Flying Magazine reports, “As the FAA nears a final rule on beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations that could unlock more expansive commercial missions, a California-based startup has set a new benchmark for the longest flight of a prototype electric drone weighing 5-20 kilograms.” UAS developer SiFly “this week said Guinness World Records validated a 3-hour, 11-minute flight of its Q12 drone, eclipsing the previous high by nearly one hour.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Tag: Aeronautics
Hybrid Aircraft One Step Toward the Future of Aviation
FROM THE INSTITUTE
Aircraft powered by hybrid-electric engines can bridge the gap between today’s fossil-fuel jets and tomorrow’s zero-emission aircraft, said Susan Ying, CEO of AMP2FLY, during the 2025 AIAA Wright Brothers Lecture in Aeronautics. Ying, an AIAA Fellow, used the lecture during the 2025 AIAA AVIATION Forum in July to unveil a practical roadmap for hybrid-electric flight for commercial aviation that will help achieve near net-zero emissions by 2050 and provide cleaner flights for short-hop routes for commercial success “within a few years.”
Full Story (Aerospace America)
Boeing 777-9 to Begin Takeoff Performance Tests at Edwards AFB
Aviation Week reports, “Boeing 777-9 certification tests reached a key stage on Aug. 14 with the return of WH001, the first 777X development aircraft, to Edwards AFB, California, for the start of takeoff performance testing.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
North Carolina Partners with Georgia to Study AAM ‘Interstate in the Sky’
Flying Magazine reports, “The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Division of Aviation and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) are joining forces to study a first-of-its-kind testbed for autonomous, electric, and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The state transportation departments announced a partnership to create the nation’s first “interstate in the sky” for AAM aircraft, including uncrewed drones and eVTOL air taxis. The proposed corridor is intended to serve as a “real-world testbed” for the technology and could one day bring commercial AAM passenger and cargo operations to the Southeast.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Beta Technologies’ CX300 Begins Test Flights in Norway
Flying Magazine reports, “Fresh off a multiweek European ‘Grand Tour’ comprising stops in Ireland, the U.K., France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Denmark, Beta Technologies’ all-electric CX300 is conducting its first test flights in Norway. The aircraft, tail number N214BT, was recently delivered to customer Bristow Group, whose pilots took it to the skies for the first time on Friday. The flight marks the start of a six-month series of evaluations within Norway’s international test arena for zero- and low-emission aviation.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Skydweller UAS Performs Three-day Unmanned Flight Test
UK Defense Journal reports, “The U.S. Navy has completed a successful three-day nonstop flight of a solar-powered unmanned aerial system (UAS), according to a Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) update issued on 29 July. Conducted in partnership with Skydweller Aero, the 73-hour continuous flight from Stennis, Mississippi, demonstrated the Skydweller UAS’s ability to sustain solar-powered flight while maintaining communications, autonomous operation, and responsiveness to changing weather conditions.”
Full Story (UK Defense Journal)
V-BAT UAS Cleared for Coast Guard Deployment After Successful Testing
Defense Daily reports, “The V-BAT unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has successfully complete{d} operational test and evaluation with the Coast Guard, clearing the way for the service to begin employing the drones aboard its National Security Cutters (NSCs) for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance uses, the service and drone supplier said on Thursday.
Full Story (Defense Daily)
Reliable Robotics Teams Up with USAF for Autonomous Flight
Aerotime reports, “Reliable Robotics, a US startup specializing in autonomous flight systems, announced on July 29, 2025, that it has started work with the United States Air Force (USAF) on the development of so-called Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP). This project, which is taking place under the aegis of a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA), aims to leverage the technology Reliable Robotics has developed for commercial aviation and apply it to the military domain.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Small Leak Leads to Big Idea – Adhesive Bonding for Aircraft
FROM THE INSTITUTE
A small fuel leak dripping from an airplane wing 40 years ago led to a robust manufacturing process for aerospace material that today provides adhesive bonding for aircraft including F-16 fighter jets. Bill Perez, senior global product manager at Click Bond, provided a drill-down into the power of bonding in aerospace manufacturing.
Full Story (Aerospace America)
Boeing Posts Smaller Loss as Jet Deliveries Rise
Reuters reports that Boeing reported a smaller second-quarter loss on Tuesday “as the U.S. planemaker ramped up jet production and deliveries, recovering from a regulatory crisis and a major strike that halted most production last year.” Shares of the company rose 1.5% in premarket trading.
Full Story (Reuters)