Reuters reports, “Vertical Aerospace said on Monday it is developing a long-range hybrid-electric variant of its air-taxi VX4, aiming to expand into commercial markets including defense and logistics. U.S.-listed shares of the British electric aircraft firm rose more than 6% before the bell.”
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VX4 eVTOL Test Flight
Vertical Aerospace
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “Aurora Flight Sciences has begun production of the latest version of its SKIRON-XGroup 2 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), incorporating upgrades aimed at improving flight performance and operational usability. Now in its third generation, SKIRON-X sUAS received avionics and ground control station (GCS) upgrades, an improved nose cone design, and an optional long-range radio.”
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Breaking Defense reports, “Following a suspension of deliveries in late February, the US Air Force is ready to accept new KC-46A Pegasus refueling tankers from manufacturing Boeing as soon as next week, according to the service’s top acquisition official. During a hearing held by the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee today, Darlene Costello, who is performing the duties of the Air Force’s acquisition chief, said the service and Boeing “have identified the root cause” of a cracking issue that has held up deliveries, and that officials have “begun the process to resume deliveries.” The first delivery is expected next week, she added.”
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Aviation International News reports, “Whisper Aero, a U.S. start-up developing quiet electric propulsion systems, revealed a family of autonomous aircraft concepts for contested logistics missions on May 6 during the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week event held in Tampa, Florida. With funding from the U.S. Air Force, Whisper said it will spend the next four years building and flying multiple full-scale prototypes as it strives to bring the technology into service on a program of record.”
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Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has delivered an MQ-9A Reaper® Block 5 Extended Range (ER) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The aircraft was officially handed over on April 22, 2025, and is now assigned to Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1), located at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona.”
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Space News reports, “The U.S. is re-entering the era of reusable hypersonic flight testing for the first time in more than half a century, using an autonomous drone developed by Stratolaunch. The hypersonic vehicle named Talon A2 exceeded Mach 5—the threshold for hypersonic speed—in two Pentagon-backed test flights conducted in December 2024 and March 2025, the Defense Department confirmed May 5.”
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Defense Daily reports, “The V-22 Joint Program Office manager expects the Ospreys to finally move back to unrestricted flight operations by the end of 2026 once several component changes to improve safety are implemented, he said during a recent conference. Notably, the metal used…”
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Flying Magazine reports, “Less than one month after resuming drone delivery following a voluntary two-month operational hiatus, Amazon’s Prime Air is eyeing its first service in a major U.S. city. Amazon spokesperson Andy DiOrio told the Kansas City Star that Prime Air is considering moving into the Missouri metroplex. Kansas City would represent the company’s third and largest operation. Its population of half a million people dwarfs the number of customers it could reach with its other services in College Station, Texas, and Tolleson, Arizona.”
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Aviation International News reports, “While continuing a transition with changeover in leadership and new U.S. administration, the FAA is prioritizing activities surrounding advanced air mobility (AAM), drones, and rulemaking that may enable future technologies, including eVTOL aircraft, according to acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau.”
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The Wall Street Journal reports, “The U.S. Army is embarking on its largest overhaul since the end of the Cold War, with plans to equip each of its combat divisions with around 1,000 drones and to shed outmoded weapons and other equipment. The plan, the product of more than a year of experimentation at this huge training range in Bavaria and other U.S. bases, draws heavily on lessons from the war in Ukraine, where small unmanned aircraft used in large numbers have transformed the battlefield.”
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