UAH and ASKA sign memorandum of agreement to explore collaboration on autonomous drive-and-fly VTOL technologies

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, and ASKA have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) establishing a framework to explore collaborative research and development opportunities in advanced hybrid-electric, autonomous drive-and-fly vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Under the agreement, UAH’s Rotorcraft Systems Engineering and Simulation Center (RSESC) and ASKA will examine potential areas of collaboration, including but not limited, to battery systems, electric motors, simulation environments, safety systems and autonomous flight control technologies.

The collaboration further extends to jointly pursuing U.S. Department of War-aligned opportunities and international programs, including a project ASKA was awarded in Singapore. The country’s 64-island operating environment offers a realistic Indo-Pacific–style testbed for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) and distributed logistics operations.

“This agreement represents an important step toward advancing the development of safe, efficient and autonomous aerial mobility solutions,” says Guy Kaplinsky, CEO of ASKA. “By working with UAH’s Rotorcraft Systems Engineering and Simulation Center, we aim to combine cutting-edge research with real-world development, accelerating innovation while preparing the next generation of aerospace leaders.”

“The UAH RSESC performs a wide variety of autonomous aerospace research, and we are excited about this partnership and applying our autonomy, UAS design and FAA expertise to support this initiative,” says Jerry Hendrix, director of RSESC/A2R. “Let’s make the future happen!”

The MOA also establishes a framework to explore workforce development and educational opportunities, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing next-generation aerospace technologies through research innovation and workforce development.

RSESC is a multifaceted research center focused on applied research and systems engineering techniques to enhance success for government, industry, commercial and small business partners. Its expertise in the area of autonomous aerospace research (A2R) reinforces proven, unparalleled capabilities in uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), vertical lift, model-based systems engineering, system integration and interoperability.

ASKA is the global leader in hybrid-electric drive-and-fly VTOL vehicles, enabling scalable emergency response, contested logistics, commercial logistics and next-generation advanced air mobility. The company operates at Eagle Field Airport (FAA ID CL01), California, where the ASKA A5 platform continues to undergo operational validation for partners.