May 28, 2020 - No. 038 In This Issue Kitty Hawk Challenge Provides Funding to Aviation Start-ups Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Continues with Telos ID to Process Background Checks Starr introduces usage-based aviation insurance Skyports and Thales partner. All electric aviation No Clear Answers on How to Effectively Detect, Mitigate Drone Threats Inmarsat's European Aviation Network Just Got A Lot Faster. Airports Move To Minimize Contact By Relying On Technology. Historic SpaceX launch scrubbed Kitty Hawk Challenge Provides Funding to Aviation Start-ups To help aviation start-up ventures gain financial footing post-pandemic as they develop new commercial applications that rely on ADS-B data, a partnership has been announced by AirNav Systems and BrightCap Ventures to offer funding to selected start-ups. The goal is to address the various challenges in the field of flight safety, ground and flight operations enhancements, aircraft health monitoring, aircraft operating conditions, UAV operations, and anti-UAV systems as the industry moves on from the COVID-19 crisis. AirNav Systems is a global flight tracking and monitoring company based in Tampa, Florida, with a research and development center in Europe that provides related data to aviation service providers worldwide. BrightCap Ventures is an early-stage, tech-focused VC fund registered in the Netherlands with its main office in Sofia, Bulgaria. Called the "Kitty Hawk Challenge," the partnership aims to identify start-ups worldwide via a rigorous selection process that includes an in-depth review of each potential company to launch a new funding program for start-up ventures anxious to leverage ADS-B data and technology solutions. Selected startups will receive up to €200,000 (approximately $218,000) equity funding from BrightCap Ventures. In addition to the capital and mentoring/oversight of BrightCap, these startups will also be given the opportunity to collaborate with AirNav Systems LLC to utilize the company's available historical and real-time tracking data to best develop the technology solutions that exhibit both engineering maturity and go-to-market capabilities. Upon further progress with product commercialization, BrightCap Ventures can invest up to €3,500,000 (approximately $3,815,000) in selected startups as part of further Seed/Series A rounds. "The aviation industry is being faced with challenges we have never seen before," said Oleg Rakhimov, vice president business development and sales, AirNav Systems LLC. "It became obvious that conventional methods and approaches would not be enough to deliver the fastest recovery path. Broadly accepted paradigms mostly failed. The industry is looking for new solutions with non-standard algorithms embedded. AirNav Systems wanted to step in and help encourage aviation enthusiasts and professionals to share alternative views encapsulated in not-from-the-shelf software. The Kitty Hawk Challenge will stimulate new ideas that can be turned into robust anti-crisis tools to bring the aviation industry back to its highs. The AirNav Systems and BrightCap partnership are eager to use this momentum to add fuel to the startups and help them fly to save aviation." "Access to domain-specific, production-quality data has always been a challenge for startups," said Georgi Mitov, Managing Partner, BrightCap Ventures. "The customers provide such data, but many of the early-stage startups don't have customers yet and can't use such data to develop and test their product, so this becomes a 'catch-22' situation. Our partnership with AirNav will allow selected startups to leverage our entrepreneurial and domain-specific experience, combined with access to production quality ADS-B data, to develop next-gen solutions for the aviation industry. This setup makes us very enthusiastic about the Kitty Hawk Challenge and our partnership with AirNav." BrightCap Ventures' Mitov explained, "Many successful companies are born during turbulent times. The new economic outlook will encourage companies to look for smart and cost-efficient ways to run their operation. Our partnership with AirNav will allow startups to benefit from our entrepreneurial experience and leverage the benefits which Bulgaria has to offer as an R & D destination, helping startups develop world-class products with excellent talent at a competitive cost," he said. For more information, visit radarbox.com/challenge. Companies interested in being considered should submit their investor pitch decks to info@brightcap.vc. https://www.flyingmag.com/story/news/kitty-hawk-aviation-startup-funding/ Back to Top Innovation, automation and collaboration - three ways to get aviation moving safely again Airlines are desperate to build confidence among passengers and put them in the planes that are slowly returning to the skies. In the absence of a vaccine, tracking and tracing is being pushed as a means of keeping infection rates down and new technologies are coming to the fore to meet the challenge. Recognizing that downloadable apps might encounter some opposition, not least because of worries over privacy, Matthew Hiller, CEO of TrekSecure, a contagion response platform for travel, has a solution that he believes would work quickly and alleviate such concerns. His initial thinking was to offer the technology to governments but saw an opportunity for the travel industry, specially airlines, cruise ships and hotels. Hiller says his research on how some elements of the industry handled the contagion demonstrated the need for a far more automated process which could contact airline passengers as soon as a case manifested itself. "It's about connecting the entire value chain without being dependent on the government agencies," he argues Most passengers will have provided some sort of identification at check-in or to board an aircraft, making it easy to trip a contacting process. Passengers can then acknowledge that they have seen the alert and if they do not, a follow-up notification goes out. Other benefits of the TrekSecure system include its use for pilots and cabin crew who can quickly be advised that they need to isolate themselves. The platform can also have checklists built into it so airlines can keep a close watch on cleaning regimes. Hiller says he's already talking to several U.S. airlines as well as the cruise industry about the solution. He adds that while the technology is not a panacea for the wider problem, it's about giving the industry a "jump start" in terms of helping to build confidence