Author: Matthew O’Connor

Aridge, the flying car division of Xpeng, has raised nearly $200 million in a new equity funding round, as it moves closer to mass production of its aerial mobility vehicles. The latest round saw continued backing from GL Ventures and HongShan Capital, alongside new participation from Gaorong Ventures and Fortune Capital. The transaction brings Aridge’s total historical equity financing to approximately $1 billion, making it one of the most heavily funded startups in Asia’s crewed low-altitude aviation sector, according to a company statement. See also: Xpeng’s Aridge Steps Up Marketing Push Ahead of Flying Car Production Plans The fresh capital…

Archer Aviation has filed counterclaims against rival Joby Aviation, alleging the company misrepresented itself as an American-made manufacturer while relying on Chinese supply chains. The counterclaim, filed Monday in federal court, is part of an ongoing legal dispute between the two companies developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs. Archer alleges that Joby sourced key aircraft components through a Chinese manufacturing subsidiary and suppliers connected to the Chinese government. According to the filing, Archer claims Joby attempted to conceal these ties by misclassifying shipments of Chinese-origin aircraft materials as consumer goods in customs documentation. Joby rejected the allegations.…

A new research initiative involving Airbus and several German research institutions aims to develop a scalable hydrogen fuel cell system for regional aircraft carrying up to 100 passengers. The project, called GENtwoPRO, is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy under the country’s aviation research program LuFo VII-1 through the Climate and Transformation Fund. Participants in the initiative include the PEM Chair at RWTH Aachen University, German Aerospace Center, fuel cell company Aerostack, and technology partners such as TLK-Thermo and Technical University of Braunschweig. The project forms part of Airbus’ broader efforts to explore hydrogen-powered aviation…

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved eight pilot projects aimed at accelerating testing of electric air taxi technologies in the United States, allowing developers to conduct operational trials ahead of full aircraft certification. The initiative, called the Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program, will allow companies such as Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies and Joby Aviation to begin expanded testing of their electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft this summer. The program is overseen by the FAA, which reports to the US Department of Transportation. The initiative is intended to enable companies to test…

Archer Aviation said it will integrate SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet system into its Midnight electric air taxis, marking Starlink’s entry into the emerging urban air mobility sector. Under the agreement, Archer will install Starlink’s low-Earth-orbit (LEO) connectivity hardware on its piloted Midnight aircraft and conduct flight testing. The system is intended to provide high-speed, low-latency communications during air taxi operations. See also: Archer Unveils Plans for Miami Electric Air Taxi Network With Real Estate Partners Midnight is designed to carry up to four passengers while producing less noise and emissions than conventional helicopters. The aircraft incorporates multiple redundant systems, including…

A Bavarian aerospace startup has carried out the first public flight of a new electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, underscoring continued ambitions in Germany’s struggling air-mobility sector after recent high-profile failures. The company, ERC System, conducted the demonstration of its prototype aircraft “Romeo” at the former Erding Air Base near Munich, a site now being developed as an innovation centre for the Bundeswehr. The startup, based in Ottobrunn, had previously operated largely out of public view. Romeo is an eVTOL aircraft designed to take off and land vertically without a runway. Unlike earlier German projects by Lilium and Volocopter,…

Nidec Aerospace, the electric aviation joint venture between Japan’s Nidec and Brazil’s Embraer, is establishing a new location in Atlanta, Georgia, as it steps up development of electric propulsion systems for next-generation aircraft. The Atlanta site will complement the company’s existing headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, and is intended to support closer collaboration with customers, suppliers and research institutions as electric aviation programmes move from development toward certification and deployment. See also: Renesas and Nidec Unveil ‘8-in-1’ E-Axle Proof of Concept for Electric Vehicles “Our presence in Atlanta strengthens the momentum for our customers and the entire industry,” said Vincent…

H55, a Swiss startup developing electric propulsion technologies for aircraft, has completed a European aviation regulator-monitored certification test programme for its propulsion battery modules, marking a step forward for electric and hybrid-electric aviation. The company said the test series, conducted under the oversight of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, demonstrated that commercial lithium battery cells can be safely integrated into aircraft propulsion systems, including under worst-case scenarios such as internal fire propagation. Final certification has not yet been granted, with H55 preparing documentation for submission to EASA in the first quarter of 2026. See also: Eve Air Mobility Raises…

Skyryse, an aviation automation startup based in El Segundo, California, has raised more than $300 million in a Series C funding round, pushing its valuation to $1.15 billion as the company moves closer to U.S. regulatory certification of its flight control system. The round was led by Autopilot Ventures and includes new and existing investors such as Fidelity Management & Research Company, ArrowMark Partners, Atreides Management LP, BAM Elevate, Baron Capital Group, Durable Capital Partners, Positive Sum, Qatar Investment Authority, RCM Private Markets Fund managed by Rokos Capital Management, and Woodline Partners. Founded in 2016, Skyryse has now raised more…

Aridge, the flying car unit of Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng, has begun rolling out marketing activities resembling pre-launch automotive campaigns as it moves closer to mass production of its modular flying car, the company said. Aridge on Friday introduced the carrier vehicle for its modular flying car system, known as the Land Aircraft Carrier, through posts on Weibo, unveiling three exterior colour options — Stellar Silver, Moonrock Gray and Supernova White. The company described the designs as inspired by planetary rings, lunar surfaces and stellar explosions. See also: Xpeng Flying Car Unit Aridge Files Confidentially for Hong Kong IPO,…

