August 30, 2021 - No. 67 In This Issue : REEF Technology and Archer Aviation to run air taxis from parking garages : Peekay Group to Set Up 3D Printing Facility at Bengaluru Airport City : L3Harris Demonstrator for Army ISR Aircraft System Accomplishes Maiden Flight : Turkey among top 3 countries in world in combat drone technology : Researchers develop technology to manufacture silicon-graphene anode materials for batteries : Airlines Prepare for Automated Passenger Check-in at MMIA : Spirit Airlines accused two ex-employees of conspiring with a supplier that it claims hugely inflated prices and gave kickbacks to the workers : The new KCI Airport is already behind the times — when it comes to energy, at least : Drone highways in the sky could be on the horizon : Plaza Premium Group Extends Lounge Experience to São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport : SpaceX launches ants, avocados, robot to space station REEF Technology and Archer Aviation to run air taxis from parking garages REEF Technology has unused flat rooftops. Archer Aviation has electric mini-helicopters. Together, they might have something. The two firms are partnering to run Archer’s proposed air taxis from REEF’s parking garages in Miami and Los Angeles. The partners aim to launch air taxi service from REEF garage rooftops by 2024, according to the Commercial Observer. Archer is still negotiating with the Federal Aviation Administration to get its aircraft into service. The deal will give Archer access to “largely dormant rooftop sites across some of the most densely populated and heavily congested urban city locations in the US,” starting with Miami and L.A., a press release said. REEF is coming off a huge year and has been in expansion mode. The company’s SoftBank-led $700 million fundraising round last year was the largest of any company in 2020 by far. Late last year, REEF partnered with Oaktree on a $300 million investment vehicle. The company, founded in 2013, provides hardware and software services to parking lot owners. It also leases and operates its own garages. Last year, the company started partnering with startups for other operations, including retail and cloud kitchens, on last-mile delivery service. The company recently announced that Wendy’s plans to open 700 delivery-only kitchens at its properties. Archer, meanwhile, recently unveiled its first aircraft, Maker. The company claims the small electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing craft, or eVTOL, is “the most aerodynamic and efficient electric aircraft to ever take to the skies.” Archer’s flying machines aren’t the only ones set to take off and land at REEF properties. Earlier this summer REEF partnered with air taxi service Joby Aviation at its Miami garages. https://therealdeal.com/miami/2021/08/29/reef-technology-and-archer-aviation-to-run-air-taxis-from-parking-garages/ Peekay Group to Set Up 3D Printing Facility at Bengaluru Airport City Aug. 28—BENGALURU — Kerala-based Peekay Group has signed an agreement with Bengaluru Airport City Ltd (BACL) to develop a 3D printing technology facility at the Airport City that is being developed in the BLR Airport premises. BACL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) "This facility will house a production centre as well as an experience zone to learn 3D printing and ideate for innovative solutions. In addition, the facility will be used to train technology experts, up-grade skills, increase awareness of various 3D printing applications. This will play a role in engaging youngsters in this new era of technology driven manufacturing," the company said in a statement. 3D printing also known as additive manufacturing has wide applications including architecture, construction, automotive, aerospace, military, biotech (human tissue replacement) jewellery, education and many other fields. The global 3D printing market size is estimated to reach $62.79 billion by 2028 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 21.0% from 2021-28. McKinsey predicts that additive manufacturing could have an economic impact of $550 billion annually by 2025. While traditional manufacturing has a negative effect on the environment, 3D printing is expected to be able to significantly reduce the carbon footprint. "We are delighted to partner with the Peekay Group to develop a state-of-the-art 3D printing technology facility as part of our Airport City. Bengaluru is emerging as one of the world's leading tech innovation hubs, and at BACL our focus will be to continue partnering with companies in the fields of advanced electronics manufacturing, robotics, artificial intelligence, space technology, 3D printing, quantum computing, chip design, among others," Rao Munukutla, chief executive officer, BACL. