Author: Matthew O’Connor

GE Aerospace and BETA Technologies have completed what they describe as the world’s first hybrid-electric assisted takeoff demonstration using an aircraft designed to carry passengers at commercial airliner altitudes. The test was conducted with a modified Saab 340B at BETA’s flight facility in Plattsburgh, New York. One side of the aircraft used a conventional GE Aerospace CT7 gas engine, while the other was equipped with a modified hybrid-electric engine. The hybrid system combines a gas engine, electric motors and batteries in an integrated megawatt-class, multi-kilovolt propulsion arrangement. During takeoff, the electric components supplied additional power to help generate the thrust…

Archer Aviation reported $5.1 million in revenue for the third quarter of 2026, supported by its first deliveries of engines and batteries to defense technology company Anduril. The results also coincided with a regulatory milestone for its Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which has received approval to begin piloted operations in Los Angeles. The initial deliveries were associated with Anduril’s Omen autonomous air vehicle, marking an early contribution from Archer’s defense business. The development demonstrates the company’s efforts to generate revenue from its in-house propulsion technology beyond its planned commercial air taxi operations. CEO Adam Goldstein said…

German aviation startup Vaeridion has raised €30 million in a new equity funding round and been selected for a potential €94.5 million grant from the European Union to advance development and production preparations for its Microliner electric regional aircraft. The Series A2 round was led by SHIFT Invest and Invest-NL, with participation from existing investors World Fund, Project A and Vsquared Ventures, alongside deep-tech investor Alexander Rittweger. Including previous public funding, Vaeridion says it has secured approximately €60 million to date. The new equity will primarily support the development of certification-compliant prototypes, alongside integrated battery and powertrain testing. EU Funding…

Joby Aviation reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of $55 million, primarily generated by its Blade passenger aviation business, and raised its full-year revenue outlook to between $135 million and $140 million. The company provided an update on its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft development, reporting progress in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification testing and an increase in manufacturing activity. As of September 30, 17 aircraft were in production. During the quarter, Joby also conducted its first flights in Texas and Florida under the White House-backed eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), which supports the development and introduction of electric air…

Florida Polytechnic University’s Police Department is preparing to use a manned electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for law enforcement operations, becoming the first police agency in the United States to integrate this type of aircraft into its service. The aircraft, named Astro, is a single-seat Jetson ONE developed by US manufacturer Jetson. According to the university, it is in the final stages of the approval process with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the intended operational use. eVTOL planned for patrol and emergency response Florida Polytechnic University expects Astro to support campus patrols and monitoring of surrounding areas.…

Archer Aviation has outlined plans for three electric air taxi networks across Texas, targeting connections between major airports and business destinations in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Austin. The proposed networks would use the company’s Midnight electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to offer shorter journeys across the state’s major urban centres. The networks would cover Texas’ so-called Triangle, a region connecting several major cities with a combined population of more than 20 million people. Archer aims to reduce travel times by offering flights that could replace some journeys currently taking 60–90 minutes by road with flights lasting 10–20 minutes.…

BETA Technologies has received a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allowing its ALIA A250 electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft to conduct market survey flights. According to the company, the authorization is the first of its kind granted to an electric VTOL aircraft. Issued under Part 21 of FAA regulations, the certificate allows BETA to conduct specified flights with operators and other industry stakeholders so they can evaluate the aircraft’s capabilities and potential applications. The authorization also permits operations across a broader geographic area, subject to applicable FAA limitations. First Flight Under Market Survey…

Reliable Robotics has raised an additional $115 million in capital, expanding its previously announced Series D funding round from $160 million to $275 million amid increased investor demand. The latest financing values the autonomous aviation company at more than $1 billion. The additional capital includes a $25 million term loan from Silicon Valley Bank. Reliable Robotics said it has raised more than $380 million in equity capital to date. The company will use the funding to expand its aircraft fleet and production facilities, strengthen its engineering workforce and accelerate the development of its autonomous flight technology. Nimble Partners led the…

