Airbus has unveiled its Vision Landing Application, a computer vision and artificial intelligence system designed to enable fully automated landings at airports lacking traditional ground-based navigation infrastructure. Announced on June 10, 2026, ahead of the VivaTech forum in Paris, the technology represents the latest phase in the Smart Automation Roadmap of the manufacturer. The system utilizes onboard cameras and embedded AI to analyze runway features in real time, providing an independent positioning source for aircraft.

Advancing autonomous flight capabilities

The primary objective of the Vision Landing Application is to reduce reliance on external navigation aids like Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) or Ground Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS). In a press release detailing the technology, Airbus stated the goal is to create an independent positioning source to guide aircraft reliably.

“The goal of this research is to create an additional and independent positioning source to guide pilots and/or their aircraft reliably, opening up the perspective of bringing autoland (fully automated landing procedure) capabilities to airports that lack advanced ground infrastructure,” the company stated.

The current application builds on years of research conducted by Airbus and its innovation subsidiary, Airbus UpNext. The manufacturer launched the Autonomous Taxi, Take-Off & Landing (ATTOL) project on June 1, 2018, to test image recognition technology for airport navigation. This was followed by the DragonFly demonstrator project in November 2020, which focused on verifying operational relevance and scaling data processing for real-world complexities.

The Optimate demonstrator and embedded AI

The integration of these technologies is currently being tested through the Optimate demonstrator, launched by Airbus UpNext in 2023. Described as an “A350 cockpit on wheels,” the three-year research project will culminate in a complete automated gate-to-gate mission profile tested on an Airbus A350 flight test airframe.

A significant hurdle in deploying artificial intelligence in commercial aviation is regulatory certification. Airbus noted that AI in an aerospace context is constrained by strictly limited computing and power environments within the hardware of the aircraft.

“To design certifiable functions, Airbus engineers must fully master the hardware behaviour and maintain absolute visibility over all software lines of code,” the manufacturer noted.

Strategic AI partnerships

To accelerate its embedded AI capabilities, Airbus signed a partnership agreement with European artificial intelligence company Mistral AI on May 28, 2026. The collaboration focuses on deploying advanced AI across the commercial aircraft, helicopter, defence, and space divisions of the company.

A core component of the Mistral AI agreement is the development of “edge AI,” which involves deploying AI models directly on board aircraft for applications such as automatic object recognition. Catherine Jestin, Executive Vice President Digital at Airbus, stated the partnership paves the way for deploying high-impact use cases of trusted and responsible AI in aerospace.

Airbus will showcase the Vision Landing Application demonstration at the VivaTech forum in Paris from June 17 to June 20, 2026.

AirPro News analysis

We view the Vision Landing Application as a significant shift in how the aviation industry approaches all-weather operations. Historically, the burden of enabling automated landings fell on airport operators, requiring multimillion-dollar investments in ILS infrastructure and ongoing calibration. By shifting the technological capability to the airframe itself, Airbus is opening the door for airlines to operate reliably into smaller, less-equipped regional airports.

The certification of embedded AI for flight-critical phases like landing remains a formidable challenge. Traditional aviation software certification relies on deterministic outcomes, where a specific input always yields the exact same output. Machine learning models inherently challenge this paradigm. The explicit mention by Airbus regarding the need to maintain absolute visibility over all software lines of code indicates that the manufacturer is acutely aware of the regulatory hurdles ahead with agencies like the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Sources: Airbus (Vision Landing Application)

This article summarizes reporting by CGTN.

The Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) Aeroengine Control System Institute and Shanghai TCab Technology Co., Ltd. (TCab Tech) delivered the AEE25 aviation electric engine on June 5, 2026, in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. The delivery marks the rollout of China’s first domestically developed electric engine designed specifically for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

According to reporting by CGTN, the 200-kilowatt class engine has entered the airworthiness Certification process alongside TCab Tech’s E20 eVTOL aircraft. The development aligns with China’s broader economic initiatives to expand its low-altitude aviation sector, supported by a newly established electric propulsion business unit within the AECC institute.

Technical specifications and integration

The AEE25 engine features a highly integrated “six-in-one” design. This configuration consolidates the main motor, main motor controller, cooling system motor, cooling system motor controller, variable-pitch actuator, and variable-pitch controller into a single unit. To maintain power output and ensure safety during a single-point failure, the system incorporates redundant dual motors and dual-channel controllers.

