Two U.S. start-ups are advancing blended-wing-body airliner concepts with contrasting engine strategies. JetZero’s 250-seat Z4 is optimized for cruise above 40,000 feet, steering its demonstrator toward Pratt & Whitney PW2040 engines. Natilus, which recently unveiled a revised dual-deck Horizon Evo, plans to operate at lower altitudes with high-bypass CFM LEAP or Pratt & Whitney GTF engines.

Chinese drone developer United Aircraft Group is moving into new territory with the Lanying R6000, a six- to 12-passenger civil tiltrotor that represents the company’s most ambitious design yet. Speaking with AIN at the Singapore Airshow this month, Wang Fei, United Aircraft’s head of intelligent systems, said the company hopes to obtain a type certificate for the R6000 from the Civil Aviation Administration of China by the end of this year.

Companies and investors exploring new air service business models now have access to an analytical tool intended to assess markets, demand, and costs. UK-based advanced air mobility consultants EA Maven launched the AeroTesseract platform on February 18 to support clients focused on regional and urban air networks, including aircraft manufacturers, operators, airports, vertiports, and financial groups.

With the support of the Dutch government and several new industry partners, Conscious Aerospace has begun preliminary design for its CA2100 hydrogen-electric propulsion system. The 2-megawatt system’s anticipated route to market involves converting existing De Havilland Dash 8 Q300 twin turboprop aircraft for both regional airline and applications such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and search-and-rescue missions.

Alpha Metalcraft Group believes it can reduce the cost and complexity of specialist manufacturing tasks such as applying the leading-edge guards that prolong the service life of carbon fiber rotary blades. The company is working with OEMs, including developers of new eVTOL aircraft, to introduce an electroplating process in which nickel is directly deposited on composite surfaces rather than making the guards separately and then fitting them to the blades.

Taiwanese drone manufacturer and advanced air mobility start-up 7A Drones has firmed up its purchase of 10 SkyDrive SD-05 eVTOL aircraft under an agreement announced on February 12, confirming plans to deploy them on proposed inter-island medical evacuation routes.