Tag: Aviation

NASA’s X-59 Collects Valuable Data Despite Shortened Second Flight

Aviation International News reports, “NASA’s X-59 supersonic demonstrator returned to the skies on Friday morning for a nine-minute flight that was cut short after a warning light illuminated. However, NASA officials said they were still able to gather data during the second flight from the aircraft built in collaboration with Lockheed Martin at its Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)

U.S. Army Takes Delivery of First Optionally Piloted Black Hawk Helicopter

AVWEB reports, “The U.S. Army announced Friday that it has taken delivery of an H-60 Black Hawk helicopter configured for both autonomous and piloted flight, beginning a new phase of testing focused on optionally piloted aircraft. The platform incorporates autonomy technology developed through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program, which has been under development for more than a decade. According to the Army, the system is designed as a retrofit kit that can be installed on existing aircraft to automate flight functions and reduce pilot workload.”
Full Story (AVWEB)

Northrop’s Talon IQ Flies First Mission With Shield AI’s Hivemind Autonomy

The Defense Post reports, “Northrop Grumman’s Talon IQ modular testbed, equipped with Shield AI’s Hivemind as its digital brain, has completed its first partner mission autonomy flight in Mojave, California. Following its single‑day hardware‑in‑the‑loop test, Hivemind successfully directed Talon IQ to execute combat air patrol and target engagement in the flight before the aircraft swapped back to Northrop’s Prism autonomy software.”
Full Story (The Defense Post)

U.S. Army Demonstrates Counter-UAS Capability Using AH-64E Apache

Aerotime reports, “The US Army’s 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (12th CAB) has used the AH-64E Apache in a counter-drone role during an exercise in Germany, in what the unit described as a first for the European theater. In a release published on March 19, 2026, the brigade said that soldiers from the 2-159th Attack Battalion had used the helicopter’s existing weapons to engage and destroy drones in air-to-air engagements during Operation Skyfall at the Grafenwoehr Training Area.”
Full Story (Aerotime)

Japan Conducts First Flight of New EC-2 Electronic Attack Platform

Aviation News Daily reports, “Japan has officially commenced flight testing for its new EC-2 Stand-Off Jammer aircraft, a specialized electronic warfare platform designed to neutralize enemy sensors from a distance. The aircraft successfully completed its first flight on March 17, 2026, marking a critical milestone in the modernization of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s electronic combat capabilities.”
Full Story (Aviation News Daily)

Wisk Aero Unveils Second Gen 6 Autonomous eVTOL Prototype

Aviation International News reports, “Wisk Aero has rolled out the second flight-test example of its sixth-generation autonomous eVTOL aircraft. The full-scale prototype, registered as N607WA, is expected to make its first flight in the coming weeks. The Boeing subsidiary said it remains on track to bring the pilotless, four-passenger electric air taxi into commercial service by 2030.”
Full Story (Aviation International)

MQ-20 Avenger Demonstrates Advanced Autonomy in U.S. Air Force Exercise

Aviation News Daily reports, “General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the U.S. Air Force have successfully completed a groundbreaking autonomy flight exercise, demonstrating critical new capabilities for Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The test proves that uncrewed jets can now coordinate complex combat behaviors autonomously, marking a major leap in the integration of AI-driven wingmen for future air warfare.”
Full Story (Aviation News Daily)

Joby Aviation Demonstrates Electric Air Taxi Flights Over San Francisco Bay

AVWEB reports, “Joby Aviation has completed a series of demonstration flights across the San Francisco Bay Area, showcasing its electric air taxi in one of the nation’s most congested cities.” The “aircraft (N545JX) departed from Oakland International Airport, flew across the Bay toward the Golden Gate Bridge, and turned above the Marin Headlands.”
Full Story (AVWEB)

Joby Advances Toward Certification with First FAA-Conforming Flight Tests

Aviation News Daily reports, “Joby Aviation has officially commenced flight testing of its first FAA-conforming aircraft, marking a critical advancement toward Type Inspection Authorization (TIA)and commercial passenger service. This development coincides with a major White House-backed initiative that allows mature eVTOL designs to begin early operations across the United States this year.”
Full Story (Aviation News Daily)