Astro selected as NASA’s latest UAMG partner

Autonomous eVTOL manufacturer Astro Aerospace has been selected as NASA’s newest urban air mobility partner.

Astro will join more than 400 other private and public companies in NASA’s Urban Air Mobility Grand Challenge (UAMG) to work towards creating an urban air-transport market across the US.

In 2020, NASA will host a sector-wide challenge for the companies to conduct safety and UAM-integration tests to help build public confidence in the safety of urban air mobility.

Phil Croft, Astro’s structural engineer said: “We are excited to be accepted into the Grand Challenge and see this as a terrific opportunity to demonstrate Astro’s innovative technology to the world and collaborate with other developers. What greater platform is there than to work closely with NASA towards a new landscape of urban air mobility?”

Astro is designing a two-passenger, short-haul eVTOL named Elroy2. Early specifications show a top speed of 70km/h and 25 minutes of emission-free flight.

The Texas-based company started the Elroy flight-test campaign in Canada September last year. The tests are taking place at Toronto’s Markham Airport. It has already performed multiple flight manoeuvres, take-offs and landings and avionics testing.

Astro’s CEO Bruce Bent said: “Our team is very confident our Elroy2 will be well positioned amongst other great companies involved in this NASA challenge. We are very pleased to be accepted and recognized as a player in this VTOL industry.