Ampaire and the hybrid-electric retrofit that turns the airplane you already own into the airplane of the future
Ampaire's hybrid-electric retrofit converts existing Cessna Caravans into fuel-saving machines without new type certificates.
Cleared Direct
Aviation technology analysis with Vector. Electric aircraft, avionics advances, eVTOL certification, satellite connectivity, and the engineering innovations shaping the future of flight.
Detect and avoid and the sensor fusion problem standing between autonomous aircraft and the open sky
Detect and avoid technology requires fusing radar, cameras, and ADS-B data to replace human see-and-avoid capability for autonomous aircraft.
The uAvionix tailBeaconX and the ADS-B Out transponder hiding inside a position light
The uAvionix tailBeaconX packs a Mode S transponder, WAAS GPS, and antenna into a tail position light for under $3,000.
Sustainable aviation fuel and the drop-in kerosene replacement that could decarbonize flying before batteries ever will
Sustainable aviation fuel is flying today on over 700,000 commercial flights, cutting emissions up to 99% with zero aircraft modifications required.
The Bose A30 aviation headset and the noise cancellation engineering that reshapes what pilots actually hear
The Bose A30 aviation headset delivers 30-35 dB of total noise reduction through integrated active and passive systems, cutting perceived cockpit loudness roughly in half compared to traditional passive headsets.
Boom Supersonic and the Overture airliner chasing Mach one point seven without the Concorde's mistakes
Boom Supersonic's Overture aims to bring back supersonic travel at Mach 1.7, but its success hinges entirely on the unproven Symphony engine.
The Garmin GFC 500 autopilot and the two-axis brain transplant giving legacy airplanes a modern flight director
The Garmin GFC 500 two-axis digital autopilot replaces aging legacy systems in certified piston aircraft with modern envelope protection starting around $12,000 installed.
Heart Aerospace and the ES-30 hybrid-electric airliner that abandoned pure battery power to actually reach the market
Heart Aerospace scrapped its all-electric ES-19 and pivoted to the hybrid-electric ES-30, a pragmatic bet on physics over hype.
Vertical Aerospace and the VX4 eVTOL chasing European certification before the FAA even weighs in
Vertical Aerospace is pursuing EASA certification for its VX4 eVTOL before seeking FAA approval, a strategy that could accelerate US market entry.
Pyka and the autonomous electric crop duster that outgrew the farm
Pyka built an autonomous electric crop duster called the Pelican, and its real ambition is reshaping regional cargo aviation.
JetZero and the blended wing body aircraft that could cut airliner fuel burn in half
JetZero's blended wing body aircraft could cut airliner fuel burn by 25-50%, with a full-scale prototype funded by the Air Force expected to fly in 2027.
Wisk Aero and the autonomous air taxi that removed the pilot seat before the first passenger ever climbed aboard
Wisk Aero is building the only fully autonomous electric air taxi, betting that removing the pilot is the key to scalable urban air mobility.
Electra Aero and the blown-lift hybrid that skips the runway problem every other electric airplane ignores
Electra Aero's hybrid-electric blown-lift aircraft could revolutionize regional aviation by operating from runways under 150 feet.
Shield AI and the Hivemind software turning drones into autonomous wingmen
Shield AI's Hivemind software turns drones into autonomous wingmen that fly without GPS or comms links, reshaping military and civilian aviation.
Solid-state batteries and the energy density wall that electric aviation must break to actually work
Solid-state batteries must reach 500+ Wh/kg to make regional electric aviation viable, but manufacturing breakthroughs are still years away.
Synthetic vision and the cockpit window that sees through clouds
Synthetic vision systems use GPS, AHRS, and terrain databases to show pilots a 3D view through clouds - here's how it works and its limits.
Lilium and the thirty-six ducted electric jets that went bankrupt before they could prove the physics
Lilium bet everything on 36 ducted electric jets, went bankrupt, and is now attempting a comeback under new ownership.
Hermeus and the Mach five aircraft that could cross the Atlantic in ninety minutes
Hermeus is building a Mach 5 aircraft to cross the Atlantic in 90 minutes, and they've already put test hardware in the air.
The Garmin GDL sixty and the portable ADS-B receiver that gave every pilot weather radar for the price of a headset
The Garmin GDL 60 portable ADS-B receiver delivers subscription-free weather and traffic to any cockpit for under $900.
The FAA MOSAIC rule and the week that could reshape what light aircraft are allowed to be
The FAA's MOSAIC rule replaces fixed light sport aircraft limits with performance-based standards, raising the weight ceiling to 3,300 pounds.