Unither Bioelectronics achieved the first flight of a Robinson R44 helicopter powered by a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system at Roland-Désourdy Airport in Bromont, Québec, Canada, on March 27. A subsidiary of United Therapeutics, Unither is developing hydrogen-powered helicopters, including a hybrid-electric R66, that it plans to use to transport manufactured organs for transplants.

Using insights from the EcoPulse demonstrator, Daher Aircraft is taking a pragmatic approach to a “more electric” airplane it expects to launch in 2027, company CEO Nicolas Chabbert said last week at the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo. EcoPulse, a TBM 960 fitted with six electric motors, “was not a commercial product—it truly was a demonstrator for motors and batteries,” he told AIN. “What we now envision [for a commercial product] is a more electric airplane, likely hybrid-electric and a derivative of one of our existing airplane models,” meaning the TBM 960 or Kodiak 100/900.

Whisper Aero and Tennessee Tech University have received a $500,000 research grant from Tennessee’s state government to demonstrate quiet flight with an electric glider. The so-called “Whisper Ultralight” will be a modified Aériane Swift 3 glider featuring two of Whisper’s eQ250 ultraquiet ducted-fan propulsors.

New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority has awarded Part 145 aircraft maintenance certification to Merlin, a Boston-based company developing autonomous flight technology for reduced-crew operations in military and commercial airplanes. Merlin obtained its CAA Part 135 air operator certificate in February 2024, enabling it to begin commercial freight operations in New Zealand.

At McKinsey’s third Regional Air Mobility Summit held in San Francisco last month, Robin Riedel, partner and co-leader of the consulting firm’s Center for Future Mobility, outlined progress in the development of pure electric and hybrid-electric aircraft and how they might fit into the air travel ecosystem. While discussions in the advanced air mobility arena have focused heavily on eVTOL aircraft, Riedel believes that signs point to a shift in expectations for this nascent industry.

Recaro Aircraft Seating and its partner Eve Air Mobility unveiled a new aircraft seating solution specifically for eVTOL air taxis this week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. According to Recaro, the eVTOL aircraft seats are ergonomically designed and made with lightweight materials such as aluminum, titanium, and composites to minimize added weight on small electric aircraft.