Vertical Aerospace has unveiled the first full-scale example of the production-conforming design for a six-passenger eVTOL aircraft. On December 10, the UK company exhibited a new model called Valo at a public event in London’s Canary Wharf business district. The Valo model succeeds the VX4 prototype that Vertical has been flight testing since 2022.

As part of its ongoing efforts to advance the integration of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System, NASA has contracted Reliable Robotics to conduct flight demonstrations with its highly automated Cessna 208B Grand Caravan at and around airports and gather data that will inform future UAS performance standards. 

French start-up Beyond Aero has laid out plans for the factory in which it intends to manufacture hybrid-electric business jets. On December 8, the Toulouse-based company released a feasibility study developed with architectural specialists at Porsche Consulting and Kardham Group. 

As eVTOL developers edge closer to operational approval, lawmakers and stakeholders are stressing the need for regulatory clarity and consistency and close collaboration between Congress, the FAA, industry, and the states to ensure a safe transition for advanced air mobility. That message was threaded through a hearing the House aviation subcommittee held last week on the state of the AAM industry.

Jekta is preparing to start flight testing a second sub-scale example of its PHA-ZE 100 hydrogen-electric amphibious aircraft. The Swiss start-up released photos of the 1:9-scale model on December 3 and said flights should begin next month in Italy. The company’s engineering team will use test data to finalize the design for the full-scale aircraft, which will carry up to 19 passengers and also be available for cargo and medevac applications.

Shenzhen Yingwu Intelligent Technologies seeks to carve out a distinct niche in the ultralight segment of the emerging eVTOL aircraft market to exploit demand it says is growing for personal aerial mobility in China. Operating under the brand Yivtol, the start-up secured what it said is the first special flight permit under China’s Chapter O of CCAR-91 rules—similar to the FAA’s Part 103—for its single-seat S-Zero eVTOL model.