Air India Raises Fuel Surcharge Air travel is likely to become more expensive as Air India has increased its fuel surcharge for both domestic and international flights. The new charges will be applicable from April 8, 2026, while some international…
FLY91 has announced the addition of Rajahmundry, Vijayawada and Hubballi to its network, along with five new sectors, as the Goa-headquartered regional airline expands its operations across southern and south-central India. Services will be introduced in phases between April 10…
Korea’s regional aviation market is beginning to see capacity take shape, with new entrant SUM Air placing an order for up to eight ATR 72-600 aircraft as it prepares to scale operations beyond its initial domestic routes. ATR confirmed that…
InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) has named aviation veteran William Walsh as Chief Executive Officer, subject to regulatory approvals. Walsh, currently Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), will step down on July 31, 2026, and is expected to take…
At Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, technical trials show that a fully biometric, contactless international passenger journey—ticketing, booking management, and airport processing, can be handled in a single integrated digital framework. The exercise brought together the DigiYatra Foundation, Bangalore International Airport…
Standing against the backdrop of freshly laid tarmac at the sweeping new terminal at Jewar, the newly constructed airport, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, sought to put the occasion into perspective. “This is a new chapter for Viksit Uttar Pradesh,…
Global aviation is on a growth trajectory that infrastructure alone cannot sustain. Passenger volumes are expected to nearly double by 2040, and the industry has long accepted that new terminals and additional runways alone will not be enough to absorb…
After years of construction delays and shifting timelines, the long-awaited Noida International Airport in Jewar appears closer than ever to opening. With the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issuing the airport’s aerodrome licence and security clearances now in place, authorities say…
Every April, as the snow retreats from the Garhwal Himalayas, a small fleet of helicopters begins the most unglamorous work in Indian aviation. Back and forth, dozens of times a day, between the helipad at Phata and the shrine at…
For most Indian corporates that own a business jet or helicopter, operating one has never been straightforward. Between a punishing tax structure, the obligation to set up a separate aviation company and the absence of any formal framework to outsource…
Connectivity expectations in aviation are now shaped by what passengers and flight departments use on the ground — video calls, secure corporate networks and continuous access to information. In business aviation, that expectation now travels with the aircraft. Across India…
There is a familiar kind of institutional contradiction that does not announce itself. It builds quietly, transaction by transaction, registration by registration, until the distortion is so embedded in market behaviour that everyone has simply learned to work around it….
The next leap in civil aviation fuel efficiency may not come from a radically different engine architecture. It may come from something already familiar, the turbofan made smarter, more adaptable, and more connected to a broader electrical system. That is…
Twenty years of engineering investment, a supply chain running through Indian manufacturers, a training infrastructure feeding the workforce Indian aviation needs, and a next-generation engine built specifically for the operating conditions that define flying across the subcontinent— Pratt & Whitney has…
American Airlines and CFM International (“CFM”) today announced that American’s future deliveries of Airbus A321neo aircraft will continue to be powered by the CFM LEAP-1A engine. These engines will be installed on Airbus A321neo aircraft that American ordered two years…
India’s aviation growth is pushing beyond fleet additions toward questions of endurance, utilisation, and long-term support. From engines powering high-frequency domestic routes to platforms enabling long-haul expansion, the emphasis is on reliability, operating economics, and lifecycle depth. Manufacturing and engineering…
Daher has added two new logistics contracts from Safran, expanding a long-standing industrial relationship into production logistics and aftermarket support. The agreements cover nacelle integration logistics in Hamburg and the establishment of a dedicated MRO and AOG platform in the…
Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) has appointed Benoît Rollier as Vice President KLM Engine Services, effective April 1, 2026. He succeeds Martijn de Vries, who has taken on the role of Senior Vice President Commercial. …
Lufthansa Technik has completed its first Boeing 787 cabin modification at its Malta facility, expanding its widebody retrofit capability within the group’s global MRO network. The project was carried out at Lufthansa Technik Malta, the company’s European center of excellence…
Lufthansa Technik Component Services (LTCS) has formally opened a new state-of-the-art facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, marking the first major milestone in a two-part expansion programme aimed at strengthening its presence across the Americas. The 25,000 square foot building adds 90…
Australian aerospace start-up Drone Forge and Airbus Helicopters have signed an agreement to purchase six Flexrotor uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) comprising 17 aircraft, making it the single largest order for the Flexrotor to date.
The mission-ready Flexrotor systems will be configured to meet a broad range of operational requirements in the Asia-Pacific region, spanning littoral surveillance and high-altitude inland missions, to infrastructure monitoring and maritime environment assessment.
Photo: Airbus Helicopters
Each UAS will feature a heavy fuel engine optimised for maritime operations, ensuring greater safety, fuel availability, and interoperability with naval assets. It will also incorporate Starlink connectivity, enabling beyond-line-of-sight operations and real-time situational awareness. Additionally, the Flexrotor will be equipped with PT-6 imaging technology, providing stabilised, high-resolution intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for efficient wide-area maritime monitoring.
“We are fully convinced that the Flexrotor, built on a strong engineering heritage, will allow us to tap into new markets with a proven solution where real-time intelligence, mission flexibility and reliability matters,” said Thomas Symes, Chief Executive Officer of Drone Forge. “We look forward to integrating and commercialising the Flexrotor systems in the region.”
“The landmark order opens a new chapter in our partnership with Drone Forge, reinforcing our shared commitment to delivering cutting-edge crewed-uncrewed teaming capabilities to Asia-Pacific operators,” said Olivier Michalon, Executive Vice President of Global Business at Airbus Helicopters. “With strong confidence in the Flexrotor’s efficiency and reliability, this force multiplier will drive operational excellence in defence and security applications.”
The agreement followed closely from a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed recently between Airbus and Drone Forge, where the two companies collaborate on the deployment and operational integration of the Flexrotor UAS.
The Flexrotor is Airbus’ newest addition to its UAS portfolio. A modern Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft with a maximum launch weight of 25 kg (55 lbs), it has been designed for ISTAR missions for more than 12-14 hours in a typical operational configuration. It can integrate different types of payloads including an electro-optical system and advanced sensors to suit customers’ unique mission needs. With the ability to autonomously launch and recover from either land or sea requiring only a 3.7 by 3.7 m (12 by 12 ft.) area, the Flexrotor is ideal for expeditionary missions requiring minimal footprint.