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/news/21236230/peekay-group-to-set-up-3d-printing-facility-at-bengaluru-airport-city L3Harris Demonstrator for Army ISR Aircraft System Accomplishes Maiden Flight The electronic warfare aircraft designed by L3Harris Technologies to serve as a technology demonstrator for a U.S. Army intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance program completed its maiden flight after six months of modification. The Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System aircraft will support the Army’s High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System initiative aimed at enabling the service branch’s ISR fleet to carry more payloads and sensors and have better standoff ranges, the company said Friday. Hosted on a Bombardier business jet, ARES can go up to 40,000 feet, operate for as long as 14 hours and enable long-range precision fires. The demonstrator’s expanded mission range can also waive the necessity to operate near denied borders. “Our design, fabrication and integration team turned a green airframe into an initial single sensor capable platform with new sensing technology in six months,” said Luke Savoie, president of aviation services at L3Harris. Bombardier’s green aircraft is capable of supporting a maximum of 14,000-pound payload and running the Army’s longest-range sensors. https://blog.executivebiz.com/2021/08/l3harris-demonstrator-for-army-isr-aircraft-system-accomplishes-maiden-flight/ Turkey among top 3 countries in world in combat drone technology Turkey has risen to the world's top three in combat drone technology, the Turkish president said on Sunday, reports Anadolu Agency. "With our unmanned combat aerial vehicle Akinci, Turkey has become one of the three most advanced countries in the world in this technology," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the delivery ceremony for the Bayraktar Akinci combat drone in the northwestern Tekirdag province. Underlining that Turkey is determined to become the leading country in combat drones, Erdogan said Turkey has to develop new technologies. The nation's goal is to develop armed drones that can take off and land on aircraft carriers with short runways for use in missions abroad, he added. Erdogan also praised Turkey's extensive use of home-sourced defense products, which leaped from just 20% to about 80% in recent years On July 8 the Bayraktar Akinci made Turkish aviation history by climbing to 38,039 feet (11,594 meters) – a new record – in a flight that lasted for 25 hours and 46 minutes. The Akinci, which to date has made 874 sorties in test and training flights, hit its targets with full accuracy in a July 5 firing test with warhead ammunition developed by Turkish rocket producer Roketsan. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210829-turkey-among-top-3-countries-in-world-in-combat-drone-technology/ Researchers develop technology to manufacture silicon-graphene anode materials for batteries SEOUL -- A research team in South Korea has developed technology to manufacture anode materials for high-capacity lithium-ion batteries through the combination of silicon and graphene. The technology strengthened price competitiveness while solving shortcomings of silicon, which is used for anode materials. Silicon has a higher energy density than graphite and is much faster in charging and discharging. However, it has the problem of expanding volume during charge and discharge. Graphene, which is a single layer of carbon atoms bound in a honeycomb-like hexagonal lattice, is electrochemically stable and can effectively protect silicon from electrolytes. The state-run Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) said that its research team has developed a technology that can solve the problem of silicon's volume expansion and upgrade battery performance. "Silicon and graphene composite anode material technology will dramatically increase the performance of high-capacity lithium-ion batteries used in various fields such as eco-friendly electric vehicles, energy storage systems), defense industries, space and aviation," KERI's electrical materials research division head Lee Geon-woong said in a statement on August 30. "When applied to electric vehicles, it is expected to increase mileage by more than 20 percent." Among other things, KERI highlighted excellent price competitiveness as the biggest strength of its technology as it can use inexpensive silicon. As a prototype based on silicon-graphene composite material, KERI has produced a pouch-type full cell and completed the registration of patents. The technology was transferred to HNS, a domestic company for commercialization and mass production. Battery suppliers are trying to develop cheaper, more efficient, more powerful batteries. Cylindrical cells have high specific energy and good mechanical stability, but they are commonly used for portable applications. Prismatic cells are encased in aluminum or steel for stability and satisfy the demand for thinner sizes. Wrapped in packages, prismatic cells make optimal use of space and allow flexible design but they can be more expensive to manufacture and have a shorter cycle life than cylindrical design. Pouch cells use laminated architecture in a bag, offering a simple, flexible and lightweight solution to battery design. They are light and cost-effective but exposure to humidity and high temperature can shorten life. Swelling is