Singapore Technologies Engineering continues to expand its aerospace offerings with a renewed focus on artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies. Speaking to reporters at the SIngapore Airshow, the company said that these technologies are increasingly relevant to battlefield applications.

Later this year, Saab plans to fly a self-funded autonomous air vehicle that will be used as a testbed for some of its systems. More importantly, the vehicle will be the first aircraft to fly with a software-defined fuselage at the heart of its structure.

Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University has revealed an eVTOL design that could become the country's first domestically produced passenger aircraft. Although certification of a full-scale aircraft isn’t expected until 2035, flight testing of the sixth-scale model unveiled this week is taking place in Singapore and Germany.

SkyDrive says it is getting close to agreeing on the means of compliance for type certification of its three-seat SD-05 eVTOL aircraft. The Japanese start-up is working with officials from the country’s civil aviation regulator and is also pursuing validation from the FAA as it targets service entry in 2028.

Vertical Aerospace expects the Asia-Pacific region to be the biggest market for early use cases of eVTOL aircraft such as the six-passenger Valo model it aims to bring to market in 2028. The UK manufacturer already has multiple prospective operators in that part of the world, including Japan Airlines, Air Asia, and leasing group Marubeni.

Elbit Systems has selected fellow Israeli company Lowental Hybrid to provide Native Parallel Hybrid propulsion systems for Elbit's tactical uncrewed aerial vehicles. The new engines offer extended flight duration and continuous in-flight battery charging, permitting vehicles to undertake silent flight during covert missions.

Germany’s Elektra Solar is targeting Asian markets including China for its Elektra Trainer two-seat aircraft. The battery-electric model, which was certified last year under German ultralight rules, has a standard flight endurance of two and a half hours.