and getting people flying. "If we had had something like this six months ago, we could have contained this," he believes. He also stresses the flexible nature of the technology so that as advisories change and new processes are implemented, the system can take them into account. Agile response It is likely that flexibility from all components of the travel industry will be key going forward. During a webinar organized by TravelPerk last week, Rami El-Dahshan, head of travel management companies and European sales for Virgin Atlantic, also stressed the need for flexibility from every player. He expects "a two steps forward, one step back environment" for the foreseeable future, as countries open and close. "Airlines and TMCs are going to have to be more comfortable being agile in saying 'such and such country is open now and if we get stuck there, this is how we'll get you home.' "All airlines, hotels and others will need to adapt quickly in terms of how they do revenue management and pricing. We're all looking to how we innovate during this period to change some of the standards we've known for perhaps 40/50 years." During the webinar, El-Dahshan also spoke about the need for consistency from all parts of the ecosystem in the industry and a standard for cleanliness. Highlighting some of the current challenges facing aviation, he says: "All airports have different ownership models, different structures. They have all outlined to suppliers very different procedures around what we can expect. "The biggest challenge we have right now is the complete lack of consistency even within the same city." He adds that while companies are asking what a carrier's procedures are for check-in and boarding, there are no simple answers. "There are so many nuances airport-by-airport in the same city, never mind country-by-country where variance gets even wilder and the speed at which things are changing is miraculous." He says the industry should work together to establish minimum standards around hygiene and not "make cleanliness a competition." Standard approach El-Dahshan's sentiment echoes that of the wider aviation industry for a "standards" approach to restarting the travel industry. Last week, the International Air Transport Association laid out "five key principles" for restarting the aviation industry, centered on safety and security, being flexible and working according to the science. The fifth element concentrates on operating to "global standards which are harmonized and mutually recognized by governments." Commenting on the principles, Alexandre de Juniac, CEO of IATA, says: "The restart will go much more smoothly if governments cooperate. As I have said before, we must avoid the mess that followed 9.11 when governments acted unilaterally. This created confusion for airlines and travelers alike. And it took many years to clean up. "We have a small window to avoid these mistakes with COVID-19 by agreeing global standards for a re-start. In doing so, we must build-in measures for continuous review so that we can streamline the system as science and technology evolve." IATA also unveiled a paper called Safely Restarting Aviation, put together with Airports Council International, which includes some detail of the sorts of measures and recommendations that passengers might face. But, it's a big ask in a highly competitive industry where margins are thin. Add individual airport and country specifics into the mix and the picture is blurred further. Many carriers have already published details on their health and hygiene procedures and what they expect from passengers. JetBlue, for example, announced last week that it was continuing its distancing policy, with middle seats blocked, into the first week of July. During the webinar, El-Dahshan also spoke about the need for consistency from all parts of the ecosystem in the industry and a standard for cleanliness. Highlighting some of the current challenges facing aviation, he says: "All airports have different ownership models, different structures. They have all outlined to suppliers very different procedures around what we can expect. "The biggest challenge we have right now is the complete lack of consistency even within the same city." He adds that while companies are asking what a carrier's procedures are for check-in and boarding, there are no simple answers. "There are so many nuances airport-by-airport in the same city, never mind country-by-country where variance gets even wilder and the speed at which things are changing is miraculous." He says the industry should work together to establish minimum standards around hygiene and not "make cleanliness a competition." Standard approach El-Dahshan's sentiment echoes that of the wider aviation industry for a "standards" approach to restarting the travel industry. Last week, the International Air Transport Association laid out "five key principles" for restarting the aviation industry, centered on safety and security, being flexible and working according to the science. The fifth element concentrates on operating to "global standards which are harmonized and mutually recognized by governments." Commenting on the principles, Alexandre de Juniac, CEO of IATA, says: "The restart will go much more smoothly if governments cooperate. As I have said before, we must avoid the mess that followed 9.11 when governments acted unilaterally. This created confusion for airlines and travelers alike. And it took many years to clean up. "We have a small window to avoid these mistakes with COVID-19 by agreeing global standards for a re-start. In doing so, we must build-in measures for continuous review so that we can streamline the system as science and technology evolve." IATA also unveiled a paper called Safely Restarting Aviation, put together with Airports Council International, which includes some detail of the sorts of measures and recommendations that passengers might face. But, it's a big ask in a highly competitive industry where margins are thin. Add individual airport and country specifics into the mix and the picture is blurred further. Many carriers have already published details on their health and hygiene procedures and what they expect from passengers. JetBlue, for example, announced last week that it was continuing its distancing policy, with middle seats blocked, into the first week of July. Others, however, have been vociferous about the middle-seat policy being unworkable. Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, described the idea as "idiotic" at the end of April, adding that the carrier would not resume flights if this was a policy. During the TravelPerk webinar, El-Dahshan picked up on the middle-seat policy, saying it was a way of instilling confidence but questioned whether it would be sustainable longer term. More recently, O'Leary has criticized quarantine measures from the U.K. government as "ineffective and unimplementable" and supported EU guidelines which would mandate the wearing of masks on flights. Going forward, increased automation is inevitable to fall in line with monitoring, tracking and tracing guidelines from governments as well as the drive for greater efficiency in travel and the need to demonstrate health and hygiene concerns from consumers are being addressed. During a recent World Aviation Festival webinar, Barbara Dalibard, CEO of SITA, stressed that the future of travel would be mobile. Such a statement might elicit a sigh under normal circumstances, but airports and airlines have an opportunity to organize and manage processes via mobile. She pointed to how low-touch airport technology such as its own SmartPath system and biometrics would play an increased role. https://www.phocuswire.com/aviation-health-and-safety Back to Top Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Continues with Telos ID to Process Background Checks for Aviation Workers Telos Identity Management Solutions LLC (Telos ID) on May 27, announced that the Port of Seattle has contracted with Telos ID to provide Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-approved Designated Aviation Channeling (DAC) services for processing worker background checks at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). DAC services enable submissions of workers' biographic and biometric data to conduct background checks, including subscriptions to the FBI Rap Back program, for individuals working in secure areas of U.S. commercial airports. Telos ID has been supporting SEA with DAC services since 2016, and with recent selection to continue services, will do so for an additional ten years. SEA uses the DAC via integration with its identity management system (IdMS). "The DAC services deployment at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is notable for its size and scope, specifically the integration with SEA's IdMS, enabling efficient biographic, biometric, and Rap Back transmissions," said Dawn E. Lucini, vice president of aviation security, Telos ID. "With a large badge holder population, we have streamlined the TSA-required aviation worker background check process, while upholding the high security and customer service standards at SEA." As an encrypted, web-based solution, Telos ID's DAC services meet TSA and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requirements for handling personally identifiable information and biometrics. Its modular design supports each airport's and air carrier's needs, and users can perform multiple functions on one platform. "Telos ID has become the recognized leader in assuring the identities of aviation workers with advanced biometric and enrollment solutions," said Lucini. "We are pleased to support the Port of Seattle and its world-class airport - the region's gateway to the globe - in their efforts to provide excellence in credentialing and vetting services, all while reducing costs and providing superior customer care and flexibility." https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/airport-technology/press-release/21139807/telos-identity-management-solutions-llc-seattletacoma-international-airport-continues-with-telos-id-to-process-background-checks-for-aviation-workers Back to Top Starr introduces usage-based aviation insurance Starr Insurance Companies has announced the launch of Starr Gate, a general aviation policy for pilots who rent aircraft. The policy includes usage-based pricing and a tool that can improve pilots' skills. "Until now, pilots did not have real flexibility in their insurance coverage and often paid for coverage they didn't need," Starr said. However, the insurer said that Starr Gate "has established a way for pilots to pay for coverage based on when they are flying." The program also includes the ability to access CloudAhoy, a third-party, cloud-based pilot analytics tool, for a potential discount on premiums. "This product is a significant innovation for Starr," said Maurice R. Greenberg, chairman and CEO of Starr Insurance Companies. "For the thousands of pilots around the US, it's a smarter way to get coverage. We're leveraging technology to enhance safety and tailor coverage to match the market's actual needs." "Starr Gate is better aligned with a pilot's skills and flight time," said Jim Anderson, senior vice president of Starr Aviation. "With CloudAhoy data, we can write coverage in high definition. It's customized insurance that can make you a better pilot." Starr Gate policyholders will get access to CloudAhoy scoring at no additional cost. Starr said the scoring could help improve pilots' skills by matching their performance with thousands of other pilots. "Giving pilots the flexibility to buy on-demand coverage could not have come at a better time as we begin to emerge from this public health crisis," Anderson said. "Qualified pilots can obtain coverage for when they fly. If you're not flying now, apply for the coverage you need when you do start to fly again." Starr Gate is available directly to pilots through an iPad app, accessible in the Apple App Store, as well as through insurance brokers. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/starr-introduces-usagebased-aviation-insurance-223441.aspx Back to Top Skyports and Thales partner Skyports and Thales partner to conduct drone delivery trial for NHS in Scotland to support UK COVID-19 response The trial is backed by Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) - the integrated partnership of NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council directed by the local Integration Joint Board - and aims to prove the feasibility of delivering urgent medical cargo, such as COVID-19 test kits and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), between remote medical facilities by delivery drone. UK drone delivery provider Skyports will conduct the trial and operate the flights using delivery drones supplied by unmanned aircraft-maker Wingcopter, because of its proven capability through numerous delivery operations around the world. These trial flights will be planned through Thales' leading drone operations management