a concern. https://www.ajudaily.com/view/20210830170552743 Airlines Prepare for Automated Passenger Check-in at MMIA International airlines that operate in Nigeria have started integrating their facilities to the new Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) operated by RESA three months after SITA, which hitherto provided the service, pulled out. This means that very soon, the airlines would resume automated passenger facilitation after several weeks of manual check in that caused delays and security breach. This was disclosed in Lagos at the weekend by the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Rabiu Yadudu, who added that in the next two weeks all international airlines operating in Nigeria would resume automated passenger facilitation. According to him, “We have made progress on passenger facilitation. The director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) wanted to see and inspect what is happening, so we decided to do a joint inspection. We saw that some airlines like KLM, Air France, British Airways, and Delta Airlines were already onboard and have had their cables linked to RESA equipment. “The DG even asked specifically of Delta Airlines, and he was shown the process. They have not fully connected but they have gone far to be fully integrated on the RESA platform. The technicians came almost two weeks ago, and all the equipment are here, and from all intent and indications, within the next 10 days and two weeks, we will have everyone fully on board because the team and the airlines are ready,” FAAN managing director said. He disclosed that the target from the outset for FAAN was to make sure the system, which in the past covered all Lagos and Abuja airports only, was improved to include other international airports in the country. According to him, “Additionally, the previous system we had was Common User Terminal Equipment (CUTE), but we have upgraded to new technology of Common User Passengers Processing System (CUPPS). This is the new technology which FAAN and Nigeria are now using for five airports. “The self-service kiosk we never had Common User Self Service (CUSE) comes with it now. The departure control system we never had is all now here; baggage reconciliation system is coming here; Flight Information Display System (FIDS) is in Lagos not in Abuja. So all the items spelt out in the contract are here, the improved package and improved software with a much wider coverage for all Nigerians are there now, so we are very proud of this, and we regret the inconveniences that happened along the way, they were never intended.” On the airfield lighting of the domestic runway of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, known as Runway 18L, Yadudu said work was about 95 per cent completed on the taxiway, adding that soon the lighting on the runway would be installed with the minister’s intervention in the on-going litigation against the project. “For the last two years since I became the MD of FAAN, our primary target, among others, is the airfield lighting on runway 18L and the taxiway Bravo, and we thank God now that taxiway Bravo is 95 per cent done. We just came from the inspection tour; it has been achieved. “Runway 18L has been delayed because of a current contract that has been for many years, and finally, the minister has graciously accepted to resolve that issue that has been protracted, and he has agreed to grant us permission or approval to quickly procure a new lighting system. As you know, FAAN is a government agency; we cannot work and procure a new project when there is an existing one on the same facility. So many things you see that are delayed are because of negligence or lack of attention-it’s because you have to follow due process,” he said. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/08/30/airlines-prepare-for-automated-passenger-check-in-at-mmia/ Spirit Airlines accused two ex-employees of conspiring with a supplier that it claims hugely inflated prices and gave kickbacks to the workers Spirit Airlines alleged in a complaint that two employees had conspired with an airline-parts supplier to defraud the company by jacking up prices for parts by as much as 20 times their value. The allegations were made in a complaint filed by Spirit in a bankruptcy filing in West Palm Beach, Florida, in which Spirit was listed as a creditor. The bankruptcy was a Chapter 7 filing made by Shahzada Janjua, of Lake Worth, Florida, who ran several companies that supplied airline parts. Specific details about Janjua's business dealings with the airline Spirit were unclear from the court filings, but, according to the complaint, Janjua had created three companies in Florida - Airtran Industrie, Allstar Aviation, and Aero Parts Company - which had contracts with Spirit. The airline alleged in its complaint that it overpaid about $857,139 for parts over several years. Those contracts were awarded by a pair of Spirit employees who met Janjua at a trade show in about 2015, the airline said. The airline named the employees as former materials operations manager Manuel Garay and senior