Trend: Autonomy & AI

Elroy Air Gets $40M in Funding

Aerospace and logistics company Elroy Air has raised $40 million in funding for its autonomous cargo aircraft from new investors like Marlinspike Capital, Lockheed Martin Ventures, and Prospertiy7 Ventures and existing investors, the company announced on August 4.  Elroy’s aircraft, the Chaparral, is an autonomous and utilities vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL). Chaparral uses a […]

Autonomous, AI-Enabled Tracking of Mobile Targets Demonstrated, as DoD Commits to Ethical AI Principles

The Pentagon recently demonstrated autonomous, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tracking of mobile targets–an effort simultaneous with other such AI drone projects and DoD’s development of principles for ethical AI use, a top official said on June 22. Last month, a memorandum from Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks re-affirmed DoD’s commitment to such principles, and Barbara McQuiston, […]

MQ-25 Model Conducts First Unmanned Aerial Refueling

The Boeing MQ-25A test asset, called T-1, conducted the first ever unmanned tanker to manned aircraft aerial refueling operation last week, the Navy announced June 7. This flight demonstration proved the MQ-25A Stingray carrier-based unmanned tanker can fulfill its stated role using the standard probe-and-drogue aerial refueling method, the Navy and Boeing said. The flight test […]

Second EASA Joint Report Explains Key Elements of W Development Model for Machine Learning Avionics Software

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Daedalean published their second joint report Concepts of Design Assurance for Neural Networks (CoDANN) II, on May 21 to explain key machine learning software design, development and verification methods for the use of neural networks in avionics systems. Whereas the 2020 CoDANN I established the baseline understanding […]

eVTOL Certification: Where Are They Now and the Challenges that Still Lie Ahead

There are questions about how realistic the predictions are concerning the commercial launch of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the next three to four years. While there are many factors that will determine if these timelines prove accurate, certification from regulatory bodies will be the deciding factor. At a panel discussion during […]

Air Force Research Lab Conducts First Flight Test of Skyborg Autonomy Core System

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) conducted a first flight test on Apr. 29th of what is to be the collaboration and autonomy-enabling “brain” of Skyborg—the autonomy core system (ACS)—aboard a Kratos UTAP-22 Mako drone, AFRL said on May 5th. The flight from Tyndall AFB, Fla. lasted two hours and 10 minutes during which the […]

New Dassault Falcon 10X Flight Deck Includes Eight Touchscreen Displays

Dassault used a combination of augmented and virtual reality to unveil their new long-range business jet, Falcon 10X, during a May 6 program launch ceremony broadcasted from their hangar at Le Bourget. Falcon 10X is Dassault’s direct competitor to the newest large cabin jets from Gulfstream and Bombardier, the G700 and Global 7500. With a […]

EASA Awaits Industry Feedback on Initial Regulatory Guidance for Machine Learning Algorithms in Aircraft Systems

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published a preview of what standards and guidelines aerospace engineers can expect to be subjected to when submitting future aircraft systems and solutions that use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms, with their new concept paper, “First Usable Guidance for Level 1 Machine Learning Applications.” In […]

NLR is Testing Flight Schedule Driven AI for Commercial Aircraft Maintenance Planning

Amsterdam-based applied science institute Netherlands Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) is in discussion with several airlines about the ongoing development of its artificial intelligence algorithms, FlexPlan, designed to solve what they describe as an aircraft maintenance “subproblem” of preventive maintenance planning. As a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) qualified entity in product certification and flight standards […]

Skydweller Aero’s Latest Flight Test Provides Data for Autonomous Solar-Powered Aircraft Software

Skydweller Aero’s latest flight test of a modified solar-powered aircraft will provide the real-world data necessary for the U.S.-Spanish startup’s engineers to start developing and testing their proprietary autonomous flight software. Established in 2019 following the acquisition of Swiss nonprofit Solar Impulse’s Solar Impulse 2 aircraft—which circumnavigated the globe in 2016— Skydweller is headquartered in […]