Sacramento McClellan Airport. “This exercise gave us the opportunity to stretch the operational envelope into new environments, day and night, with real-world cargo, proving that we can effectively complete Air Force mission objectives.”

The Exercise

Xwing operates N101XW: a modified Grand Caravan with a 41-foot length, 15-foot height, 52-foot wingspan, and maximum payload of 3,000 pounds. Since its first autonomous flight in 2020, N101XW has flown more than 500 autonomous hours across 250 missions. According to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), data collected from those tests show the aircraft can fly about 1,000 nm with 1,200 pounds of cargo.

Following “rigorous safety and technical assessments,” the Air Force awarded Xwing the MFR. With it, the company is authorized to deliver official Air Force cargo with automated taxis, takeoffs, and landings, to both military and civilian airfields.

The goal of Agile Flag was to show how autonomous flight could deliver critical, time-sensitive cargo quickly and cost effectively. The Air Force gauged how autonomy could serve as a “force multiplier and risk mitigator” for the military’s agile combat employment (ACE) concept. ACE involves the dispersal of aircraft and equipment between major military hubs and smaller airfields to improve resilience and survivability.

The exercise brought together Xwing, fellow autonomous flight provider Reliable Robotics, and the Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC) and Air Mobility Command (AMC) to evaluate the technology for ACE applications. According to the Air Force, a core component of the strategy is the ability to deliver to multiple unsurveyed locations—or contested, degraded, or operationally limited (CDO) environments—with little or no ground support, on a moment’s notice.

Xwing and its ground control station arrived at McClellan Airfield, the headquarters for Agile Flag, on January 26, where airmen watched autonomous takeoffs and landings of its modified Cessna through a live feed.

But when airmen in the 4th Fighter Wing from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, needed to transport equipment from March ARB to McClellan, the demonstration became an operational exercise. Personnel loaded the equipment onto Xwing’s autonomous Caravan and completed the flight that day.

“The point of AFWERX is to get emerging and operationally relevant technologies into the hands of warfighters,” said Ian Clowes, stakeholder engagement lead for AFWERX Prime. “So I coordinated with the 4th Fighter Wing for nearly a year, and the initial pitch was for us to show up and make sure we were not interfering with the exercise. But plans changed, and we got to demonstrate the capability in an operational environment.”

Throughout the week, the Air Force assigned Xwing cargo missions based on real-time logistics needs, such as the delivery of sensitive weather equipment and other critical cargo. The exercise required it to fly through the congested Los Angeles basin, where the Caravan complied with air traffic controller instructions and integrated with heavy traffic at March ARB.

AFWERX said the aircraft delivered critical parts faster than conventional counterparts and reduced the number of requests for traditional, heavy-lift aircraft. These, according to Xwing, are two key advantages autonomous flight brings to the table for military commanders.

“This technology is a game-changer because the Air Force could fly in contested areas without the loss of life, and it’s much less expensive than using traditional cargo aircraft,” said Master Sergeant Brian Crea, Air Force 3rd Wing director of innovation.

“We saw firsthand during Agile Flag that the use of Xwing’s autonomous aircraft eliminated the need to fly a larger aircraft such as a [Lockheed Martin] C-130 to deliver critical cargo to the warfighter on short notice,” said Maxime Gariel, president, co-founder, and chief technology officer of Xwing. “When you fly missions autonomously, you operate with the speed and efficiency required for dispersed ACE operations, delivering cargo and personnel at a much lower cost and risk.”

Autonomy on the Rise?

Xwing’s participation in Agile Flag is part of its recently awarded Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with AFWERX, a continuation of the Phase II contract it obtained in May.

Autonomy Prime, with which Xwing worked over the course of the exercise, is a new technology program within AFWERX that partners with the private sector to accelerate testing and deliver new solutions to the military.

During Agile Flag, Autonomy Prime also collaborated with Reliable Robotics—which, like Xwing, retrofits Cessna Caravans with automated flight systems—through the company’s own Phase III SBIR agreement. Its dual-use control station landed at McClellan on January 30. Within minutes, AFWERX said, the system was ready to remotely operate self-flying aircraft at Hollister Municipal Airport (KCVH) more than 120 miles away.

With Agile Flag now wrapped up, Autonomy Prime will collect data to gauge the effectiveness of autonomous logistics aircraft in an ACE construct. Those results will then be analyzed and briefed to Air Force leadership.