buyer Valeska Reyes in its court filing. According to the complaint, both Reyes and Garay resigned in October 2017, when Spirit confronted them about their relationship with Janjua, the airline said. Insider sent both Garay and Reyes messages seeking comment. Spirit alleged that Garay, Reyes, and Janjua "entered into a secret agreement to engage in fraudulent transactions." It was unclear what the total of those transactions had been, but Spirit in its filing said Janjua "owes a debt" to the airline. Many of the parts Spirit bought from Janjua's companies weren't necessary, according to the complaint. Some of them had their prices inflated by as much as "twenty times" (the airline underlined that word in its complaint) to "generate ill-gotten gains," Spirit alleged. In some instances, Spirit claims, the two employees involved were paid a kickback. "In furtherance of the conspiracy, once the aircraft parts sales were completed and the ill-gotten gains realized by the Entities, portions of such funds were paid over or 'kickbacked' to" the two employees involved, the airline said in court filings in Florida. Insider has reached out to the airline for comment. A lawyer who had represented Janjua in his bankruptcy filing didn't respond to a request for comment. https://www.yahoo.com/now/spirit-airlines-accused-two-ex-133515795.html The new KCI Airport is already behind the times — when it comes to energy, at least In the face of unprecedented global upheavals, Kansas City leaders must decide whether the new $1.5 Kansas City International Airport terminal project needs to be updated and expanded. Since ground was broken a few years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic has perhaps forever changed air travel. Vital business travel has collapsed. Climate change is rampaging, causing nightmarish fires and floods, giving new impetus to sustainability initiatives. At the same time, an avalanche of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal infrastructure spending, $25 billion for airports, may soon be up for grabs Kansas City must come up with a strategy to go after that funding while pondering the implications of a changed world on our airport and our city. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, our former mayor, said, “We are already in line to have a great airport. But it could be infinitely greater if it’s a 21st century airport with the proven technology of solar. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to move to first place in the nation in terms of sustainability.” Late last year, solar prospects dimmed at KCI. The Federal Aviation Administration was concerned that pilots could be hindered by glare from solar panels atop the new garage. Airport planners regrouped. They now are quietly exploring a more ambitious deployment of 20 megawatts of solar panels on the west side of the airport along Interstate 435. That would equate to about 14% of the airport’s power needs, a good start. An additional 520 panels are planned for the south side of the garage. The airport is already expanding its fleet of electric buses — seven on hand and four on order — and has innovative plans to recharge them while in operation. Over the next five years, airlines will be electrifying their vehicles on the tarmac. The city is talking to car rental companies on ways to electrify their fleet. Under consideration is building a monorail to serve car rental customers. All these efforts can now be accelerated and expanded. Cleaver, savvy about President Joe Biden’s team and Washington ways, said a greener airport is our ticket to securing more funding. “With the current administration, we can get all kinds of attention doing this. This is one of the most pregnant moment in our history as it relates to our airport. We are only limited by our imagination. Our whole city can benefit by what we do at the airport. We shouldn’t leave out anything at this point.” What is imagined by some of Kansas City’s leading engineers and scientists who work on aviation and electric transport projects worldwide? They say now is the time for the city to deploy light rail to the airport. Transit hubs downtown and in Johnson County could be built where air travelers park and clear Transportation Security Administration security. They then would board light rail to be whisked to KCI, putting some glamour and serenity back into flying. Parking at the airport could be a new deal. As solar use expands at KCI, the facility will need more battery storage. KCI could use the batteries in parked electric vehicles while their owners are gone, assuring they’re fully recharged before travelers return. In exchange, flyers could park for free or at a reduced cost. Electric planes for short flights of 400 miles or fewer are just a decade off. Building up solar and small wind generators at KCI would give the airport the electricity to recharge those planes. Kansas City is one of 17 cities being consider to host the 2026 World Cup. FIFA wants cities that are ambitious in tackling climate change, committed to building sustainable airports and ground transport from