Future Flight - June 2024

In this issue

Future Flight will specifically deal with all futuristic flight matters such as Drones, Urban Mobility and eVTOLs, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Electric Aviation, Hydrogen Power, Space Flight developments, Supersonic Flight and many other innovations within aviation.

Drone manufacturer AATI claims first-of-its-kind FAA approval

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) developer American Aerospace Technologies Inc. (AATI) says it has received an FAA exemption for commercial beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations of a drone weighing more than 55 pounds and flying above 400 feet. The FAA says the exemption is the first for a drone with those specifications that does not require human observers to directly monitor flights.

2 mins

How AI drones have fizzled in Ukraine (so far)

Last year, both Russia and Ukraine boasted of fielding drones that tracked targets using AI algorithms. Now new expert analysis suggests that neither side managed to get this to work well enough for war but the US and China might.

4 mins

uAvionix awarded FAA contract to scale C-Band frequency management for Regional UAS C2

As a leading provider of avionics solutions for uncrewed and crewed aircraft, uAvionix, announced that it has been awarded a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) contract to scale C-Band frequency management for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Command and Control (C2) communications to a regional level with multiple UAS operating in proximity to one another.

2 mins

Walmart's retail renaissance brings better to life with innovation, integrations

At Walmart, the customer has always been at the center of everything. Helping people live better is not a mantra, it has been part of the company since day one.

2 mins

Airbus partners with Avincis on AAM

Airbus and Avincis have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to partner on the development of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). The companies will collaborate to explore opportunities for operating electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft throughout Europe.

2 mins

Joby acquires autonomous flight developer Xwing

Joby Aviation is one of many electric vertical take-off and landinng (eVTOL) air tax manufacturers that predicts autonomy will be the driver of ubiquitity for advanced air mobility (AAM) services and the company is placing its money where its mouth is.

3 mins

Joby partners with Mukamalah Aviation

Last month Joby Aviation announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mukamalah, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, the operator of the world's largest fleet of corporate aircraft, to introduce Joby's aircraft to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

3 mins

Lilium, French Government in 'advanced' talks for eVTOL jet manufacturing hub

The German manufacturer says it is in ‘advanced discussions’ with the French government to add a high-volume aircraft production facility in France, citing it as an attractive market for its flagship Lilium Jet. The company plans for the aircraft to enter service in 2026.

1 min

Saudi Arabia's groundbreaking air taxi trial set to transform Hajj travel for pilgrims

In a historic move, Saudi Arabia has successfully conducted its first air taxi trial in Mecca, setting the stage for deployment in the coming years and transforming Hajj transportation for pilgrims.

2 mins

First flight for Electra hybrid 'blown lift' aircraft

Electra's blown-lift design uses eight electric motors to increase wing lift, allowing the eSTOL aircraft to take-off and land in just one-tenth of the space needed by conventional aircraft.

1 min

Avfuel, Neste sign SAF supply increase extension

Avfuel and renewable fuel producer Neste have finalised an extension to their agreement regarding the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and set a framework for the deal through 2027.

2 mins

Non-CO2 emissions measured in commercial aircraft 100% SAF test

Results from the world's first in-flight study of the impact of using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on both engines of a commercial aircraft show a reduction in soot particles and formation of contrail ice crystals compared to using conventional Jet A-1 fuel.

2 mins

Long-awaited Starliner launch breaks a six-decade drought

An Atlas rocket has launched with astronauts aboard for the first time since Gordon Cooper's final Mercury flight in his Faith 7 capsule on 15 May 1963, powered by an Atlas LV-3B 130-D. The Atlas V rocket that launched on 5 June, manufactured by United Launch Alliance and powered at liftoff by a Russian-built RD-180 first-stage engine, carried Boeing's Starliner crew ferry ship to orbit following multiple launch delays over the past several days.

6 mins

NASA, ESA join forces to land European Rover on Mars

The space agencies signed a new agreement that will see NASA supply heating units for the Rosalind Franklin rover, which could launch as soon as 2028.

4 mins

Read all stories from {{magazineName}}

Future Flight Magazine Description:

Since the main publication has become far too large, we have decided to publish a second monthly aviation magazine that will specifically deal with all futuristic flight matters such as Drones, Urban Mobility and eVTOLs, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Electric Aviation, Hydrogen Power, Space Flight developments, Supersonic Flight and many other innovations within aviation.