Aircraft

Two years on from its maiden flight, the world's largest aircraft is back in action. The monstrous 385-ft-wide Stratolaunch Roc performed a series of flight maneuvers, including a low approach over the runway, during its second successful test flight.

Seattle-based company Jetoptera says its air-accelerating Fluidic Propulsive System, which works a lot like a Dyson "bladeless" fan, produces thrust for half the fuel of a small turbojet while being the "most silent propulsion system in the skies."

For about a decade now, Kaman's K-Max intermeshing rotor helicopter has been flying unmanned cargo missions for US forces in Afghanistan. Now, the K-Max Titan is becoming the world's first heavy-lift unmanned helicopter for the commercial market, having taken its first flight last week.

Airbus is expanding the capabilities of its Flightlab helicopter designed to test out next-generation aviation technologies, by incorporating some advanced hardware geared toward autonomous flight, including LiDAR sensors from Luminar.

Colorado-based electric aviation startup Bye Aerospace is currently best known for its two-seater eFlyer 2 aircraft. That may soon change, though, as the company has now unveiled a planned battery-powered eight-seater.

Airbus is working on a number of hydrogen-powered aircraft, and it's just found a new angle on cryogenic liquid H2 fuel: using it to supercool the powertrain down to superconducting temperatures, possibly unlocking huge weight and efficiency savings.

Spoiler: it has a hefty price tag. But then, the Aska would be a remarkable vehicle: a spacious, four-seat electric SUV with the ability to stop and fold out a set of wings and props to transform into an electric VTOL/STOL aircraft.

UPS has signed a deal to buy up to 150 eVTOL aircraft from Vermont's Beta Technologies, and is expecting to begin using them for time-sensitive zero-emissions deliveries in certain markets in 2024, taking off and landing on-site at UPS depots.

Skullduggery and shenanigans are afoot in the emerging eVTOL market, as long-established player Wisk accuses cashed-up newcomer Archer of pilfering its air taxi design, along with some key employees. Lawsuits and criminal investigations are underway.

Germany's Lilium has announced a 7-seat version of its gorgeous eVTOL air taxi, as well as plans to have a commercial operation up and running by 2024. Oh, and like approximately every other eVTOL company, it's headed to the NASDAQ through a SPAC.

Aerion is looking beyond the 2027 launch of its AS2 supersonic business jet for the ultra-rich, to something for the rest of us. The AS3TM, if it gets built, would be a 50-passenger supersonic commercial airliner capable of speeds over Mach 4.

A pair of ex-SpaceX Falcon 9 engineers have founded a radically different eVTOL company, offering a unique combination of convenience and long range using a fascinating multi-stage aircraft with a detachable Lift vehicle for VTOL flight phases.