Back in July, British “axial-flux” electric motor startup YASA was acquired by Mercedes-Benz for an undisclosed amount. YASA’s electric motors generated considerable EV industry interest because of their efficiency, high power density, small size and low weight. Indeed, Rolls-Royce, best known in aviation for its jet engines, employed YASA engines in its all-electric airplane “Spirit […]
Rolls-Royce’s all-electric aircraft completes 15-minute maiden voyage
Rolls-Royce, best known in aviation for its jet engines, has taken an all-electric airplane on its maiden voyage. The “Spirit of Innovation” completed a 15 minute flight.
Solar-powered aircraft developer Skydweller Aero adds $8M to Series A, partners with Palantir
Airplanes and drones today, regardless of size or fuel type, all face the same limitation: eventually they have to land. Skydweller Aero, the U.S.-Spanish aerospace startup, wants to break free from that constraint by developing an autonomous solar-powered aircraft it says will eventually be capable of perpetual flight. Their pitch, which helped the company raise […]
Wright tests its 2-megawatt electric engines for passenger planes
Just like the automotive industry, aerospace has its sights set on going electric — but flying with battery-powered engines is a tougher proposition than rolling. Wright is among the startups looking to change the math and make electrified flight possible at scales beyond small aircraft — and its 2-megawatt engine could power the first generation […]
Craft Aerospace’s novel take on VTOL aircraft could upend local air travel
The aircraft — which is still in small-scale prototype form — uses a new VTOL technique that redirects the flow of air from its engines using flaps.
Joby Aviation, aiming to go to market in 2024, completes 154 mile test flight
Santa Cruz, California-based Joby Aviation has completed the longest test flight of an eVTOL to date, as its unnamed full-sized prototype aircraft concluded a trip of over 150 miles on a single charge, the company said Monday. The test was completed at Joby’s Electric Flight Base in Big Sur, California earlier this month. It’s the […]