The first ever demonstration of an autonomous air tax  in the US took place January 7 in Raleigh, NC, just 200 miles from the site of the Wright Brothers first powered flight. Although the demo was unmanned, the taxi can carry 2 passengers or cargo.

Read more about the demo at: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2020/01/07/north-america-s-first-autonomous-air-taxi-demonstration-takes-flight-in-raleigh

(Photo credit: From Governor Roy Cooper on Twitter – via Spectrum News’ site)

An experimental aircraft, shrouded in secrecy, has been seen flying near Victorville, CA. Word is that it’s a prototype of the Otto Aviation Celera 500L which according to patents filed, would cruise around 500 mph up to 65,000 feet. The plane is purported to be 10 times more fuel efficient than other jets with similar cruise speeds and much lower operating ceilings.

Read more at:

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/30948/potentially-the-most-revolutionary-aircraft-you-have-never-heard-of-has-flown

(Photo Credit: SoCal Airshow Review)  

Flirtey has partnered with Dominos and 7-Eleven to test a delivery method that could replace the hub & spoke model used by most logistics providers. Hub & spoke deliveries are typically routed via distribution centers. Drone delivery enables vendors to deliver directly from the nearest store to your door. Flirtey has even partnered with an ambulance service to deliver defibrillators to people suffering a heart attack before paramedics arrive. Read more about this paradigm shift here.

 

NEC of Japan has tested a prototype of an EVtol aircraft (electric vertical takeoff and landing). The Japanese government intends to develop driverless aircraft for people by the 2030’s, while Uber Air is reportedly developing a VTOL aircraft (vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) for demo flights in 2020 and commercial flights in 2023 in Dallas, Los Angeles and Melbourne. Read more here.

(Photo credit: AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)