Joby Toyota eVTOL Deal, Archer Salinas Factory, Pentagon Drone Czar & Disaster Response Drones

In episode 444 of UAV News Talk, Max Trescott and David Vanderhoof announce that the show is returning to a weekly schedule, then dive into a packed week of drone and eVTOL news.

Video of the Week: Max taxiing by the Archer Midnight during testing at Salinas, CA.

They begin with how aerial robotics supported Venezuela after devastating earthquakes, including bridge inspections, thermal imaging for search and rescue, medical supply delivery, communications relay, LIDAR scanning, gas-leak detection, and traffic management.

They then discuss the Pentagon’s move to appoint a drone czar to coordinate drone programs across the military services, followed by the UK’s major new counter-UAS investment to protect British bases after drone surveillance incidents linked to Russian activity.

On the eVTOL side, Max covers Archer Aviation’s new Salinas manufacturing and test hub, plus a proposed four-airport California test corridor linking Salinas, Marina, Hollister, and Watsonville. David highlights Beta Technologies’ electric aircraft demonstration work in Hawaii with Surf Air Mobility and Hawaiian Airlines, and the two discuss Joby and Toyota’s new manufacturing joint venture.

The episode wraps with Sora Aviation’s subscale 30-seat eVTOL demonstrator and a fun final story: drones dropping one million baby oysters in Galveston Bay.