Archer Aviation has completed several days of piloted flights with its all-electric Midnight aircraft across the San Francisco Bay Area, covering more than 200 miles and visiting seven cities over three days as part of its “No Roads” flight tour. The flights included multiple trips over San Francisco Bay, with takeoffs and landings at Oakland International Airport. The aircraft’s journey began in Salinas and continued through Hollister, San Martin, San Jose, Mountain View and Hayward before reaching Oakland. https://twitter.com/flyarcher/status/2112151779282694364 Archer said the flights were intended to demonstrate Midnight’s ability to operate in complex urban airspace near three major regional airports:…

Saft, the battery manufacturer owned by TotalEnergies, has inaugurated new production lines for solid-state battery technologies at its facility in Bordeaux, France. The lines are designed to manufacture polymer-based semi-solid-state batteries and sulphide-based solid-state batteries, with aerospace identified as a primary application. The company has not announced plans to use the batteries in road vehicles. According to Saft, the production facilities operate at room temperature and are intended to support the industrialisation of technologies developed through several years of research. Production Lines Cover Two Battery Technologies Saft said the Bordeaux facility can accommodate both polymer-based semi-solid-state cells and sulphide-based solid-state…

Archer Aviation and AEG are planning to develop a vertiport at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles, creating a proposed landing and takeoff site for Archer’s electric Midnight aircraft. The agreement makes Archer the exclusive air taxi partner of L.A. LIVE and adds a downtown location to the company’s planned Los Angeles air taxi network. L.A. LIVE Vertiport Planned for Electric Air Taxis The proposed vertiport would allow passengers to travel to and from L.A. LIVE using Archer’s Midnight aircraft. Archer says the electric aircraft is designed for cross-city journeys of approximately 10 to 20 minutes that could otherwise require…

Heart Aerospace has completed the maiden flight of its battery-electric X1 demonstrator at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York, using the full-scale aircraft to test electric propulsion, aerodynamics and flight performance ahead of development of its ES-30 hybrid-electric regional aircraft. The manned flight took place on Aug. 12, 2026, and lasted 27 minutes. The aircraft reached an altitude of 335 metres and its electric powertrain delivered more than 1 megawatt of power during the test. X1 Tests Electric Aircraft Technology The X1 has a wingspan of 32.3 metres, a length of 23.2 metres and a height of 7.3 metres. Its…

Archer Aviation has signed definitive agreements to acquire Boeing’s Wisk Aero, Insitu and SkyGrid subsidiaries in a transaction that would combine autonomous flight, uncrewed aircraft and airspace management technologies with Archer’s artificial intelligence capabilities. The proposed acquisition would bring the three Boeing businesses under Archer as the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company expands beyond its air taxi activities into broader aerospace and defense applications. Together, Wisk, Insitu and SkyGrid represent nearly two million flight hours and more than $200 million in annual revenue, with operations across 35 countries. Autonomous Flight and Uncrewed Systems Wisk Aero brings more than…

GE Aerospace, in collaboration with NASA, Beta Technologies, and Boeing, has completed what the companies describe as the world’s first hybrid-electric flight at a cruising altitude of 30,000 feet (9,144 meters), demonstrating the technology at an altitude comparable to conventional commercial passenger aircraft. The flight forms part of ongoing efforts to develop lower-emission propulsion systems for future regional and commercial aviation. https://evmagz.com/vertical-aerospace-and-honeywell-join-eu-air-mobility-integration-project/ Hybrid-Electric System Tested at Commercial Cruising Altitude The demonstration used a modified Saab 340B regional aircraft, which normally accommodates up to 39 passengers. For the test campaign, one side of the aircraft was fitted with a hybrid-electric propulsion…

