In this episode, Kay introduces us to Drone Industry Insights and the extensive reports it publishes about the drone market and Advanced Air Mobility. 

It recently produced a lengthy report about the emerging market, so Kay shares some top level takeaways and goes into detail about the infographics on the market in different regions. 

We talk about the areas which are showing a lot of promise and ask Kay to give his thoughts on where he believes the market is heading in 2024, as some companies edge towards commercialisation.

Episode 127: Kay Wackwitz, CEO of Drone Industry Insights

In this episode, Starr tells us more about her background and what led her to join NASA, as well as how the government agency is helping to pave the way for Advanced Air Mobility in the USA. 

We talk about its National Campaign, which has featured some of the biggest names in the eVTOL space, and deep dive into some of the most important tests it has carried out. This includes a wind study and fascinating experiment on noise with Joby Aviation.

Episode 128: Starr Ginn, Advanced Air Mobility Lead Strategist, NASA

In this episode, Alistair introduces us to Skyrisks and how it is positioned to help define the insurance risk for Advanced Air Mobility. 

He talks about the challenges and opportunities as one of the only insurance providers for AAM, especially in an industry where aircraft won't likely be flying until 2025 at the earliest. He outlines how Skyrisks is planning for the day when they are operational and goes into more detail about the risk factor.

Episode 129: Alistair Blundy, CEO at Skyrisks

In this episode, John updates us on where Piasecki Aircraft is on its company roadmap. There were some big announcements, which include its new R&D site in Pennsylvania, which was formerly of Sikorsky.  

We talk future growth plans, the gear-up to launch the world's first hydrogen-powered helicopter and Piasecki's plans to hire up to 400 workers over the next five years, as the company begins to scale up its production plans. 

John also talks about the company's $37 million grant from the US Air Force to develop 'next-gen VTOLs and hydrogen propulsion technologies', as well as Piasecki's partnership with Triumph Group. He concludes our conversation by sharing his thoughts on hydrogen propulsion.

Episode 130: John Piasecki, CEO and President, Piasecki Aircraft

In this episode, James explains more about his journey to-date and the reasons that led him to set up Odys Aviation. As a sustainable aircraft startup, he tells us about the role it hopes to play in the market and the aircraft it is building. 

We hear about his thoughts on Regional Air Mobility (RAM), especially as it makes for a compelling use case when compared to other shorter journeys using eVTOL aircraft. Sticking with RAM, James gives his take on what he's been hearing about the speed to market of hybrid RAM aircraft vs eVTOL, and that many suggest hybrid RAM will be that stepping stone to the next generation of aviation. 

As Odys will use city airports and local helipads, we ask James if the company has any specific routes identified and the importance of utilising existing landing infrastructure.

Episode 131: James Dorris, CEO and co-founder, Odys Aviation

Kate loves to fly, so in this episode, she tells us more about her aviation background and her career to-date before setting up CAYRES. We go into more detail about the particular reasons why the company was set up, and also hear from Kate on her insights when it comes to Advanced Air Mobility in Canada. 

CAYRES' clients features an exhaustive list of businesses, ranging from real estate and property to construction enterprises and port authorities, so Kate tells us about the services it can offer and what kind of conversations keep coming up in her dialogues with various stakeholders. 

We then focus on the various projects CAYRES has lined up, before finishing off by talking about community integration.

Episode 132: Katherine Ayre, CEO and Aviation Lawyer, CAYRES

In this episode, Sandra tells about the overarching vision of eVertiSKY, the background behind setting the company up and the particular reasons for embarking on this journey. 

We hear more about the company's current roadmap, the current projects it is working on, and also from Sandra on what state she thinks Urban Air Mobility is at. She talks about the factors cities should consider when looking to implement UAM, the existing challenges and limitations, and what role regulation will play in the industry's growth.

Episode 133: Sandra Formenton, CEO of eVertiSKY

In this episode, Dan and Jeff introduce us to FPD and tell us more about the company and its role with the Advanced Air Mobility market. 

We discuss the need for reliable and qualified suppliers to the industry and the topic of weight when it comes to aircraft. The pair tell us more about the ongoing projects FPD is working on, and share their insights on what they're seeing in the industry at the moment.

Episode 134: Daniel Gordon and Jeff Speicher, FPD

In this episode, Dr Elgammal introduces us to The Coretec Group and where it fits into the emerging Advanced Air Mobility market. 

He tells us about the advantages of silicon anodes and why they are critical to eVTOL aircraft development, plus gives us an idea at what stage the industry is at when it comes to batteries for electric aircraft - especially with some companies targeting commercial operations as early as 2026. 

We talk about the various projects the Coretec Group is working on, and what can be done to minimise the environmental impact on eVTOL production. And finally, we discuss the efficient and lightweight energy storage solutions to improve efficiency, extend flight range and boost overall performance.

Episode 135: Dr Ramez Elgammal, CTO at The Coretec Group

In this episode, Don introduces us to Unico and its role within the global Advanced Air Mobility and goes into detail about the company's work behind the scenes. 

This includes collaborating with some of the biggest names in electric aviation to simulate the rotation of the propeller drive unit from vertical in take-off mode to horizontal for forward flight. 

Additional work which Unico does is allow the customer to test the battery range, so there is a clear understanding of how far the electric airplane can safely fly on one charge. 

Don shares the learnings from this and also discusses some of the projects the company is currently working on, as well as giving his thoughts on the differences and similarities between e-mobility, vehicle electrification and eVTOL aircraft.

Episode 136: Don Wright, VP of Engineering at Unico

eVTOL Insights is a leading source of news, information and analysis into the global electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and Advanced Air Mobility markets.

Since our launch in April 2020, we’ve been covering the latest industry news and offering insight for leading executives in the manned and unmanned market, across both passenger and cargo-carrying services. 

Our in-depth podcasts aim to cover a range of different topics, from eVTOL OEMs updates, certification, landing infrastructure, battery developments and regulations.

Head to evtolinsights.com, where you can read the latest stories and features, watch short industry videos and sign up to our newsletter, WhatsApp and Signal channels.

Episode 135: Dr Ramez Elgammal, CTO at The Coretec Group

The eVTOL Insights Podcast

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