DUST Identity, a Massachusetts company whose Diamond Unclonable Security Tag (DUST) technology uses diamond particles to authenticate objects, has launched a new platform that it says will help maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) providers identify fraudulent aircraft parts. Called Theseus, the platform combines a physical material marking with AI-assisted verification of airworthiness documents, allowing MROs to independently confirm the identity and provenance of incoming aerospace parts. 

MagniX has expanded its electric propulsion lineup to lighter general aviation aircraft with the introduction of the MagniAIR, an air-cooled engine targeting kitplanes, light sport aircraft, and electric flight trainers. The Everett, Washington-based company announced the engine at the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, last week where it showed the MagniAIR alongside a Van’s Aircraft RV-10 that will be fitted with the motor as part of a full electric powertrain. 

Vertical Aerospace this week performed its first full transition flight, with its prototype eVTOL combining vertical take-off and landing elements with forward flight in a single mission. This precedes the next stage of certification testing and an upcoming critical design review.

Within two to three years of the FAA finalizing its long-awaited Part 108 rules for routine beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operations, the U.S. aviation industry could need hundreds of thousands of additional workers. Qualified technicians, fleet operations managers, and domestic manufacturers are all in short supply, according to James McDanolds, director of the School of Uncrewed Technology at Sonoran Desert Institute. 

Autonomous flight pioneer Reliable Robotics has raised a further $160 million in its latest funding round. Announcing the fresh capital on April 21, the California-based start-up said the support from investors led by Pathbreaker Ventures will accelerate the deployment and production of its Reliable Autonomy System, for which it is targeting FAA certification in 2028.

Indian leasing group Vman Aviation Services has placed 10 conditional purchase orders for the new SkyClinic aeromedical version of the SkyBus LA-44 hydrogen-electric VTOL aircraft being developed by Lyte Aviation. The companies announced the deal on Thursday, reporting that it has a potential value of €500 million ($589 million) with Vman committed to paying €10 million deposits on each aircraft when unspecified milestones are reached.