Global Scans · Aviation · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: More than half of the expected new passengers over the next two decades will originate from China, which will displace the US as the world's largest aviation market by around 2029. More than half of the expected new passengers over the next two decades will originate from China, which will displace the US as the world's largest aviation market by around 2029. Sales of consumer and prosumer drones are soaring and the Federal Aviation Authority forecasts there will be more than 1.3 million licensed drone pilots by 2020 in the U.S. alone.

• [New] The Federal Aviation Administration is exploring frameworks for approving autonomous operations, which could unlock new commercial use cases. Market Data Forecast
• [New] Airlines worldwide will need more than 600,000 new pilots over the next 20 years. Yahoo
• [New] The EU's ReFuelEU Aviation regulation stipulates a gradual increase in the minimum proportion of SAF in jet fuel to reach 2% in 2025 and 6% in 2030, while the UK is aiming at a 9.5% SAF target by 2030. Yahoo Finance
• [New] WeRide and Uber plan Spain's first commercial Robotaxi pilot in Madrid - the fourth of 15 cities in their global deployment deal - with AVOMO running fleet operations beginning later in 2026. Self Drive News
• [New] The Civil Aviation Bill will support airspace modernization and enhance safety standards for passengers across the UK. GOV.UK
• [New] Renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel facilities could consume more than half of total U.S. soybean oil production within the next several years. Ag Bull Trading
• [New] NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is expected to hit the flight milestone - at speeds of over 630 mph - for the first time at approximately 43,000 feet during a series of test flights in early June. KPVI
• [New] Multi-rotor drones are projected to record 16.2% share in 2026 as security operators need agile aircraft for urban monitoring and facility patrol. FactMr
• [New] Beginning in July, the Federal Aviation Administration will allow some lightweight aircraft to be powered by electric propulsion without exemptions - a small but concrete step forward. The Washington Times
• [New] The future outlook of the robotaxi industry beyond 2035 remains highly promising as autonomous mobility continues to evolve from pilot deployments to mainstream transportation networks. DataM Intelligence
• [New] The U.S. could produce about 2.1 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually by 2030 under its most favorable scenario, short of the federal goal of 3 billion gallons per year. AVweb
• [New] Flights of civil aircraft in the Moscow air zone at altitudes from 0 to 5,100 meters will be completely prohibited. UNN
• [New] German startup Vaeridion has selected Garmin G600 TXi flight displays to equip test aircraft for its Microliner nine-passenger battery-electric regional aircraft, planned to enter service in 2030. Aviation Week Network
• [New] Publicly listed Canadian startup Horizon Aircraft has agreed to sell shares to institutional investors in a deal that is expected to raise gross proceeds of $20 million to fund development of its Cavorite X7 eVTOL aircraft. Aviation Week Network
• [New] The United States could feasibly produce enough sustainable aviation fuel to meet roughly two-thirds of its 2030 federal target, but getting there will require overcoming major hurdles. WSU Insider
• [New] While domestic production is expanding quickly, the United States remains unlikely to meet its goal of producing 3 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually by 2030 without additional support and continued industry investment. WSU Insider
• [New] Commercial robotaxi pilots are expanding under government-backed deployment programs targeting wider adoption by 2027. / UK DataM Intelligence
• [New] The year 2026 is expected to represent a major commercialization milestone as several companies expand beyond pilot operations into large-scale autonomous ride-hailing deployments. DataM Intelligence
• [New] Waymo is operating at nearly hundreds of thousands of rides per week, Zoox is still in early public testing / free pilot phase, Tesla operates with small fleets of cautiously tested vehicles and Chinese firms are expanding but are at high risk of systemic failure / outages. DataM Intelligence
• [New] The conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States is already placing pressure on Europe's aviation sector, with jet fuel availability emerging as the most immediate threat to summer travel. On Call International Blog

Last updated: 07 June 2026