The NASA X-sixty-six A Sustainable Flight Demonstrator and the truss-braced wing that could reshape every airliner you fly on
NASA's X-66A Sustainable Flight Demonstrator could cut airliner fuel burn by 30% with a radical truss-braced wing design.
Cleared Direct
Aviation technology analysis with Vector. Electric aircraft, avionics advances, eVTOL certification, satellite connectivity, and the engineering innovations shaping the future of flight.
The Pipistrel Velis Electro and the first type-certified electric airplane that actually exists
The Pipistrel Velis Electro is the world's first type-certified electric airplane, already training pilots across 20+ countries.
ZeroAvia and the hydrogen-electric powertrain that could kill kerosene on regional routes
ZeroAvia's hydrogen fuel cell powertrain aims to replace turbines on regional aircraft, but infrastructure gaps may matter more than engineering.
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.
The uAvionix AV-thirty-C and the two thousand dollar digital instrument replacing every vacuum gauge in your panel
The uAvionix AV-30-C is a TSO-certified digital attitude and heading indicator that replaces vacuum gauges for around $2,000.
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.
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.
The Garmin GI 275 and the three-inch screen replacing every steam gauge in general aviation
The Garmin GI 275 is modernizing more GA cockpits than any other avionics product by fitting glass-panel technology into standard three-inch instrument holes.
Archer Aviation's Midnight eVTOL and the twelve-rotor tilt aircraft betting everything on Los Angeles
Archer Aviation's Midnight eVTOL uses twelve electric motors and a tilt-rotor design to target short urban flights in Los Angeles by 2027.
Reliable Robotics and the autonomous Cessna Caravan flying cargo without a pilot on board
Reliable Robotics is retrofitting Cessna Caravans to fly cargo without a pilot on board, using remote operators instead.
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.
Eve Air Mobility and the eVTOL backed by a real airplane manufacturer
Eve Air Mobility, spun out of Embraer, brings rare institutional aircraft certification expertise to the crowded eVTOL race.
Skyryse and the FlightOS software turning ordinary helicopters into fly-by-wire autonomous machines
Skyryse's FlightOS retrofits military-grade fly-by-wire automation into existing helicopters like the Robinson R66.
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.
Boom Supersonic's XB-1 demonstrator and the flight test campaign chasing Mach one
Boom Supersonic's XB-1 demonstrator is pushing toward Mach 1 at Mojave, testing the aerodynamic foundations of the Overture supersonic airliner.
Joby Aviation and the six-rotor tilt aircraft that is closer to FAA certification than you think
Joby Aviation's six-rotor electric tilt aircraft has over 2,000 test flights and is nearing FAA type certification for commercial air taxi service.
Overair and the butterfly valve propulsion system that could make helicopters obsolete
Overair's butterfly valve propulsion system replaces the helicopter swashplate with electrically actuated blade control, promising 30% better hover efficiency.