• 29 Jun 2025 06:47 AM
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Electric CTOL/STOL News, Jul/Aug 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.)

Aura Aero Conducts Inverted Flight

On April 16, French startup Aura Aero announced an inverted flight of its two-seat INTEGRAL E eCTOL aircraft (shown), which is powered by Safran’s ENGINeUS electric motor. Aura began flying the demonstrator in December and aims to certificate the aircraft with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) by the end of 2026 (see “Electric CTOL/ STOL News,” Vertiflite, Jan/Feb 2025).

Væridion to Collaborate on Microliner With Bosch

On April 10, German startup Væridion signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bosch General Aviation Technology to leverage Bosch's expertise on electric mobility, power electronics and battery management systems for Væridion’s battery-electric Microliner eCTOL passenger plane. This expands the partnership beyond the battery development lab Væridion opened in 2024 at the Bosch campus near Munich. Væridion seeks to begin certification flights with a prototype by 2027 and to launch regional flights by 2030. The nine-passenger Microliner would have a range of 108 nm (400 km) with dual electric motors powering its single propeller. In November, Væridion completed a pre-application contract for certification with EASA (see “Electric CTOL/STOL News,” Vertiflite, March/April 2025).

Whisper Plans Cargo Drones for Air Force

On May 6, Whisper Aero unveiled new uncrewed eSTOL aircraft concepts for contested airspace called Collaborative Logistics Aircraft (CLA). Tennessee-based Whisper will design, build and fly several variants of these aircraft — using its quiet electric propulsion — during the next four years with funding and partnership from the US Air Force. These concepts (shown above) include a CLA Light cargo variant designed to carry 500 lb (227 kg) and a crewed CLA Heavy variant with a 3,000-lb (1,361-kg) payload capacity.

The company said that multiple eQ250 propulsors, capable of 80 lb (355 kN) of thrust, are integrated into the leading edge of the wings of these aircraft, “in a concept known as JetFoil, to achieve coefficients of lift as high as 14, critical for short takeoff and landing from degraded runways.” The company may pursue electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) variants of these aircraft in the future. Whisper has said it does not plan to market aircraft and will focus on propulsion by working with partners on the CLA and other projects.

On April 3, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development announced a state grant of $500,000 for Whisper and Tennessee Tech University to demonstrate an electric-powered glider. The demonstrator, called the Whisper Ultralight, will be a modified Aeriane Swift 3 glider featuring two of Whisper’s eQ250 ultraquiet ducted-fan propulsors.

Ampaire Gains EPS Certification Basis From FAA

On May 13, Ampaire announced it had reached consensus with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the certification basis for its AMP-H570 hybrid-electric powertrain. That agreement, detailed in a G-1 Issue Paper received from the FAA, designated the airworthiness regulations that Ampaire can use to validate design requirements for its propulsion. The Los Angeles-based company aims to certificate its AMP-H570 by the end of 2026 to upgrade turboprop aircraft with hybridelectric propulsion starting with its Eco Caravan demonstrator, a modified Cessna 208 Caravan.

Stralis Secures Launch Customer, Plans Test Flight

On May 20, Australian developer Stralis Aircraft announced that Evia Aero has committed to purchase up to 16 of its Beech 1900D-HE aircraft retrofitted with hydrogen-electric propulsion, which Stralis aims to certificate and commercially debut by 2030. Germany-based Evia plans to operate a sustainable regional airline as the launch customer of Stralis. The retrofitted planes would carry 15 passengers on flights up to an altitude of 20,000 ft (6,100 m), with a range of 432 nm (800 km) at a top speed of 270 kt (500 km/h). Stralis conducted propeller spin tests in 2024 at Brisbane Airport with a Bonanza A36 hydrogen-electric demonstrator. It aims to begin flight tests with the Beech 1900D-HE by the end of 2025. Stralis eventually aims to develop a clean-sheet propeller plane called the SA-1-HE, which could have a range of 1,620 nm (3,000 km).

ZeroAvia Plans Hydrogen Hub in Scotland

On May 21, ZeroAvia announced plans for a facility near Glasgow Airport in Scotland to produce its hydrogen-electric powertrains with £9M ($12M) funding from the Scottish government. This will complement ZeroAvia’s US facility in Washington State that focuses on electric motors and power electronics. ZeroAvia is coordinating with both the FAA and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to certificate its initial ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain (see “Electric CTOL/ STOL News,” Vertiflite, May/June 2025).

Electra Resumes EL2 Flights With New Funds

On May 30, Electra Aero announced it had resumed flight tests with its EL2 Goldfinch (shown) after modifying the prototype. These tests are funded by $115M generated in April through Series B financing. Manassas, Virginia-based Electra said those funds also support its timetable for the design, preproduction and flight tests in 2027 of its nine-passenger EL9 eSTOL production model aircraft. On May 21, it announced the completion of wind tunnel tests using a 20%-scale model of the EL9 wing with results that validate its electric blown-lift design capability to increase lift at low speeds. In November, Electra unveiled the design of its hybrid-electric EL9 that it aims to market for cargo, passenger and tactical flights (see “Electric CTOL/STOL News,” Vertiflite, May/June 2025).