Airbus and Ecocopter have signed a memorandum of understanding to start collaborating on the launch of urban air mobility services across various countries in Latin America. This is a major step toward the co-creation of a functioning urban air mobility ecosystem in the region, according to Airbus.

With this agreement, the partners will explore and define launch scenarios for air mobility operations, notably in Ecuador, Chile, and Peru. This includes joint activities to develop UAM operations over the continent, as well as ways to target first-use cases and pilot cities and regions. This partnership is an expansion of the manufacturer’s strong relationship with Ecocopter, who operates a fleet primarily comprised of Airbus helicopters for aerial work missions in a variety of industrial sectors.

Marcelo Rajchman, Ecocopter’s corporate CEO, said: “With already 20 years of experience operating helicopters and 5 years operating drones, this partnership is a natural step for us. We seek to be a relevant player in the UAM ecosystem and the projects we will develop together with Airbus will bring us closer to this goal.”

Balkiz Sarihan, Airbus’ head of partnerships & strategy execution for UAM, added: “We are excited to extend our long-standing relationship with Ecocopter. Together we are taking concrete steps in the co-creation of the UAM ecosystem and our decarbonization roadmap. This partnership leverages Airbus’ expertise in innovative vertical flight technologies, and Ecocopter’s extensive operational history and innovative culture.”

Established in 2003, Ecocopter offers highly complex aerial work missions in South America. Its 16 H125s, two H135s, and three H145s Airbus helicopters perform missions including offshore transport, mining support, medical evacuation, firefighting, and more.

In September 2021, Airbus unveiled its eVTOL prototype CityAirbus NextGen, to explore advanced air mobility technologies and bring urban air mobility services to life. With an operational range of 80km and a cruise speed of 120km/h, it’s been developed to suit a range of deployments in urban areas and beyond. Airbus announced the construction of a dedicated center to test the aircraft’s systems in the lead up to its maiden flight. Airbus is also working closely with industrial and institutional partners to lead the development of urban air mobility ecosystems, as recently announced with ITA Airways in Italy, or through the launch of the Air Mobility Initiative in Germany.

Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security (BDS) business unit unveiled its new Advanced Composite Fabrication Center (ACFC), which has been purpose-built to produce advanced composite components for future combat aircraft.

The new facility in Mesa, Arizona, will be a secure production facility operated by Phantom Works, BDS’ proprietary research, development, and prototyping division. The construction phase of the 155,000ft² facility is now complete, and the center is expected to be fully operational this fall.

“Boeing pioneered a new era of digital aerospace engineering on programs like the T-7, MQ-25, and MQ-28, and now we’re leading the way again by digitally transforming our entire production system to build the next generation of advanced combat aircraft,” said Ted Colbert, Defense, Space & Security president and CEO. “The new Advanced Composite Fabrication Center and the factories that will follow it position Boeing to deliver the most digitally advanced, simply and efficiently produced and intelligently supported aircraft to military customers.”

Leveraging best practices from recent new-start programs like the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, MQ-25 Stingray, T-7A Red Hawk and proprietary efforts, the ACFC will enable Boeing to scale a platform-agnostic, modular, and flexible digital production system across future BDS programs, providing unprecedented speed, agility, and cost efficiency. Additional new factories supporting subsequent phases of production are under construction in the St. Louis, Missouri region and slated to come online throughout the next few years.

“The ACFC capitalizes on the latest in digital engineering – from initial concept and design to the production floor and sustainment – and its capabilities are aligned directly with our customers’ need to design, build, and field advanced combat aircraft on dramatically accelerated timelines,” said Steve Nordlund, Boeing Phantom Works vice president and general manager. “We are committed to a future where our platforms are more modular and adaptable, our software is more modifiable and scalable, and where our customers have a common experience across all of our products – providing disruptive advantages from seabed to space.”

Ventura, California-based Mayman Aerospace received $1.25 million funding from the AFWERX Agility Prime initiative to continue development of the Speeder Air Utility Vehicle, AUV. The funding demonstrates that AFWERX, a Technology Directorate of the U.S Air Force Research Laboratory under which Agility Prime sits, considers Speeder a solution that can meet increasing military requirements for contested logistics support.

Agility Prime partners the U.S. Air Force with companies developing new-generation vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) platforms, working with them to field new classes of air mobility systems. The new funding highlights that the ultra-compact VTOL Speeder, which offers diverse configurations to support multiple mission requirements, is a critical fit for air forces and related military branches.