“This demonstration was the first step in showcasing how autonomy and light cargo logistics can be leveraged in an ACE construct,” said Brown. “Moving forward, Autonomy Prime is continuing to investigate integration into future exercises to further refine concept of operations and use case. In parallel, Autonomy Prime is working with requirements owners and vendors to inform future requirements.”

Autonomous flight systems are steadily progressing toward certification, with a couple of key firsts in recent months.

In addition to Xwing’s milestone autonomous logistics mission for the Air Force, Reliable in December completed a historic cargo flight. The demonstration, conducted with FAA approval, marked the first flight of a remotely piloted Caravan with no one on board.

Xwing is also working closely with the regulator. It claims to own the first “standard” FAA uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) certification project, which aims to meet the full airworthiness safety requirements for passenger aircraft.

Both companies intend to eventually move beyond Cessna Caravans and retrofit other aircraft, but they will begin with small cargo models. Reliable has a partnership with FedEx, while Xwing is collaborating with United Parcel Service.

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The post Xwing Awarded Military Airworthiness for Autonomous Cessna Caravan appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Reliable Robotics, which in November completed the first flight of a Cessna 208B Caravan with no one on board, received military airworthiness approval to begin flight testing and operational missions of remotely piloted aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. The company will demonstrate its dual-use automated flight capabilities for military use cases such as cargo missions.

Reliable’s remotely operated aircraft system (ROAS) completed an airworthiness assessment comprising a comprehensive safety analysis, maintenance and operational evaluations, and testing of its automated flight tech. 

The approval is the latest milestone in the company’s Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force. That collaboration began in 2021. Since then, Reliable has conducted a demonstration flight at California’s Travis Air Force Base and been contracted by AFWERX to study the possibility of automating large multiengine jets.

Now, the firm is one of only a few in the emerging aviation space with military airworthiness under its belt. Beta Technologies received the first such approval for an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) design in 2021. Lift Aircraft, maker of the Hexa personal eVTOL, nabbed one the following year. Other manufacturers of novel tech, such as Archer Aviation, also maintain relationships with AFWERX and the Department of Defense.

“Our AFWERX partners are developing exciting automation technologies through robust engineering and flight test campaigns,” said Hank “Hog” Griffiths, AFWERX airworthiness and test lead. “The technology is maturing rapidly and this airworthiness approval for a certified aircraft retrofitted with an autonomous flight system provides significant opportunities for the military.”

ROAS allows pilots to safely operate aircraft from the ground, which could alleviate the sting of pilot shortages. Some even argue automated flight tech could one day be safer than crewed flight.

Reliable is developing the aircraft agnostic system to automate all phases of flight—from taxi to takeoff to landing—for any design. That includes cargo aircraft designed for payloads north of 3,000 pounds.

The company has an entrenched relationship with Textron Aviation and Textron eAviation—the manufacturer’s sustainable flight arm—to retrofit ROAS onto additional Caravans. Textron has delivered more than 3,000 of the aircraft, making it one of the most widely used turboprops in the world.

ROAS’ continuous autopilot system relies on advanced navigation and multiple redundant layers to reach a level of reliability equal to crewed flight, Reliable claims. It includes automatic braking and is positioned as being able to prevent both controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control in flight (LOC-I), according to the company.

Redundant hardware and software automate the flight control surfaces and engine controls. Similarly redundant voice and data networks, meanwhile, enable remote command and radio management for pilots.

“Nothing compares to showcasing how our autonomous flight capabilities will immediately enable new ways for the U.S. Air Force and other departments of the military to lead with innovation, improve safety, and project power across the globe,” said former Air Force Major General David O’Brien, senior vice president of government solutions at Reliable.

But Reliable is looking beyond defense use cases. ROAS—capable of automating aircraft with useful loads as high as 3,000 pounds or the ability to take off from shorter runways—could one day enable time-sensitive deliveries to locations currently served by piloted Caravans. In 2022, the company announced plans to launch a fully owned Part 135 airline subsidiary led by former Ameriflight executives.

In addition to its collaboration with the Air Force, Reliable has also demonstrated automated flight capabilities for NASA and the FAA, the latter of which formally accepted the firm’s certification plan in June. The company capped off 2023 with its historic cargo flight, keeping an uncrewed Caravan in the air for 12 minutes.

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