platform, SOARIZON, which offers digital tools to maintain compliant and safe drone flying operations. Based at Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban, the trial will consist of two-way flights between the hospital and Mull and Iona Community Hospital in Craignure 10 miles (16km) away on the Isle of Mull. As COVID-19 testing rapidly gathers pace in the UK, the proposed delivery service will help to ensure that isolated communities have access to tests, delivered in a fast and efficient way. Currently, the majority of medical supplies and specimens are transported between the laboratory at Lorn and Islands Hospital, surrounding general practitioners' surgeries and other healthcare settings by sea and road, a long and complicated journey. This service will see delivery times cut from up to 6 hours one-way by ground transport and ferry to around 15 minutes, on-demand, by drone, bringing considerable savings in terms of time and resource, as well as contributing to keeping front line medical and delivery personnel safe. Answering the call from government and Argyll and Bute HSCP, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, this trial is the result of rapid mobilisation from industry as well as the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Local Government, NHS Scotland and the Department for Transport (DfT). Argyll and Bute HSCP has been at the forefront of exploring with Skyports the use of unmanned aircraft technology, building on preliminary work with the Scottish Government on the possibility of drone use by the public sector emergency services in Scotland. The two-week trial represents a crucial milestone for unmanned aviation in the UK. Under current rules, drones must always be flown within visual line of sight of the remote pilot. To undertake these more extended flights, the project team has been in close consultation with the CAA. Through this trial, the alliance aims to prove the long-term, sustainable viability of such services; bringing together regulation, government and industry to unlock the transformational potential of drones for society when used in a safe, secure and controlled way. Alex Cresswell, CEO of Thales UK, said of the project: "Thales's technologies are playing a crucial part in the response to COVID-19 - both globally and here in the UK. This trial demonstrates the positive role that unmanned technology can play in our society and represents a landmark step to accelerate its adoption. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with industry partners, regulators and government to establish the UK as a world leader in this exciting new industry." Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports, said: "Delivery drones are a fast and reliable solution for vital medical supplies. Skyports is proud to assist the NHS in Scotland with their COVID-19 response, helping to provide the essential healthcare that people need in harder-to-reach areas. Our trial in Argyll and Bute provides an important short-term response to the current pandemic and lays the foundations from which to grow a permanent drone delivery operation across a network of healthcare facilities around the country." Joanna Macdonald, Chief Officer for Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership, said: "I am delighted that Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership is again at the forefront in Scotland using new technologies to benefit our patients "The use of drones provides real opportunities to improve services and will help enable quicker diagnosis for our patients. "We are excited to be working with Skyports in the design of this new service." Thales and Skyports are also working together within the CAA Regulatory Sandbox programme, exploring how regulatory approvals can be granted for more widespread BVLoS drone operations in the UK. Insurance for this operation has been provided by Flock through their COVID-19 initiative. Once the trial has been successfully completed, the team will continue to work closely with the CAA and the NHS to make services available in Scotland and across the UK to provide access to this innovative technology to a wide range of organisations, in particular a number of other NHS Boards and Trusts. http://www.uavexpertnews.com/2020/05/skyports-and-thales-partner/ Back to Top All electric aviation Cutting carbon emissions could form an essential part of post-Covid-19 recovery plans for the aviation sector. Could that help to accelerate the development of all-electric aviation? In recent years every sector of the economy has seen a move towards cleaner and more efficient forms of production and delivery. When it comes to aviation, however, it has been the fastest rising source of carbon emissions over the past ten years, despite the development of more efficient and cleaner aircraft. Air travel is rapidly coming under the spotlight for its pollution footprint and, for the first time, an airline recently made the top 10 list of Europe's largest carbon emitters. According to figures from the European Union, the aviation industry contributes around 3 per cent of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions and, with demand from new markets like China and India accelerating, the environmental impact, at least prior to the Covid-19 crisis, was expected to increase significantly. As a result, this global rise in CO2 emissions has led to calls for the faster de-carbonisation of the sector. In Europe, the move to greener aviation has seen a number of projects set up to deliver new solutions. The Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe, whose members include Rolls-Royce and Airbus, has set itself some challenging environmental goals through its Flightpath 2050 initiative, which is looking to achieve a 75 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions per passenger. Many see the Covid-19 epidemic as an opportunity to completely change the aviation industry and its relationship with the environment. As the airline industry has called for government support many analysts, environmental campaigners and industry insiders argue that any rescue package should come with green strings attached. For industry critics, if airlines do receive significant financial support, they should no longer be treated as profit-seeking independent companies. Rather, in return for any public funding, they should be required to focus on reducing their environmental impact. According to John Holland-Kaye, the CEO at Heathrow, the UK should take the current crisis as an