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In a world that runs on data, computer simulations are among our most powerful tools for investigating any scenario. The same is true for NASA Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) researchers as they plan the future of the national airspace. Together with industry partners, these researchers are delivering the data needed to allow self-flying electric air taxis and drones to execute flight paths as easily as your phone maps your car’s route.
3 minutes read
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) significantly reduce the climate impact of aviation in terms of both its carbon footprint and other climate impact not related to carbon dioxide. In the future, the targeted use of SAFs in contrail regions can help to rapidly reduce the climate impact of air transport. Flight tests using aircraft powered by 100 percent SAF are to take place again in order to prepare for this transition.
3 minutes read
Intelligent Flying Robots have revolutionized NDT inspections by conducting accurate ultrasonic thickness (UT) and visual inspections in challenging conditions.
A large metal vessel of a Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) unit requires an extensive inspection from every angle, but cramped spaces and high temperatures make the inspection challenging. This inspection was done with a flying robot to avoid putting people in the small and hot areas.
Alauda Aeronautics today unveils the Airspeeder Mk4, the first crewed version of its flying racing car. Designed and built in Adelaide, South Australia, the Airspeeder Mk4 is the world's fastest hydrogen electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
2 minutes read
Using an Intelligent Flying Robot, inspectors can safely perform measurements and inspections without exposure to potential hazards.
The MAAS project team developed a unique, end-to-end solution for the assembly of airplane wing parts, which uses Photoneo 3D vision technology to handle challenges such as screw hole misalignment, panel to panel step height, and gaps out of specification.
4 minutes read
Decarbonisation of aviation relies on a combination of many incremental steps and outright technological breakthroughs. To succeed, both approaches need to exist inside a collaborative ecosystem. In this spirit, Airbus and two leading European research institutions, DLR and ONERA, are exploring how high-performance computing can improve our understanding of the relationship between aerodynamics and aircraft efficiency.
3 minutes read
The world's first high-temperature aerial platform for Close and General Visual Inspection performs a job at 65°C on an offshore platform.
Researchers at ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal research institute WSL have developed a flying device that can land on tree branches to take samples. This opens up a new dimension for scientists previously reserved for biodiversity researchers.
3 minutes read
Tabletop exercises allow researchers to explore options and test scenarios in fields from military strategy and cybersecurity to disaster response planning. Now, NASA is using tabletop exercises to test how electric air taxis will fit safely into the national airspace – allowing passengers to one day hop across town or to a neighboring city by using new highways in the sky.
3 minutes read
Hummingbirds have extreme aerial agility and flight forms, which is why many drones and other aerial vehicles are designed to mimic hummingbird movement. Using a novel modeling method, researchers gained new insights into how hummingbirds produce wing movement, which could lead to design improvements in flying robots.
3 minutes read
Earlier this year, SKYRON was the first flying robot to perform contact-based NDT inspection on an offshore platform.
2 minutes read
End-to-end recycling solutions deliver the benefits of carbon fiber composites with a more circular approach.
In this episode, we talk about how a team from TUM has developed a system composed of collaborative drones that can create structure in remote and/or disastrous areas.