Vertical Aerospace and Honeywell Aerospace have joined Project VERTI-GO, a European Union-funded initiative that aims to support the integration of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and cargo drones into European airspace. EU Initiative for Advanced Air Mobility The project brings together 12 industry and aviation partners and is funded through the European Union’s Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking. https://evmagz.com/vertical-aerospace-to-showcase-valo-evtol-at-farnborough-airshow/ Honeywell Aerospace engineers based in Brno, Czech Republic, are leading the program, while Vertical Aerospace will conduct eVTOL flight demonstrations between Malaga and Marbella, Spain, with trials expected to take place in 2028. Project VERTI-GO is…

Vertical Aerospace will lead a UK Government-backed program to develop high-power charging and thermal management technologies for electric aircraft, as the company seeks to support the commercialization of electric aviation. Government-Backed Investment The ECLiPSE program, announced by Vertical Aerospace, represents a total investment of approximately £3.4 million, including up to £1.75 million in funding from the UK Government. The initiative forms part of a broader £43 million government funding package aimed at advancing aviation technologies across the United Kingdom. https://evmagz.com/vertical-aerospace-to-showcase-valo-evtol-at-farnborough-airshow/ Vertical Aerospace is leading the project in collaboration with the University of Bath and InnCat Ltd. Focus on Charging Infrastructure…

Loganair has signed a letter of intent to acquire five ALIA CX300 all-electric aircraft from BETA Technologies, with options for five additional aircraft, as the Scottish regional carrier prepares to introduce electric aviation into its scheduled operations from 2029. The agreement was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow and, if finalized, could position Loganair as the first commercial airline in Europe to operate fully electric aircraft on scheduled passenger services. Electric Aircraft Target Regional Routes The ALIA CX300 is a conventional takeoff and landing aircraft designed to operate from existing airport runways, eliminating the need for dedicated vertiport infrastructure. https://evmagz.com/eve-air-mobility-taps-beta-technologies-for-evtol-pusher-motors-in-1-billion-deal/…

Electra will invest $850 million to build its first production facility for the hybrid-electric EL9 Ultra Short aircraft in Springfield, Ohio, where the company plans to manufacture up to 800 aircraft annually in the long term and create nearly 2,000 jobs. The aircraft developer selected a 39-hectare site at AirPark Ohio, adjacent to Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport, following an evaluation of more than 140 potential locations. Planning for the project will begin immediately, with construction scheduled to start in 2027. https://evmagz.com/archer-aviation-and-anduril-unveil-dual-use-vtol-platform-for-defense-and-commercial-markets/ Production Capacity to Expand in Phases Electra said the factory will initially be capable of producing up to 400 aircraft…

Archer Aviation and defense technology company Anduril Industries have introduced a new vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft platform designed for both defense and commercial applications. The platform was unveiled at the Farnborough International Airshow on July 20, 2026, with the companies presenting Thunder, a defense-focused variant configured as an autonomous Group 5 attack rotorcraft. https://evmagz.com/archer-beta-and-macquarie-plan-250-site-u-s-charging-network-for-electric-aircraft-by-2030/ Hybrid-Electric Platform Targets Multiple Missions Thunder is powered by a series hybrid-electric propulsion system and features a dual-tiltrotor configuration designed to support operations without conventional runways. https://twitter.com/flyarcher/status/2079167522478125106 According to the companies, the aircraft adjusts rotor speeds throughout different phases of flight to improve efficiency…

VÆRIDION has selected Drive System Design (DSD) to develop, manufacture and test the propeller drive system for its Microliner electric aircraft, as the company continues development of its nine-seat regional aircraft. The agreement was announced during the Farnborough International Airshow on July 20, 2026, and supports the next phase of the Microliner program as it moves toward full-scale ground testing and its first flight. https://evmagz.com/hitachi-energy-and-eve-air-mobility-partner-on-evtol-charging-infrastructure/ Drive System to Support Electric Propulsion Under the agreement, DSD will develop the propeller drive system for VÆRIDION’s electric propulsion unit. The scope of work includes the Blue-Label drive unit, motor support structure, driveshaft, clutch…