opportunity to, "accelerate the decarbonisation of aviation by helping to scale up new energy sources." Role of engineering Engineering has long been involved in exploiting new opportunities in the aviation sector, and when it comes to the development of greener and more efficient aircraft there is a 'real sense of purpose', according to the engineers involved. Electrification of aircraft has been a focus for many years but that research has not been on propulsion but rather on power for on-board systems such as actuation systems, cabin pressurisation, wing de-icing, and electric ground taxiing. Both the Airbus A350 and Boeing's 787 have increased the use of electric power to power on-board systems, and the 787 also uses power generated from engine installed generators. There is also a growing interest in hybrid options, which are seen as laying the groundwork for fully electric propulsion systems. A good example is the E-Fab X project, involving Siemens, Rolls-Royce and Airbus which has raised the prospect of radically changing aircraft design and the development of all electric short-haul planes. From a technological perspective the challenges associated with the electrification of propulsion are huge, and require investment across the whole ecosystem. It will require fundamental research, notably into the development of electrical power systems which can operate at kilovolt levels; electrical machines and power converters able to deliver megawatts at a fraction of the weight of current state-of-the-art technologies; denser batteries and alternative fuels that will be able to store more energy. To be able to deliver electrical propulsion, components will have to operate at significantly higher power densities and efficiencies compared to existing technologies, and they will be required to operate within high voltage distribution networks. Hybrid-powered solutions, which bring together gas turbine and electrical generators, are being developed and are likely to deliver real environmental and cost benefits, while providing a route towards electric propulsion motors. A big issue here, however, is the reliance on unproven power distribution systems and the need for high power electric motors. In response, Siemens has developed a 50kg electric motor using a hybrid-electric propulsion system, which is capable of delivering continuous output of 260kw, which is five times better than comparable conventional systems - these are small, but not insignificant steps. These projects are all looking to address the key problem when it comes to electrification, which is power to weight ratios. In truth, many involved in the push for electric propulsion believe that it wont be until the 2030s, at the earliest, that the necessary battery technology will become available and it'll be the 2040s before we see the integration of this technology into actual aircraft designs. Not only are there technological challenges to overcome, but electrification will also need new manufacturing processes, supply chains and standards. Among those experts involved in this work is Chris Gerada, Professor of Electrical Machines at the University of Nottingham, which is part of the UK Aerospace Research Consortium (UK-ARC) that's aligned to the Aerospace Technology Institute's four technology pillars: Aircraft of the Future; Future Propulsion; Smart, Connected and Electric Aircraft of the Future; and Aero Structures of the Future. Professor Gerada's expertise is in aircraft electrification - especially all-electric and hybrid propulsion and the technical challenges these present - and Nottingham university has a 400-strong team of researchers playing key roles across a number of R&D programmes. As part of UK-ARC, which was set up in 2018 with the aim of advancing UK aerospace research through much greater university collaboration, Nottingham plays a leading role in research into aerospace technology and has a close working relationship with Rolls-Royce. "While we have a reputation for high quality research, the UK has struggled with limited co-ordination in terms of research and a lack of suitable facilities," explains Professor Gerada, "there was no real co-ordination at a strategic or national level in the UK, unlike in the US, Germany and France. "We needed a much stronger ecosystem - one that brings universities and companies together - and while UK-ARC doesn't define what research is carried out, it does now provide that platform for much greater co-ordination." At Nottingham research is focused on five areas: transmissions; manufacturing, electrical systems; future propulsion and future operations. "My area of expertise is the electrification of aircraft and it's been an on-going area of research over many years - in particular the electrification of non-propulsive systems of existing and near-future aircraft platforms, but today there is an acceleration in work into electrification in terms of propulsion," says Professor Gerada. Speaking before the impact of Covid-19 on the aviation industry became apparent, he added that, "a growing number of stakeholders including large, regional and small aircraft manufacturers, system integrators, engine manufacturers, electrical component and systems suppliers, regulatory and certification bodies, technology institutes and universities are now focused on the electrification of propulsion which is seen as fundamental in meeting future aviation emission targets and the demand for alternative mobility modes." According to Professor Gerada, when it comes to electrical systems the biggest challenges are that they are far less reliable and tend to fail more often, while they also tend to be heavy. "The industry has been pretty successful in delivering improvements and addressing these problems, so we are seeing more electrical systems being deployed throughout modern aircraft. That success has been achieved by better understanding the technology, designing for more fault tolerance, designing in resilience and, underpinning all of this, improving thermal management. We've also got a better understanding of the physics of failure and how to mitigate it." Despite progress there are still safety considerations when it comes to electrical systems, from wiring routes to electrical interference. Professor Gerada makes the point that when it comes to propulsion engineers will have to address problems that involve megawatts of power, not just kilowatts. Design freedom An additional benefit associated with the electrification of propulsion will be greater design