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Amazon is seeking CAA approval to expand Prime Air drone deliveries across all of Darlington, with the regulator's permission expected soon.
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Advanced Air Mobility (eVTOL)▲ · 1 stocks
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Elroy Air Adds 10 Bristow Early Delivery Slots for Chaparral
Elroy Air announced that Bristow Group Inc. has expanded its early delivery reservations for the Chaparral autonomous cargo aircraft, reserving 10 additional early delivery positions for a total of 15. Bristow previously secured early delivery slots for five Chaparral drones and announced a pre-order agreement for up to 100 Chaparral drones. The announcement follows the first autonomous, uncrewed flight demonstrations conducted in Houma, Louisiana, as part of the Federal Aviation Administration's and the U.S. Department of Transportation's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, in collaboration with government and industry partners. Bristow Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer David Stepanek said the Louisiana demonstrations gave the company a chance to explore how Chaparral could support a range of transportation and logistics missions, adding that Bristow sees potential applications across commercial, government services, and special mission operations. Elroy Air CEO Dr. Andrew Clare said the company was proud to have partnered with Bristow over the last few years and appreciated Bristow's continued confidence in the platform. The Chaparral is an uncrewed, autonomous VTOL aircraft that carries 500+ pounds of cargo, requires no runways or fixed infrastructure, and has a hybrid-electric powertrain with range of up to 450 miles. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, the exclusive U.S. manufacturer of Chaparral, will produce the aircraft at its expanding Sacramento, California facility, with the first production aircraft planned for late 2026.
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Beijing bans owning and flying recreational drones after small plane hits CITIC Tower
Beijing issued official aviation safety regulations and guidance on Sunday, September 13, banning the public from owning or keeping drones and drone parts starting November 15. Residents have until November 14 to move drones out of Beijing, and the government will run a buyback program with a maximum subsidy of 3,000 yuan, about 447 dollars, per device. The measure is one of the strictest drone controls in the world, coming after a two-seat light aircraft struck the 109-story CITIC Tower in June, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people. The crash site was only a few kilometers from the headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party and the residences of senior leaders. The new rules designate all of Beijing's airspace as controlled airspace, ban all forms of recreational flying, and officials will tighten control of airspace in and around the capital within a 300-kilometer radius. Although commercial flights are not affected, aircraft must have backup tracking systems and maintain two-way communication with air traffic controllers at all times. Reports say the pilot in the CITIC Tower incident deliberately flew the plane into the building after deviating from the designated flight path, and it is highly likely he ignored contact from air traffic controllers. The aircraft also nearly collided with a commercial plane. Meanwhile, shares of companies tied to China's low-altitude aviation industry fell in trading today, September 14. Nanjing LES Information Technology dropped 2.1%, Zhejiang Wanfeng Auto Wheel fell 1.5%, and Citic Offshore Helicopter declined 1.7%.
Poseidon Aerospace raises $60M ahead of first pilotless test flight
Poseidon Aerospace has closed a $60 million Series A funding round ahead of the first test flight of its uncrewed cargo plane, Egret, expected by the end of this year. The round was led by TQ Ventures, with new investments from Hanwha Asset Management, G Squared, and JAWS, and participation from existing backers Starship Ventures, Draper Associates, and Drover Ventures. The startup, founded by CEO David Zagaynov and Parker Tenney, previously secured $11 million in seed funding last year. Poseidon is developing fixed-wing aircraft powered by combustion engines, avoiding vertical takeoff and landing and electric or hydrogen powertrains, to lower cargo transport costs. The company targets defense and regional commercial cargo markets, planning to operate its own air cargo service rather than sell aircraft, and has expanded into a Navy hangar in Alameda, California, to build its full-size, 50-foot-wingspan aircraft.