the airports to stadiums. Landing the World Cup could be an early payback for greening KCI. But added benefits wait in the wings. Fifty years ago, Kansas City pioneered the design of modern stadiums. For decades after, local firms dominated global sports arena and stadium design work. Reimagine KCI, and Kansas City could emerge a leader in global sustainability for the balance of the century. Martin Rosenberg is a Kansas City journalist, podcaster and former leader of national energy publications and conferences. https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article253795898.html Drone highways in the sky could be on the horizon Set in 2062, “The Jetsons’” whimsical world of flying cars and robot housekeepers captivated young viewers with a high-tech future. But Hanna-Barbera got it wrong: At least part of that future may be four decades early. No longer the stuff of science fiction, highways in the sky are a very real proposition. Already, four states have test-run legislation that restricts drones to aerial corridors. Drone companies, states and the Federal Aviation Administration are working to regulate the national airspace, and many industry advocacy groups, regulators and operators see a drone “highway” model as the way forward. But they face a sizable and vocal opposition. “I think people still think of drones as that Jetsonian future and don’t understand how close we are to really scaling them,” Casie Ocaña, marketing director for drone infrastructure company Airspace Link, told Modern Shipper. The state of the airspace Ocaña’s right — while we aren’t quite there yet, the legal framework for commercial drone operations has been steadily evolving. In August 2016, the FAA adopted Part 107, a rule that got the ball rolling for commercial drone flights. Since then, it’s approved the Operations over People rule, which allowed flights to take place at night and, unsurprisingly, over people; the Remote ID rule, which requires all drones to have remote ID installed by September 2023; and airworthiness criteria that will help certify drones as special aircraft. The FAA has also commissioned individual companies to test beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights but has yet to adopt a sweeping regulation. Those provisions have allowed for some pretty cool pilot projects. Airspace Link, for example, has partnered with DroneUp to deliver craft beer in Ontario, California, and collaborated with a group of companies to deliver a pair of kidneys for transplant in Ohio. It also recently coordinated a demonstration for local stakeholders and lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., delivering snacks and drinks to golfers on a course in that state. But Airspace Link and others are ready to think bigger. Researcher Brent Skorup of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University has spent well over a year looking into a solution that would bring commercial drone delivery to the entire country. While it’s taken him awhile to warm up to them, he’s settled on highways in the sky. “Traditionally, aviation has been largely a federal issue. It’s different with drones because they are flying at low altitudes, and you’re dealing with these nuisance and trespass issues and so forth. So it’s not clear where federal jurisdiction ends and state jurisdiction begins,” Skorup told Modern Shipper. To work around that uncertainty, Skorup suggests a drone highway model in which states would lease state-owned aerial corridors above public rights of way — like highways and railroads — to drone companies, using avigation easements to fill in the gaps. An avigation easement would grant a state access to the airspace above private property without infringing on ownership. For example, many utility companies use a different kind of easement called an easement in gross to place things like telephone poles and pylons on private land. Skorup envisions drone highways flying over public rights of way and easements while operators are fed real-time data on temporary flight restrictions, physical infrastructure and population density through a company like Airspace Link. He and Ocaña believe that these provisions, in conjunction with measures like noise and time-of-day restrictions, can make highways in the sky a reality. “We want to take the industry to the next level of mobility with drones, but we don’t want them to become the next scooters, where it’s a pain for the city, consumers are tripping over them, they’re everywhere, there’s no guidance,” Ocaña said. “We want to provide the guidance and make sure … that it’s not a nuisance to the public, that it’s as safe as possible and that everyone has a voice to help shape how drones will be used in their communities.” At least one major drone operator aligns with Skorup and Ocaña’s vision. California-based unmanned aerial vehicle logistics company Volansi is using a similar model for its drone trials in Africa, and CEO Will Roper, former assistant secretary of the U.S. Air Force, says the company hopes to bring that system back home. “At Volansi, we believe building reliable