freedom, which will be brought about by the ability to distribute propulsors across the aircraft. Batteries, unlike fuel, will retain a fixed mass during flight so in terms of wing design, for example, it should be possible to make them more aerodynamically efficient. Another area that is seeing considerable development in terms of new aircraft design concepts is in autonomous electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, which are intended to compete with urban ground transportation. "I need to make a distinction here," says the professor. "While there's a lot of work taking place with eVTOLs, as an area it is very different to when you start talking about commercial jets. The propulsion technology used in these devices is more like the tech you find in the automotive industry." Small platforms, such as these, have the advantage that the technology is relatively mature compared to high power electrical systems because it is translatable from automotive and existing aircraft electrification technologies. "This space has seen a myriad of technologically advanced concepts. Whilst there is much improvement to be made from the technological aspect, the key barriers to successful deployment tend to be things like regulation, airspace management, public perception and successful business models to make them viable." By contrast the development of commercial jet electrical propulsion comes with innumerable technical challenges which, according to the professor, will range from the "evolutionary to the simply disruptive," depending on the level of power and voltages needed. A lot of research is focused on regional, or medium sized, aircraft which might be looking at powers in the megawatt (MW) range, while larger aircraft will require power in the tens of MWs. "In terms of R&D these mid-range commercial aircraft, the sort that provides regional services and carry up to 150 passengers, is really exciting," he acknowledges. Aircraft electrification will impact existing supply chains and create new aerospace market segments, but it will also require new testing facilities and certification standards. "There is a lack of infrastructure and facilities to test and demonstrate key electrical propulsion components, sub-systems and their integration into larger systems, especially at high power and voltage levels," says Professor Gerada. To help address this, the University of Nottingham is opening a Power Electronics and Machines Centre this year to test and develop MW-class electrical machines and power electronics. "The facility will be one of the first non-proprietary platforms able to support the development and testing of electrical machines and power electronics systems for all-electric and hybrid electric aircraft platforms," says the professor. UK-ARC is also looking at establishing open, distributed test and development facilities that will be capable of serving the needs of the aerospace industry in this new era of electrified aerospace. These kinds of facilities will be critical but they will only form part of the solution. The challenges going forward when it comes to electric propulsion will include issues around integration - how will new technology integrate with legacy systems, design and infrastructure - and how will the industry support in-service operation? The impact of Covid-19 means that business models are going to have to change and it is likely that too will impact on the supply chain and, in the longer term, on aircraft design. Disruption is never the preferred option but it can bring opportunity, as companies develop and exploit new technologies. https://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-technology/all-electric-aviation/227389/ Back to Top No Clear Answers on How to Effectively Detect, Mitigate Drone Threats Successful defense against drone threats in commercial and military environments will require solving numerous challenges, according to experts speaking during a discussion hosted by the Atlantic Council - and there are no clear answers. Counter-drone systems use a variety of different methodologies to detect nearby aircraft at low altitudes, including radar, radiofrequency (RF) sensors and electro-optical / infrared cameras (EO/IR). All of these systems have glaring weaknesses, explained Dr. Scott Crino, founder and CEO of Red Six Solutions, which has worked with the FAA, TSA and other organizations to red-team defensive systems and provide security advice. "Nearly all counter-UAS systems are effective to some degree, but they're effective in the operational environment that it was meant to operate in," Crino said. "So when selected counter-UAS systems, we have to look at a suite of technologies - not just an RF sensor, not just a radar, but all of them operating and integrated together. But even when being operated that way, the drone still has the upper hand." RF-based detection and disruption systems, which rely on scanning sections of the electromagnetic spectrum known to be used by drones for communication with ground controllers, are defeated by frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technology, which hops transmission frequencies faster than scanners are able to search, explained Crino. "When an autopilot system is used, it's what we call 'RF-dark,'" Crino said. "There is no radio frequency broadcast between the ground controller and the aircraft itself, therefore there is nothing to sense by that RF sensor on the counter-drone system." Radars are ineffective at distinguishing between biologics -i.e., birds - and drones, and many radar systems are reliant on line-of-sight plus an object's movement to consistently track it. Drone threats are often flying low and slow, according to Crino. "Once a radar or an RF sensor has picked up on an anomaly on the horizon, we use a [EO/IR] camera to slew to where that item was sensed and determine whether it is a UAS or not. When you think of situations where there are multiple aircraft in the air, a camera can only track one at any one time," Crino said, describing how a bad actor could use a large, easily-tracked aircraft to distract and obscure a smaller, faster-moving threat. Drone detection technologies are a blind spot for the U.S. military in part because 'low and slow' trajectories have not historically been of interest to the Pentagon. "Fast and lethal was the name of the game, but now with the proliferation of drones that are weaponizable, we have to totally reexamine the way that we are securing our facilities, VIPs and other military and