Updated Dec. 10, 2020 12:05 pm ET
Flying taxis, which one day may whisk passengers around town without pilots, are getting a boost from the U.S. military.
The Air Force has issued a first-of-its-kind safety endorsement of an electric-powered vehicle similar to a helicopter, opening the door to using such commercially developed equipment for military missions. This initial stamp of approval is meant to lay the groundwork for eventual civilian certification of the technology and even approval of autonomous flights crossing American cities, industry and military officials said. The current version does require a pilot.
For now, the impact of the Air Force’s decision, expected to be announced as soon as Thursday, is limited. It means Joby Aviation, a Northern California startup, will become the first maker of novel vertical-takeoff-and-landing craft providing transportation for the U.S. armed services.
Three H145Ds to be provided by Belgian company NHV
NHV has received a contract from the German Armed Forces to provide and maintain three Airbus H145 aircraft for the Special Forces Command (KSK) training programme at Laupheim Air Base.
Work on the 12-month contract is expected to start in January 2021, NHV announced on 10 December, although the Belgian company did not disclose the value of the deal.
In partnership with Milestone Aviation, NHV will provide two H145D3 helicopters and one H145D2. It will also provide pilot training and open an maintenance facility at Laupheim (supported by the NHV MRO base at Ostend).