
African Pilot Magazine:
Future Flight

First Airbus SIRTAP Prototype Ready to Start Ground Tests
Airbus has completed assembly of the first SIRTAP tactical uncrewed aerial system, now entering ground tests in Spain. The aircraft is set for its maiden flight by the end of 2025, with delivery to the Spanish Armed Forces expected in 2027.

Drone Forge Places Inaugural Order of Airbus Flexrotor
Drone Forge places the largest order to date for Airbus' Flexrotor uncrewed aerial systems, enhancing Asia-Pacific operations with advanced VTOL drones featuring maritime-optimised engines, Starlink connectivity, and high-resolution imaging technology.

Daher Among Five Partners Advancing Medium Altitude Long Endurance Drone Technology
Daher has been selected by the French Defence Procurement Agency to develop a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone demonstrator. This Plug & Fly drone, developed with Thales, features modular architecture, rapid deployment, and compatibility with ITAR-free defence electronics.

AURA AERO Unveils ENBATA, Its Sovereign, Multi-Mission, Controlled Costs MALE Drone
AURA AERO has launched its sovereign ENBATA MALE drone at the Paris Air Show 2025, with support from the French Ministry of Defence. The ITAR-free, multi-mission drone is set to fly by end-2026 and aims to meet strategic European defence needs.

uAvionix Introduces Trakr: Assured, Real-time Drone Monitoring and Low-Altitude Airspace Awareness in FlightLine
uAvionix launches Trakr, a cutting-edge drone monitoring solution integrating real-time UAS telemetry with ADS-B aircraft data through its FlightLine platform, enhancing low-altitude airspace awareness for critical drone operations.

What’s Next for Drones in Africa? The Sky Is Just the Beginning
Drones are reshaping Africa—from delivering vaccines to farming smarter. Discover how innovation is soaring beyond the skies in 2025 and beyond.

African Development Bank and Mozambique Launch Drone-Based Initiative to Boost Disaster Preparedness
The African Development Bank, Mozambique, and Korea’s Busan Technopark have launched a drone-based disaster management initiative to improve early warning systems and real-time flood response in high-risk zones.

Ethiopian Airlines and Archer Sign Agreement to Bring All-Electric Air Taxi Network to the Region Using Midnight Aircraft
Archer Aviation partners with Ethiopian Airlines to deploy Midnight electric aircraft under its Launch Edition programme, aiming to develop an air taxi network and explore sustainable air mobility solutions in Africa.

JCAB Issues G-1 Certification Basis for SkyDrive eVTOL Aircraft
SkyDrive has received G-1 certification basis approval from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) for its three-seater eVTOL aircraft. The company is progressing towards aircraft certification and commercial operations, with flight tests underway ahead of the World Expo 2025 in Osaka.

Jet Systems and Volocopter to Partner in eVTOL Operations in France
Volocopter and Jet Systems Hélicoptères Services have partnered to introduce eVTOL air taxi services in France, starting in Paris. With certified VoloCity aircraft and established flight routes, this partnership aims to revolutionise urban air mobility and expand across the country.

Eve Air Mobility and JetSetGo to Explore Urban ATM Implementation in India
Eve Air Mobility and JetSetGo partner to explore the implementation of Eve’s Vector Urban ATM software in India, enhancing air traffic management and paving the way for efficient and sustainable Urban Air Mobility (UAM).

Boeing Engineering Sparks Magic in First Autonomous Flights – eVTOL Evolution
Discover how Boeing NeXt and HorizonX pioneered the evolution of eVTOL technology, urban air mobility, and autonomous air taxis. Learn about the groundbreaking innovations shaping the future of flight.