autonomous drones for reliably controlled airspace is key to accelerating delivery,” Roper told Modern Shipper. “Our current operations in Africa focus on creating aerial delivery ‘sky lanes’ for mining customers. In the future, we hope to expand this to an interconnected network of drone pickup-and-delivery sky lanes, independent of poor or congested infrastructure.” The arguments in favor Skorup and Ocaña see drone highways as an attractive model for several reasons. One, they can save drone companies from a legal headache — as far as drones have come, lack of regulation makes them vulnerable to lawsuits. “Every legal scholar who’s approached the issue has pointed out that there are a lot of legal issues that arise when drones are flying above private property. You’ve got nuisance issues, trespass issues, privacy and also takings,” Skorup explained. “And so with the idea of a drone highway, particularly if it’s above the public rights of way, you can avoid a lot of these legal issues.” He cites a recent case in Michigan as an example of the legal throes drone companies can face in an unregulated system. In Long Lake Township v. Maxon, a state appellate court sided with landowners who sued a drone company for flying over and surveilling their property, ruling that the company had violated the Fourth Amendment. Drone highways could eliminate that legal risk by restricting drones to airspace above easements and public rights of way. Another key benefit of drone highways is that they can alleviate the regulatory gridlock that’s plagued federal lawmakers in the five years since Part 107 was introduced. Because the delineation of U.S. airspace is so variable from state to state and city to city, drawing up a one-size-fits-all rule hasn’t been easy. In the model Skorup envisions, the FAA would delegate regulatory authority to individual states to run their drone highway networks as they see fit — that way, drones can get up and running without running (or flying) amok. “There’s a fear from state, federal and local lawmakers about a kind of Wild West situation,” he said. “Drone highways are a way of preventing those fears.” The arguments against Not everyone in the industry has a rosy outlook on a state-by-state drone model. Doug Johnson, vice president of emerging technologies for the Consumer Technology Association, believes it would be a disaster. “Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and West Virginia each introduced a flavor of the same idea. And none of those bills succeeded,” Johnson told Modern Shipper. “Our view is certainly that these kinds of bills and these kinds of restrictions of the airspace will be detrimental to drone operations and the growth of this technology.” Johnson instead supports a regulatory regime headed up by the FAA to create blanket federal restrictions around drones. His trade group focuses on educating state legislators about the drawbacks of airspace leasing and avigation easements and helped come up with an industry standard for drone serial numbers that enabled the FAA’s Remote ID rule. “[Drone highways will] make it difficult, in this sort of a scheme, for companies to implement plans for their operations,” Johnson explained. “Along these toll roads in the sky, the requirements could change from one jurisdiction to another, so that all would be problematic for the sake of an organized approach to integrating drones in the national airspace.” He argues that drone highways could actually result in more lawsuits for this reason. Johnson also notes that a lack of federal drone laws could spell calamity from a safety perspective if drone companies were forced to operate under different sets of rules and restrictions in every state. “If you chop up the sky into traffic lanes or toll roads in some cases, as has been proposed, you’ll end up with a very messy low-altitude airspace and a variety of local restrictions, which, in the eyes of the FAA and certainly in the eyes of the industry, is a problem for safety,” he said. The other major criticism is drone highways’ restriction of airspace, both physically and economically. Even Skorup, a proponent of the model, concedes that this could pose problems. “You can’t have 100 drone companies operating above the public rights of way. But if you just have one, then you’re raising competition issues,” he said. “It becomes a monopoly service in that town or city or county.” Johnson worries that these limitations could result in states leasing airspace to the highest bidder, cutting smaller drone companies out of the equation altogether. That competitive model also means that the winning bidders would need to raise their prices to compensate for inflated leasing rates, resulting in more expensive drone deliveries for end consumers. There’s also the problem of having flights restricted to aerial corridors above public rights of way, which goes against the ambitions of larger drone operators hoping to expand into BVLOS operations or delivery to private residences. Federal regulators appear to support Johnson’s position. “The FAA’s long-term goal is to fully integrate