Airbus is teaming with HAX — described as the world’s most active early stage investor in hardware start-ups —to explore the future of urban air mobility through a four-month accelerator programme based in Shenzhen, China.

Airbus is in the process of setting up a new innovation centre in China. At the end of July, it announced the appointment of Luo Gang as CEO of the centre, the location of which has yet to be determined. Gang will report to Airbus Chief Technical Officer Paul Eremenko.

The centre, due to be fully operational later this year, is tasked with “defining the future of flight by identifying the next big change to transform the aerospace sector”.

The partnership with HAX aims to bring ideas from prototypes to market faster and accelerate the pace at which innovative ideas on the future of urban air mobility can be commercialised.

The collaboration will be an exclusive four-month urban air mobility acceleration programme at HAX’s premises in Shenzhen. Early-stage start-ups focused on developing technologies that address the following challenges are invited to apply:

• Urban air transport vehicle technology;

• Aerial sense and avoid technology;

• Airport runway and landing detection systems;

• Emergency safety technology for airborne vehicles;

• Infrastructure for airborne transport vehicles;

• Autonomous airborne vehicle technology;

• Aerial manoeuvres decision making and support systems;

• Air traffic management systems;

• Aerial collision detection and avoidance systems;

• Battery packaging and management systems for airborne vehicles.

Selected applicants will receive a minimum up-front investment of $100,000, as well as technical guidance and hands-on help from both Airbus and HAX experts to turn prototypes into reality.