eVTOL and Advanced Air Mobility: Latest News
Advanced air mobility (AAM) is the attempt to make short flights within and between cities routine, using new aircraft — mostly electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) designs — flown from small vertiports. The sector spans aircraft developers, battery and motor suppliers, infrastructure builders, operators and the regulators writing the rules for a category of aircraft that did not exist ten years ago. This page gathers every AirPro News story on eVTOL and electric aviation, newest first.
What we watch
- Certification. In the United States the FAA certifies eVTOLs as powered-lift aircraft under a special class, with pilot and operating rules set by a 2024 rule; in Europe EASA uses its Special Condition VTOL. Type certification of the first designs is the milestone the whole sector is waiting for.
- The leading developers. Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies and Wisk in the United States; Vertical Aerospace in the UK; Eve Air Mobility, backed by Embraer; and programmes in China and the Middle East, where the first commercial services are being prepared.
- Infrastructure and operations. Vertiports, charging, air traffic integration and the airline and helicopter operators lining up to fly the aircraft.
- Electric and hybrid fixed-wing aircraft. Regional electric and hybrid designs, conversions of existing types, and the battery chemistry that determines range and payload.
- Money. Funding rounds, orders and pre-orders, and which developers have the cash to reach certification.
Latest eVTOL and AAM coverage
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Archer Aviation and Anduril Unveil Dual-Use VTOL Platform
Archer Aviation and Anduril Industries debut Halo and Thunder autonomous VTOL variants at Farnborough Airshow, targeting 2027 first flight.
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GE Aerospace Completes First Hybrid-Electric Flight Above 30,000 Feet
GE Aerospace, NASA, BETA Technologies, and Boeing achieve world’s first hybrid-electric flight above 30,000 feet on a Saab 340B testbed.
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AIAA Calls for Faster FAA Certification Path for AAM Aircraft
AIAA urges the FAA to adopt predictable AAM certification timelines as bipartisan legislation targets the 5-9 year type certificate process.
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Hybrid-Electric Propulsion for Long-Range Business Jets
NBAA-highlighted research shows hybrid-electric systems could cut emissions on large-cabin bizjets, with certification gaps remaining.
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Joby Aviation and Toyota Form eVTOL Manufacturing Joint Venture
Joby Aviation and Toyota establish a joint venture to manufacture the S4 eVTOL, with Toyota holding a 51% stake.
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Vertical Aerospace Selects Astronics for Valo eVTOL Power System
Vertical Aerospace picks Astronics CorePower for Valo eVTOL low-voltage power distribution as the program advances toward CDR.
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UrbanV and JAC Partner to Build eVTOL Vertiports in Tokyo
UrbanV and Japan Airport Consultants announce a vertiport development partnership for Tokyo’s eVTOL program, backed by Japan Airlines and Archer Aviation.
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Sora Aviation Completes S-1 Subscale VTOL Flight Testing
Sora Aviation completed subscale VTOL flight testing for its 30-seat S-1 eVTOL in Wales, targeting a full-scale prototype flight in 2028.
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Surf Air Mobility and BETA Technologies Launch Hawaii Electric Demo
Surf Air Mobility and BETA Technologies begin a 6-8 week ALIA CTOL demo in Hawaii targeting FAA Part 23 certification in early…
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FAA Breaks Ground on $8.3M AAM Testing Facility in Oklahoma City
The FAA and DOT broke ground on the V-PAR facility in Oklahoma City to support Advanced Air Mobility research and NAS integration.
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Vertical Aerospace Flies Final eVTOL Prototype Ahead of CDR
Vertical Aerospace completed the first piloted flight of its final full-scale eVTOL prototype on June 5, 2026, ahead of its Critical Design…
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SkyDrive SD-05 eVTOL Reaches 100 km/h in Flight Testing
SkyDrive’s SD-05 12-rotor eVTOL hit 100 km/h in Toyota, Japan, validating flight controls ahead of a 2028 commercial launch.
Related topics
Electric Aircraft category · UAV · Drones · FAA · EASA · Certification · Startups
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