drones into the national airspace system, rather than setting aside separate airspace exclusively for drone usage,” Crystal Essiaw, a spokeswoman for the FAA, told Modern Shipper. The road overhead One drawback of Johnson’s vision is that it could take awhile. Five years ago, Congress directed the FAA to establish a rule designating and protecting critical infrastructure, including airspace. There’s still no rule. In the interim, states have tried to come up with their own rules, but that fragmented approach could just lead to more legal headaches. “I see a big area of legislative activity at the state and local level concerning critical infrastructure. And that sort of piecemeal approach has happened largely because there hasn’t been a national, organized approach to drones and critical infrastructure,” Johnson said. However, the FAA in June established a new advisory rulemaking committee (ARC) to address BVLOS laws, which Johnson says is the biggest opportunity for commercial drone operations to grow. Those rules would open up routes over remote areas and free up drones to fly outside designated aerial corridors. “Moving BVLOS regulations forward is the FAA’s top UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] priority, and one of Administrator Steve Dickson’s highest rulemaking priorities for the coming year,” said Essiaw. “The FAA also is working collaboratively with the drone industry and state, local and tribal governments to address community and societal considerations on when, where and how to enable various drone operations.” Skorup, though, points out that the U.S., for all of its wealth and power, is behind countries like Rwanda and China when it comes to commercial drone delivery. Rwanda, for example, had established a national drone delivery network by 2016. The sluggishness of U.S. legislation in comparison to other nations makes state-run drone highways more attractive than a federal regulatory regime in his eyes. “China in particular, they view autonomous aviation and drones as a major pillar of the future economy, up there with artificial intelligence and 5G,” he explained. “I think the FAA has done a pretty good job, considering the constraints it does have. … But the FAA is much more cautious.” Johnson would argue that there’s good reason for that caution. He describes drones as “the most accessible form of aviation you’ve ever seen,” and one that needs to be regulated accordingly to limit a slew of potential legal and safety issues. But at the end of the day, he emphasizes, all of the major drone delivery stakeholders are on the same team. “There’re important shared interests, first and foremost. It’s not a situation of conflict so much as it is a scenario of a common interest here. The industry, the FAA and other policymakers certainly understand that this technology opens new doors and possibilities,” he said. “We all want the safe integration of this technology into the most complex airspace in the world here in the United States.” https://www.freightwaves.com/news/drone-highways-in-the-sky-could-be-on-the-horizon Plaza Premium Group Extends Lounge Experience to São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport Plaza Premium Group (PPG), pioneers in airport hospitality and world leaders in global airport hospitality service providers, announces the expansion of its award-winning hospitality in Latin America. The opening of Plaza Premium Lounge in mid-September at Brazil São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) fortifies the group’s springboard for further expansion on the continent. The Plaza Premium Lounge at Brazil São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) is the group’s second in South America after the debut of Plaza Premium Lounge in Rio de Janeiro International Airport in 2016, and sights are set on further locations in the near future. The launch of Plaza Premium Lounge at GRU gives PPG an exciting foothold in this important and burgeoning market. As the busiest airport in Latin America, it records more than 40 million passengers annually, and performs as one of the major transport hubs in the region. Plaza Premium Lounge will operate as an independent lounge and be conveniently located at the domestic departure area. “The opening of Plaza Premium Lounge at GRU reinforces our commitment to Latin America. Rio de Janeiro provided us with a springboard into this significant and important market five years ago, the region offers exciting opportunities for Plaza Premium Group. Together with our strategic partners and our proven track record for developing and managing airport hospitality services around the world, we are actively identifying new opportunities on the continent to further expand our footprint in the region. We look forward very much to delivering our signature airport hospitality to millions of travelers in, out and around Latin America who can now enjoy a worry-free, totally seamless, and comfortable airport experiences in Brazil São Paulo as well as Rio de Janiero,” said Jonathan Song, global business development director of Plaza Premium Group. First