Aerospace

Airbus and early stage investor HAX launch a call for start-ups

Toulouse, 27 September 2017 – Airbus, a global leader in aeronautics, defence & space and related services, and HAX, the world’s most active early stage investor in hardware start-ups, have joined forces to explore the future of urban air mobility through a four-month accelerator programme based in Shenzhen, China.

“Transportation in megacities needs fresh ideas to improve the way we live,” says Mathias Thomsen, Urban Air Mobility General Manager at Airbus. “We believe that adding the vertical dimension to urban mobility will improve the current congested megacity transport systems.”

“Airbus’ technical expertise and insights are a perfect complement to our capabilities,” says Duncan Turner, Managing Director at HAX.

Airbus, in partnership with HAX, will help bring these ideas from prototypes to market faster and accelerate the pace at which it can commercialise innovative ideas to shape the future of urban air mobility.

The collaboration will be an exclusive four-month urban air mobility acceleration programme at HAX’s world-class premises in Shenzhen. Early-stage start-ups focused on developing technologies that address the following challenges are invited to apply:

Urban air transport vehicle technology;

• Aerial sense and avoid technology;

• Airport runway and landing detection systems;

• Emergency safety technology for airborne vehicles;

• Infrastructure for airborne transport vehicles;

• Autonomous airborne vehicle technology;

• Aerial manoeuvres decision making and support systems;

• Air traffic management systems;

• Aerial collision detection and avoidance systems;

• Battery packaging and management systems for airborne vehicles.

Selected applicants will receive a minimum up-front investment of 100,000 USD, as well as technical guidance and hands-on help from both Airbus and HAX experts to turn prototypes into a reality. Business expertise will complement engineering talent to ensure the sustainability of the projects.

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.