GAC Group’s low-altitude mobility unit GAC GOVY has secured more than 2,000 intent orders for its first mass-produced multi-rotor electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, the GOVY AirCab, marking a key step toward commercialization, the company said. The order backlog represents a total value of more than 3.3 billion yuan ($460 million), according to GAC GOVY. The AirCab, designed for low-altitude tourism and short-distance travel, has entered the comprehensive airworthiness certification phase, with several core safety indicators already passing initial verification. See also: Xpeng Flying Car Unit Aridge Files Confidentially for Hong Kong IPO GAC GOVY said it expects to…

California-based electric air taxi developer Joby Aviation has partnered with Metropolis Technologies to establish a network of takeoff and landing sites for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft across the United States. The partnership aims to develop up to 25 vertiports by repurposing selected locations within Metropolis’s portfolio of parking facilities. Metropolis operates more than 4,200 parking sites nationwide and provides aviation-related services at over 350 locations, positioning it as a potential platform for integrating air taxi operations with existing ground transport infrastructure. See also: Dubai to Launch Joby Electric Air Taxis by Year-End, Transport Authority Says Joby is…

Electric air taxis developed by U.S.-based Joby Aviation are set to begin commercial operations in Dubai by the end of this year, the city’s transport authority said, marking a major step in the emirate’s push to integrate advanced air mobility into its urban transport network. Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said on Friday that the rollout follows the successful first test flight of Joby’s fully electric air taxi in Dubai in June 2025. The demonstration was seen as a key milestone toward regulatory approval and operational readiness. See also: Joby Aviation to Expand Ohio…

Joby Aviation said it has signed an agreement to acquire a more than 700,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in the Dayton, Ohio area, expanding its production footprint as it prepares to scale output of its electric air taxis. The facility, which is ready for immediate use, is expected to support Joby’s plan to double production to four aircraft per month in 2027 and provide capacity for further expansion. Operations at the new site are expected to begin later this year, complementing Joby’s existing manufacturing facilities in California and Ohio. See also: Joby Aviation Sues Rival Archer Over Alleged Theft of Trade Secrets…

Leo Flight has unveiled its JetBike electric air speeder at CES 2026, presenting what the company describes as a propeller-free, battery-powered ultralight aircraft that can be flown in the United States without a pilot’s license under existing federal regulations. The single-seat JetBike, priced at $99,900, has already sold out all units allocated for 2026 and 2027 pre-orders, Leo Flight said. Customers were required to place a $999 deposit, with deliveries scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. See also: Alphabet’s Wing to Expand Drone Deliveries to 150 More Walmart Stores in U.S. Designed to qualify under the U.S.…

Xpeng’s flying car unit Aridge has confidentially filed for an initial public offering in Hong Kong, with a potential share sale as early as this year, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter. The sources said Aridge has selected JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley to prepare for the listing. The move would mark a significant step in Xpeng’s efforts to commercialise its low-altitude aviation business alongside its core electric vehicle operations. See also: Xpeng Unveils A868 Flying Car Under Aridge Brand at 2025 AI Day Aridge traces its origins to 2013 and was formally established in 2020…

Wing, the Alphabet-owned drone delivery company, said it will expand its partnership with Walmart to bring on-demand drone deliveries to an additional 150 stores across the United States, marking the second major expansion of the collaboration in less than a year. The companies announced on Sunday that the rollout will build on existing operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta areas and will take place throughout this year and into 2027. Once completed, Wing will operate from more than 270 Walmart locations nationwide, including stores in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Miami, reaching roughly 10% of the U.S. population.…

Shanghai has set out an ambition to become the world’s leading hub for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, as China accelerates the development of its so-called low-altitude economy, according to a municipal policy document released on Thursday and reported by CnEVPost. The eastern Chinese megacity aims to build a comprehensive industrial ecosystem for next-generation low-altitude aircraft and position itself as the “world’s eVTOL capital,” the document said, outlining plans to establish a national-level advanced manufacturing cluster focused on the emerging sector. See also: BYD Denies Reports of Flying Car Project Following Online Speculation Under the roadmap, Shanghai…

EHang Holdings said it has completed the first public flight of its VT35 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, marking a key milestone in the development of its next-generation unmanned aviation platform. The flight took place on December 28 at Bailong Airport in Hefei, eastern China, the company said in a statement. The VT35 is an upgraded version of EHang’s earlier VT30 model and is designed for medium- to long-range operations, including intercity, cross-sea, and mountainous transport. EHang said the successful test validated the aircraft’s flight performance, safety, and stability, laying the foundation for future airworthiness certification and expanded…

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD on Monday denied reports that it is developing a flying car, following the circulation of online claims suggesting the company was preparing to launch an aerial vehicle under its premium Yangwang brand. Li Yunfei, BYD’s general manager of brand and public relations, said the reports were inaccurate. “We have no such plans or arrangements. In the face of online traffic, we must exercise restraint,” Li wrote in a post on social media platform Weibo. See also: BYD Raises Pay for R&D Staff as China Seeks to Tame EV Sector Competition The clarification came after a…