Capable of moving 600 lb+ of payload at 500mph, Speeder is suited to contested logistics missions, delivering essential materiel and support in active military theatres. Additionally, missions aimed at extending survivability that require a combination of speed, accuracy, and immediacy can be supported by the AUV. Able to operate in autonomous, remote, or piloted modes, Speeder flight operations can be handled in the field and the aircraft rapidly deployed to meet immediate mission needs. The platform is scalable – from as small as a suitcase to the size of a small car – transportable in a pick-up truck, and requires minimal field support, all of which makes it attractive to special forces operators.

Mayman Aerospace is a venture-backed company founded by David Mayman. “Speeder is a disruptive technology that is changing the way we think about small VTOL aircraft. It has incredible capabilities and is perfectly suited to complex, demanding and often dangerous DOD contested logistics missions. We are honored that a U.S. Air Force agency recognizes our technology and understands the inherent value an AUV can bring to military forces. With the AFWERX funding we are even better positioned to deliver and certify Speeder for military requirements within the next eighteen months,” Mayman said.

The aircraft’s ground footprint is minimal compared to a helicopter. It is also significantly less complex, making it less expensive to procure and operate. Turbine-powered, Speeder is not restricted by the performance limitations of current and near-future battery technologies. It lifts heavy payloads at high speed over operationally useful range, with easy field refueling using Jet A-1, SAF, or diesel.

“We welcome Mayman Aerospace to the program, we are pleased to be supporting the development and testing of their aircraft and look forward to the results” said Lt. Col. Nathan P. Diller, Director of the AFWERX program.

Speeder may be flown under full control using vectored-engine thrust, or with quick-fit aerodynamic surfaces for extended range missions. Its compact size, high-speed and low-altitude flight characteristics make Speeder a challenging target for small arms, MANPADS, and IADS, avoiding the inherent vulnerabilities of rotary-wing and other transport assets.

Mayman Aerospace has already completed initial tethered flight trials with two Speeder prototypes. Trials with a third, the P2 prototype, are currently under way. P2 can be configured with four or eight engines and is anticipated to fly off-tether under FAA Experimental certification by the end of 2022, as it works to expand the performance envelope.

CEO/Founder David Mayman and his team worked closely with Matter Labs to win the direct to Phase II SBIR, (Small Business Innovation Research) grant.

NASA is seeking proposals for sustainable lunar lander development and demonstration as the agency works toward a regular cadence of moon landings. Through Artemis missions, NASA is preparing to return humans to the moon, including the first woman and first person of color, for long-term scientific discovery and exploration.

Under the solicitation, Human Landing System Sustaining Lunar Development, NASA has provided requirements for companies interested in developing and demonstrating astronaut moon landers. These efforts will pave the way for multiple companies to provide recurring moon landing services beyond the Artemis III mission, which is planned for no earlier than 2025.

Companies selected under this contract will be required to perform one uncrewed and one crewed lunar landing demonstration. NASA will certify any lander system to meet its requirements prior to the crewed demonstration mission(s).

“Work done under this solicitation, in addition to current lander development and studies taking place, will help build the foundation for long-term deep space exploration,” said Lisa Watson-Morgan, program manager for the Human Landing System Program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “Partnering with American companies to do that work now allows us to leverage NASA’s knowledge and expertise to encourage technological innovations for a sustained presence at the moon.”

The final call for proposals comes after NASA incorporated industry feedback on the draft solicitation, released March 31, 2022, encouraging companies to send comments to help shape a key component of the agency’s human exploration Artemis architecture. NASA also hosted a virtual industry day in April to present an overview of the solicitation and to provide companies an opportunity to ask clarifying questions and provide comments.

NASA’s existing contract with SpaceX includes both an uncrewed and a crewed lunar landing demonstration that is part of the Artemis III mission, marking humanity’s first return to the moon in more than 50 years. The agency plans to exercise an option under this contract, known as Option B, asking the company to evolve its current Artemis III Starship Human Landing System design to meet an extended set of requirements for sustaining missions at the moon and conduct another crewed demonstration landing.

These concurrent sustaining lander development efforts will meet NASA’s needs for recurring, long-term access to the lunar surface, such as the ability to dock with Gateway for crew transfer, accommodate an increased crew size, and deliver more mass to the surface.

NASA will leverage its Artemis experiences and technologies to prepare for the next giant leap – sending astronauts to Mars.

Proposals for the sustainable lunar lander development and demonstration are due Nov. 15, 2022.

For more information about this procurement, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/nextstep/humanlander4