critical infrastructure in order to deal with a very small object which sometimes can be much lower and slower than the trajectories we are used to identifying," said Mary Beth Long, former assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs. Crino sees promise in high-energy laser mitigation systems, such as one recently used aboard the USS Portland to shoot down a drone during a test. "There's a lot of promise in high-energy systems, lasers and high-powered microwaves that cook the aircraft almost instantaneously as it approaches," Crino said. "It's a little bit of a wider beam, and there is a real hesitancy to use them ... we don't fully understand where the laser stops [and] what the impact could be on a commercial aircraft or even a satellite that's orbiting the planet." Beyond technological challenges, Long cited strategic questions - changes to rules of engagement, or stricter export restrictions to allies based on integration with foreign assets? - as well as authority and airspace regulations concerns currently being grappled with by the FAA and Federal Communications Commission. In 2018, through the Preventing Emerging Threats Act, Congress provided the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) with the authority to use counter-UAS systems, but policies are still written to protect pilots and aircraft, creating challenges for the integration of counter-drone systems - which are treated as aircraft. "Right now, all of our policy regulations are on the side of the pilot and not so much on the side of the user of a counter-drone system," Crino said, listing sections of the U.S. code that guard against destruction of aircraft, unauthorized access of computer systems, interferences with government and satellite communications, and the interception of personal communications - all of which counter-UAS technologies violate as currently written. From a societal perspective, decisions must be made concerning privacy and security, similar to the use of facial recognition and other technologies, where a thin line exists between monitoring and weaponization. "The implications and the indirect and direct application of drones to wreak havoc are something that we have not dealt yet as a society and is going to become more difficult to deal with as drones proliferate, particularly in the commercial sector," Long said. "We have not gotten our heads around this." Long ended the presentation with a clear warning, particularly aimed at policymakers in the United States. "We tend to deal with security issues only after the worst has happened." https://www.aviationtoday.com/2020/05/27/no-clear-answers-on-how-to-effectively-detect-mitigate-drone-threats/ Back to Top Inmarsat's European Aviation Network Just Got A Lot Faster Inmarsat's groundbreaking European Aviation Network (EAN) has just been made better. Inmarsat announced this month that the bespoke designed network for inflight connectivity in Europe has had its peak data rates increased by around 30-35%. Now, peak rates are sitting at a very impressive 100Mbps. Boosting the EAN Inmarsat designed the EAN from the ground up to cope with the unique challenges of providing connectivity in European airspace. The density of airspace, having many network hubs close together, and ever-increasing passenger numbers means a bespoke solution was required, and EAN promised to be all that and more. Launched with British Airways in March last year, the EAN has now been rolled out across several airlines in the IAG family. In total, 16.5 million IAG passengers have been able to access the EAN, averaging an hour per session and data consumption of 150MB each time. Now, users can expect an even speedier experience when connecting to the EAN, as Inmarsat has confirmed an upgrade in peak data rates. Working with Deutsche Telekom and other partners, Inmarsat has increased the peak rate from the previous 75Mbps to 100Mbps. Sonia Berube-Ray, Inmarsat's Director of EAN Technology, explained in an update that this increased performance is a real milestone for the EAN. The new peak rates are based on real-life data, rather than test flights or models. She said, "This is very reassuring and represents a 30-35% increase in peak capability relative to the initial estimate." How did it improve? The fundamental base of improving the EAN has been delivered by those early adopters and the feedback obtained from real-world use of the network. There's no one service enhancement that's made EAN better; rather it has been a series of actions designed to make EAN perform more efficiently. The monitoring of the early rollout and the past 12 months of use have enabled the teams to drive forward performance improvements in incremental steps. Berube-Ray explained, "This has been a collection of daily tasks and activities, led by the many EAN stakeholders both inside and outside Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom. The teams have worked tirelessly to monitor and improve the overall performance of the network. This also goes for improving other key aspects like latency and even focussing on getting the network as stable as possible so we can even more reliably deliver the service." Other elements responsible for improvements in performance are noted by Inmarsat. In particular, the unique use of 4G LTE technology that is tailored for the aviation environment and its ability to automatically identify any surplus performance margin in the network. This enables the EAN to proactively take advantage of spare room in the network to deliver a better service. In addition, Inmarsat has deployed updates to the Thales OBE software onboard aircraft, resulting in a notable increase in availability and performance. Deutsche Telekom has also upgraded to the latest Nokia AirScale base station technology at more than 90% of the sites. The remainder are planned for upgrade in the coming weeks. For fliers, a 30% boost in speed will be a noticeable and welcome improvement. And for airlines looking to a speedy recovery from the worst crisis in the industry's history, the EAN opens the door to many new revenue opportunities and the ability to snag the loyalty of a new generation of travelers. https://simpleflying.com/inmarsat-ean-speed-boost/ Back to Top Airports Move To Minimize Contact By Relying On Technology MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Airports will have to rely on technology to minimize contact with passengers, as things begin to get back to normal. The goal is to have as little contact as possible with the