Electric air taxi gets a lift

Skyworks Aeronautics will use a US$100 million investment to progress commercialisation of its gyroplane aircraft, including the eGyro electric air taxi geared towards urban air mobility (UAM) and its 6443.7km/h VertiJet VTOL aircraft.

The investment commitment comes from GEM, the Luxembourg-based private alternative investment group.

“Skyworks Aeronautics looks forward to working with GEM as we continue to work to bring our cutting-edge aircraft to market,” Skyworks Aeronautics co-executive director Steve Stevanovich says.

Fellow director John Michel adds: “With our highly experienced leadership and technical team and strong intellectual property portfolio, this commitment by GEM positions Skyworks Aeronautics to become the first company in the world to commercialise gyrocraft at scale.

“Be it providing affordable vertical lift alternatives to developing nations, progressive electric aircraft capabilities for air carriers, or game-changing vertical take-off and landing platforms, Skyworks Aeronautics is now poised to be a transformative force in the rapidly evolving air mobility industry.”

This agreement follows Skyworks Aeronautics recent announcement of its electric aircraft collaboration with Mobius.energy to produce the eGyro for intra and inter-city passenger and air cargo transport.

A proprietary autorotating main rotor design delivering exceptional performance and unprecedented safety allows the eGyro to overcome a key limitation of many existing eVTOL system concepts, Skyworks Aeronautics says.

Mobius.energy developed an advanced battery module architecture optimized for electric aircraft.

Skyworks Aeronautics has recently added Barry Jones as its director of aviation operations and chief pilot.

A retired British Army Air Corps captain, Jones is a highly decorated aviator and instructor in numerous aircraft who served as chairman of the British Rotorcraft Association (the organisation governing gyro flying in the UK).