• 27 Apr 2025 08:03 PM
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Electric CTOL/STOL News for May/June 2025

Here’s our roundup of recent news on battery-electric, hybridelectric and hydrogen-electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) and short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft for advanced air mobility (AAM) applications. (Note: All photos are courtesy of the respective companies unless otherwise stated.)

Cosmic Flies CX-2, Gains Funding

On March 4, Cosmic Aerospace announced it had made the first nine flights with its 15-ft (4.5-m) wingspan CX-2 demonstrator aircraft during the month of February to validate its aerodynamic and propulsion systems through increasingly longer flights at higher speeds and altitudes. The CX-2 is equipped with 32 embedded electric engines, making it more powerful and larger compared to the CX-1 demonstrator, which Cosmic designed with 10 electric turbofan engines and flew during a flight test campaign that ended in October (see “Electric CTOL/STOL News,” Vertiflite, Nov/Dec 2024).

The company aims to develop a 24-passenger, battery-powered electric aircraft called the Cosmic Skylark, with a range of up to 620 miles (1,000 km), which it aims to fly by 2026. In January, Cosmic announced new funds to support that goal following the close of a $20M Series A financing round.

US Marine Corps Extends Agreement With Regent

On March 26, Regent Craft announced the renewal of its agreement with the US Marine Corps to examine the capabilities of its full-scale electric Viceroy seaglider prototype for missions that include contested logistics, medical evacuation and casualty evacuation. This second phase of work brings the estimated contract value to $10M. The first phase of the contract included testing of a quarter-scale seaglider prototype and culminated with the start of Viceroy sea trials, which Regent announced on March 6.

The developer, founded in 2020 and based in Rhode Island, classifies the seaglider as a Type A wing-in-ground effect (WIG) flying maritime vessel, in part because that could offer a more affordable and expedient certification pathway compared to type certifying an aircraft. On March 20, the company announced it had submitted its Design Basis Agreement (DBA) for the Viceroy seaglider to the US Coast Guard to establish a certification basis for the craft.

The 12-passenger Viceroy has 12 propellers along its 65- ft (19.8-m) wingspan. The craft can float on the hull, use its hydrofoils to skim above the waves or fly in ground effect — within one wingspan of the water.

Beyond Aero Updates Hydrogen Jet Design

On March 17, French developer Beyond Aero unveiled design updates for its BYA-1 hydrogen-electric business jet. The battery-free hydrogen fuel cell system features two electric engines powered by independent powerplant channels, with a fuel cell stack capacity of 2.4-MW. To increase safety, the 700- bar (10,150 psi) gaseous-hydrogen fuel tanks are integrated above the wing box structure. The design enhancements also include a thermal management system for the electric ducted fans, intended to optimize propulsion efficiency and performance.

The startup, founded in 2020, has begun discussions with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for a certification basis of its aircraft and electric power system. The company aims to certificate and begin deliveries of its sixpassenger jet by 2030.

Electra Secures 2,200 Preorders

On March 20, Electra Aero announced it had grown the orderbook for its EL9 hybrid-electricver eSTOL aircraft to 2,200 order commitments that it values at nearly $9B. The Manassas, Virginia-based company’s new customers include Turkey-based Akansel; Dieng & Co. Engineering of Senegal, in partnership with Flow Aero; Caverton Helicopters of Nigeria; Copenhagen Helicopter and Copenhagen Air Taxi of Denmark; India-based Global Vectra Helicorp; and Helicidade Heliporto of Brazil.

Electra unveiled the design of its nine-passenger EL9 eSTOL production model aircraft that it aims to market for cargo, passenger and tactical flights in November (see “Electric CTOL/STOL News,” Vertiflite, March/April 2025).

ZeroAvia Studies Uncrewed Hydrogen Flight for US Air Force

On March 24, ZeroAvia announced that it had received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the US Air Force to study the potential defense-related use of a hydrogenelectric propulsion integrated on an uncrewed aircraft. Using that propulsion could reduce both an aircraft’s engine noise and thermal signature, making it harder to detect during Air Force operations. ZeroAvia will conduct this feasibility study with a Textron-built Cessna Caravan, which is the initial aircraft planned for modification with its 600-kW hydrogenelectric powertrain, the ZA600. The company will partner on this contract with autonomous flight specialist Reliable Robotics.

On March 27, ZeroAvia also announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with FlightSafety International to develop training resources for pilots and maintenance technicians related to fuel cell electric aircraft. Zero Avia flight tested its ZA600 powertrain in January 2023 aboard a Dornier 228 (see “Electric CTOL/STOL News,” Vertiflite, March/April 2025).