Plaza Premium Lounge at São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport The launch of the first Plaza Premium Lounge GRU in mid-September, brings the group’s global presence to over 250 locations and 70 international airports. Spanning 1,530 square meters and accommodating up to 335 passengers, the new lounge is an architectural masterpiece of modern design and sustainability that will provide comfortable spaces for rest, work, entertainment, culinary experience and other amenities. The lounge services offered include reading options, cable TV, flight status information, showers and private meeting rooms. At the gastronomy section, options offer a wide selection including warm dishes, appetizers, fresh food, and soft and alcoholic beverages. The lounge follows Plaza Premium Lounge’s ‘’We Care for Your Wellbeing” program with zoning to facilitate privacy and social distancing, comfortable seating, and dining areas. The lounge is designed to provide a distinctive experience for the passenger in addition to subtly immersing them into the local culture through its features and offerings. These spaces are also equipped with the latest technology and essential amenities for both those who want to work and those who want to relax. The culinary experience is also a highlight at the Plaza Premium lounges. In addition to the variety of hot and cold options and selected drinks, the menu brings elements of local delicacy together with international cuisine, introducing passengers to various destinations through various senses. Partnership with Avianca Airline Plaza Premium Group has formed an affiliate partnership with Avianca Airline to expand the market presence of airport lounges into Latin America. Avianca Airline is the largest airline in Colombia and the second largest in Latin America. It also offers the most extensive network of destinations in Latin America. The new partnership covers nine lounges within Avianca’s portfolio in Columbia, El Salvador and Miami, in the Americas, which will be part of the PPG global lounge network. By 2022, we are able to meet the travel demands by expanding our services locations across more than 10 countries in Latin Americas, together with our presence in Brazil. The Plaza Premium Group has been present in Brazil since 2016, with operations in Rio de Janeiro at RIOgaleão, with Plaza Premium Lounge service at the domestic and international departures, and also at the arrival terminal. The group also owns Aerotel Rio de Janeiro, located at the international departure (after immigration) at Terminal 2 in RIOgaleão. First Plaza Premium Lounge at São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport will open in mid-September. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/press-release/21236248/plaza-premium-lounge-management-llc-plaza-premium-group-extends-lounge-experience-to-so-pauloguarulhos-international-airport SpaceX launches ants, avocados, robot to space station CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A SpaceX shipment of ants, avocados and a human-sized robotic arm rocketed toward the International Space Station on Sunday. The delivery — due to arrive Monday — is the company's 23rd for NASA in just under a decade. A recycled Falcon rocket blasted into the predawn sky from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. After hoisting the Dragon capsule, the first-stage booster landed upright on SpaceX's newest ocean platform, named "A Shortfall of Gravitas." SpaceX founder Elon Musk continued his tradition of naming the booster-recovery vessels in tribute to the late science fiction writer Iain Banks and his Culture series. The Dragon is carrying more than 4,800 pounds (2,170 kilograms) of supplies and experiments, and fresh food including avocados, lemons and even ice cream for the space station's seven astronauts. The Girl Scouts are sending up ants, brine shrimp and plants as test subjects, while University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists are flying up seeds from mouse-ear cress, a small flowering weed used in genetic research. Samples of concrete, solar cells and other materials also will be subjected to weightlessness. A Japanese start-up company's experimental robotic arm, meanwhile, will attempt to screw items together in its orbital debut and perform other mundane chores normally done by astronauts. The first tests will be done inside the space station. Future models of Gitai Inc.'s robot will venture out into the vacuum of space to practice satellite and other repair jobs, said chief technology officer Toyotaka Kozuki. As early as 2025, a squad of these arms could help build lunar bases and mine the moon for precious resources, he added. SpaceX had to leave some experiments behind because of delays resulting from COVID-19. It was the second launch attempt; Saturday's try was foiled by stormy weather. NASA turned to SpaceX and other U.S. companies to deliver cargo and crews to the space station, once the space shuttle program ended in 2011. https://klewtv.com/news/offbeat/spacex-launches-ants-avocados-robot-to-space-station Curt Lewis