passengers. This month, the TSA released guidelines for their employees to follow at airports nationwide. They ensure minimum contact with employees, social distancing and the wearing of protective face coverings. At Miami International Airport, the objective is to make the process of boarding and deplaning as seamless as possible and with as little contact as possible. Already, most airports around the country have the technology for identifying passengers while avoiding contact. Sara Dunlap, Sara Dunlap Assistant Port Director, says, "We have learned that facial comparison technology is more accurate and is a quick response to confirm that person's identity." "So, when the passenger enters the U.S., they will come to the officer who is stationed here. The officer takes a picture with a camera and within seconds, they get official confirmation. If there is a match to that the officer no longer needs to handle documents or passports." Currently, that system in place for some international flight arrivals and departures. At the Lufthansa gate, no touch is the norm. Maurice Jenkins, Division Director for Information Systems at Miami-Dade Aviation Department, says, "Normally when they call a flight to board what normally happens is you scan the boarding pass and show a passport. It combines it into one now, when you walk up to the unit, it scans your face and correlates that with the passengers' dimensions from customs that allows you to clear." The system makes use of the passenger's passport picture for the match. Currently, units are only being used by Lufthansa but MIA will launch biometric boarding with other airlines later this year. "The safety and security of being able to contactless, walk up to the device, scan, facial recognition by the biometrics allows you to board. It eases the process too, without anyone, touching paper, passports. That is what we are looking to minimize now." https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/05/26/coronavirus-airports-minimizing-contact/ Back to Top Historic SpaceX launch scrubbed MCGREGOR, Texas (KWTX) SpaceX Wednesday afternoon scrubbed the historic launch of its Dragon Crew Capsule with two astronauts aboard atop a powerful rocket whose engines were tested and rested in Central Texas because of threatening weather at Cape Canaveral. SpaceX could attempt the historic launch from Cape Canavera again on Saturday. The launch was canceled with 16 minutes of the countdown remaining because of lightning in the area. Veteran NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken were aboard the capsule and prepared to lift off on a flight to the International Space Station aboard the company's Dragon Crew Capsule atop a powerful rocket whose engines were tested and rested at the company's facility in McGregor. The astronauts suited up and headed to the launch pad early Wednesday afternoon. Weather conditions initially appeared to be favorable for the launch of the first manned mission from U.S. soil since 2011 and the first-ever launch of a manned mission by a private company, which is scheduled for 3:33 p.m. Wednesday. But as launch time approached a tornado warning was issued for the area of the cape and thunderstorms were moving through the area. The president and first lady flew to the cape to watch the launch. Mr. Trump said he hopes the historic mission will boost the nation's spirits after months of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds rather than thousands of spectators gathered Wednesday along Florida's Space Coast for the launch, but a downpour, the rumble of thunder and darkening clouds forced some to take shelter under tents and umbrellas. SpaceX had urged people to stay home for safety reasons amid the COVID-19 outbreak, but local officials looking to jump-start tourism rolled out the welcome mat, anyway. Space reporter Robin Seemangal, chief of content for Supercluster, who has covered more than 60 launches, is on hand for the launch, which President Donald Trump is also scheduled to attend. He underscored the importance of the 4,200-acre McGregor facility, which SpaceX has leased since 2003. "They confirmed that every single part of this launch system from the engines to the first stage booster that will take the astronauts to orbit to the second stage that will carry them even further to the engines on the Crew Dragon spacecraft, everything was tested and then retested at McGregor," Seemangal said. "So I'm sure it's been very noisy down there." It has. The 15-story first stage booster produces about 1.7 million pounds of thrust. Chances are few area residents knew about the test facility until late November 2008 when the Falcon 9 rocket's nine engines were fired for nearly three minutes, rattling windows and lighting up the night sky over a large area. The company's regular tests aren't quite as surprising anymore and neither is its ultimate mission. "For SpaceX it's the first time they're launching humans and their ultimate vision is to land humans on Mars so this is a huge, first big step for them," Seemangal said. The next stop, however is the moon. SpaceX was one of three companies selected in April to design and develop a spacecraft for the next U.S. moon mission. The combined value of the three contracts is $967 million for a 10-month base period. The goal of NASA's Artemis program is to land the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024. "This is the first time since the Apollo era that NASA has direct funding for a human landing system, and now we have companies on contract to do the work for the Artemis program," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. SpaceX is developing its Starship, which will use its Super Heavy rocket. Blue Origin of Kent, Wash., is developing its Integrated Lander Vehicle, a three-stage lander, which will use its New Glenn Rocket System and be launched on the ULA Vulcan launch system. Dynetics of Huntsvillle, Ala., is developing the Dynetics Human Landing System, which will launch on the ULA Vulcan launch system. The base period of the contract runs until February 2021 and during that time the space agency will decide which of the contractors will be asked to perform demonstration Man last set foot on the moon in December 1972 when Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent three days on the lunar surface in NASA's final moon landing mission. https://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Path-to-historic-SpaceX-launch-included-frequent-stops-in-Central-Texas-570778711.html Curt Lewis