CGTN reported that the engine achieves a torque density between 40 and 44 newton-meters per kilogram (Nm/kg), which represents a domestic record for its power class. AECC institute project head Zhang Yu noted that higher torque density enables a lighter engine for equivalent power output, permitting designers to allocate additional weight to payloads, passengers, or other aircraft systems.

Plug-and-play installation

The integrated nature of the AEE25 is intended to simplify the Manufacturing process for eVTOL developers. AECC institute Deputy Director Liu Guoping stated that once the engine is fitted with a propeller and connected to the aircraft’s power and data bus, it is ready for operation.

Application in the E20 eVTOL program

The AEE25 is slated to power the E20 eVTOL aircraft, developed by TCab Tech. The E20, which was previously exhibited at the 8th China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November 2025, is designed to carry four to six passengers and has a maximum takeoff weight of two to three tonnes.

Both the aircraft and its new domestic engine are currently undergoing airworthiness certification. The concurrent certification of the airframe and the propulsion system represents a critical phase in bringing the E20 to the commercial market.

AirPro News analysis

The Delivery of the AEE25 indicates a strategic shift in China‘s aerospace supply chain, moving away from reliance on imported electric propulsion systems for domestic eVTOL projects. By establishing a dedicated electric propulsion unit within a state-owned aerospace giant like AECC, China is signaling intent to vertically integrate its advanced air mobility (AAM) sector. The stated torque density of 40 to 44 Nm/kg places the AEE25 in a competitive position globally, though the true test will be the system’s performance and reliability during the rigorous airworthiness certification process.

Sources: CGTN

On June 9, 2026, Marshall Aerospace delivered a six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) flight dynamics and control model to New Horizon Aircraft Ltd. (Horizon Aircraft), marking a critical software milestone for the Cavorite X7 hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) program.

In a press release issued by Marshall Group, the company confirmed that the delivery of the steady level flight model will allow Horizon Aircraft to predict and optimize the aircraft’s response to control inputs. This Software variant is the first of several planned models designed to support the development of a safety-critical control system as the Cavorite X7 advances toward Certification.

Advancing the Cavorite X7 control systems

The 6-DOF model simulates the aircraft’s behavior across all rotational and translational axes. Marshall Aerospace’s Aero Engineering Services division developed the software following a competitive tender issued by Horizon Aircraft in 2025.

“The delivery of the first flight model for the Cavorite X7 marks a strong start to our Partnerships with Marshall Aerospace,” stated Tom Brassington, Chief Technology Officer at Horizon Aircraft. “Marshall’s engineers have integrated seamlessly into our development process, serving as an extension of our team and applying their expertise to developing one of the safest, toughest, and most performant modern VTOL aircraft.”

Mark Hewer, Aero Engineering Services Director at Marshall Aerospace, noted that the program demonstrates the company’s ability to translate engineering experience across complex challenges, including platform modifications and test beds. Hewer added that the company is prepared to support Horizon Aircraft through the safety-critical development work required for commercial and military aviation applications.

Development timeline and fan-in-wing technology

The Cavorite X7 is a dual-use hybrid-electric VTOL designed for both commercial and military operations. It features a patented fan-in-wing design that utilizes lift fans for vertical takeoff before transitioning to forward flight. According to the Manufacturers, the aircraft is projected to offer a 75% cost-efficiency advantage compared to conventional helicopters.

Horizon Aircraft validated the fan-in-wing technology during a successful transition flight of a large-scale prototype in May 2025. With the initial steady level flight model now delivered, Marshall Aerospace is developing additional flight regime models to support the ongoing certification process.

Horizon Aircraft expects to complete the assembly of the full-scale Cavorite X7 in late 2026. Flight testing of the full-scale aircraft is scheduled to commence in early 2027.

AirPro News analysis

We note that the partnership between an established aerospace engineering firm like Marshall Aerospace and an emerging VTOL developer highlights a maturing phase in the advanced air mobility sector. By outsourcing complex, safety-critical flight dynamics modeling to a legacy contractor, Horizon Aircraft reduces its developmental risk and leverages established certification experience. The successful integration of the 6-DOF model will be a crucial technical gate before the Cavorite X7 can safely transition from hover to forward flight in full-scale testing next year.

Sources: Marshall Group