Global Scans · Aviation · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: More than half of the expected new passengers over the next two decades will originate from China, which will displace the US as the world's largest aviation market by around 2029. More than half of the expected new passengers over the next two decades will originate from China, which will displace the US as the world's largest aviation market by around 2029. Sales of consumer and prosumer drones are soaring and the Federal Aviation Authority forecasts there will be more than 1.3 million licensed drone pilots by 2020 in the U.S. alone.

• [New] The UK has introduced a new uncrewed aircraft that will support RAF pilots by blinding enemy radars, which has been developed using lessons from the war in Ukraine. The Independent
• [New] US aerospace company Boom Supersonic recently broke the sound barrier in a test flight of its XB-1 jet, while NASA and Lockheed Martin hope to put its X-59 research plane in the sky later this year. UNSW Sites
• [New] UAM envisions a network of air taxis and electric aircraft operating within cities, addressing the needs of a global urban population expected to reach 5 billion by 2030. La Grada EN
• [New] AI currently operates across China, Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East, and plans to extend its global reach as it transitions from pilot programs to commercial deployment in the autonomous mobility space. EVMagz
• [New] As more test flights succeed and as hydrogen production and storage get cheaper and safer, more people worldwide might soon fly in aircraft with almost zero emissions. VisaVerge
• [New] By the end of 2025, Emirates expects to receive 5 A350 aircraft earmarked to serve long-haul missions, featuring 32 lie-flat Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 28 seats in Premium Economy, and 238 generously pitched Economy Class seats. Emirates
• [New] The major U.S. airlines have committed to working across the aviation industry and with government leaders in a positive partnership to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Airlines for America
• [New] Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation are at the forefront of the eVTOL industry, a new air mobility opportunity literally being built from the ground up. 24/7 Wall St.
• [New] The expansion of Blade's routes could provide benefits for the future adoption and operation of eVTOL aircraft. Cirium
• [New] Boom Supersonic plans to offer commercial aircraft with all business class seating, which Scholl believes will have strong demand, given the high appetite among travelers from premium seating. Skift
• [New] Half of Swiss financial institutions now actively use AI - or have pilot programs - with adoption expected to hit new heights as companies currently deploy an average of five AI apps, and nine more in development, pushing AI risk management. Inside Telecom
• [New] The GCAA has become the first aviation authority worldwide to draft regulatory standards for hybrid heliports, a framework that will allow the safe, efficient integration of helicopters and eVTOL aircraft. Gulf Business
• A Russian milblogger claimed that Russia's remote piloting solutions through the Orbita system can reduce threats to Russian drone operators, but acknowledged that long-range drone piloting is not a new capability. Institute for the Study of War
• Boeing remains a wildcard due to regulatory scrutiny, and China's response to U.S. tariffs by refusing delivery of new aircraft. Middleton Private Capital
• In a bold move to revolutionize the aviation industry, Airbus has set its sights on launching a hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by the end of the 2030s. Rude Baguette
• Caterpillar Inc., the global heavy equipment manufacturer headquartered in Illinois, used its business aviation fleet to fly critical engineers and parts to a remote mining site in northern Canada experiencing a mechanical failure that threatened to halt operations. Jetwhine
• Airlines & General Aviation will need more than 30000 trained Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and technicians to meet the requirement which is bound to keep on increasing beyond 2040, considering the Aviation growth in India. Indian Institute of Aircraft Engineering
• Nigeria's aviation sector has immense potential with its over 200 million people, the largest economy in Africa, and significant diaspora communities worldwide. The Nation Newspaper
• GKN Aerospace is carrying out an urgent review into the scale and timing of its hydrogen research and technology investments following Airbus's decision to delay service entry of its first ZEROe aircraft until 2040 at the earliest. Flight Global
• Cheaper aircraft are important because of the likely losses which will be inflicted on air forces in the event of a conflict with Russia or China. The Conversation
• Last year, IndiGo's parent company (InterGlobe Enterprises) and US-based Archer Aviation announced plans to launch an all-electric air taxi service in India by 2026. ETV Bharat
• The new 30-kilowatt laser-based directed-energy weapon can target aerial threats like fixed-wing aircraft, missiles and drones, marking a huge milestone for India's defence technology. News18

Last updated: 04 May 2025