August 2, 2021 - No. 59


In This Issue 
: Surf Air Mobility Enters Race for Green Air Travel 
: Mk-5 by teTra aviation is a personal eVTOL that's already available for pre-order 
: Joby completes 150+ mile air taxi test flight 
: Frankfurt Airport opens new interactive Visitor Centre 
: SITA deploys self-service ops with Ethiopian Airlines 
: SkyGrid and NASA Collaborate to Accelerate Deployment of Advanced Air Mobility 
: Vallair augments MRO capability 
: Melbourne Airport kicks off US$22m transformation of Terminal 3 
: Fast becoming a fully-fledged industry 
: This Bonkers Helicopter-Jet Hybrid With Rocket Boosters Could Have Been The Military Transport Of The Future 
: US GAO upholds SpaceX's Moon lander contract 




Surf Air Mobility Enters Race for Green Air Travel


Hawthorne-based private air carrier Surf Air Mobility Corp. has embarked on an ambitious plan to grab the lead in the race to decarbonize air travel.

The plan entails deploying a fleet of at least 100 hybrid-electric aircraft within the next three years.

Surf Air Mobility on July 20 agreed to purchase 100 Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft from Textron Aviation Inc., a subsidiary of Providence, R.I.-based Textron Inc. The local charter company will install hybrid-electric power trains in the Cessnas with the goal of putting them into service in regional markets by the option to purchase an additional 50 aircraft to convert to hybrid technology. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We see this as a significant step toward the decarbonization of aviation,” Sudhin Shahani, Surf Air Mobility’s chief executive, said.

Shahani also said the company plans to sell its hybrid gas-electric power train to other Cessna aircraft owners eager to reduce carbon emissions.

All this stems from Surf Air Mobility’s purchase earlier this year of Hawthorne-based Ampaire Inc., which had been developing and testing a hybrid-electric power train in converted Cessna aircraft. And it represents an entirely new direction for Surf Air.
With its purchase of Ampaire, Surf Air Mobility is one of the few companies in the race to decarbonize air travel that has chosen hybrid gas-electric technology, styling itself as the Toyota Prius of the commuter aircraft industry.

“Hybrid-electric technology is at a cost that fits in with current outlays — it doesn’t need charging stations on the ground, is able to be used in all instances and relies solely on existing technology,” Shahani said.

New plan
Surf Air has traditionally offered a mix of scheduled flights and charter flights, all for a monthly subscription fee.

Pre-pandemic, its main business was flying business executives between L.A.’s Silicon Beach and Silicon Valley, with a smattering of leisure travelers going to other destinations. Most of the flights were in the western states of California, Arizona and Nevada, with some serving an entirely separate market within Texas.

When Covid-19 hit, business travel plunged more than 30%, according to Shahani. That drop prompted the private carrier to pivot to the leisure travel market, which was booming as people sought to escape the pandemic’s grip by going to outdoor environments.
 
Surf Air added airport destinations near Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe and other vacation markets.

Meanwhile, Shahani and Surf Air’s other executives realized the market was changing in a more fundamental way. Pressure was building and competition increasing to be the first to offer air travel with zero or reduced carbon emissions.

Scores of other companies have jumped into this space.
Most are trying to develop fully electric aircraft, including Slovenian company Pipeitrel and Bristol, U.K.-based Vertical Aerospace, which is developing an electric plane that can land and take off vertically. Other companies, such as Venice-based Universal Hydrogen Co. are experimenting with hydrogen fuel.
 
But most of these companies are a few years or more away from hitting the market for paying customers.

‘Immense opportunity’
Most companies in the space have focused on battery technology and are at least five years away from deploying electric aircraft at scale. Surf Air Mobility is one of just a few that are pursuing hybrid technology.

A key barrier with current battery technology is that it’s not nearly as efficient at generating thrust for an aircraft as conventional fuel.

“It all comes down to energy density,” said Ed Story, a general aviation expert and vice president and co-founder of Santa Monica-based Eco-Aviation Foundation International, which promotes electrified aircraft. “The energy density of batteries under current technologies is only about 20% of the energy density of petroleum products.”

That means to deliver the same power, a huge mass of batteries is needed, far more than the weight of aviation fuel.

“On the ground, this weight issue doesn’t matter quite as much,” Story said. “But in the air, every pound of extra weight is crucial.”

As a result, he said, aircraft relying solely on electric battery power have very limited range, generally under 150 miles. That makes it more suited to the air commuter taxi market, serving airports within a single metro market for example.

“Fully electric planes now can go from Santa Monica to Riverside, but with weight limits of current technology, can’t really go from Los Angeles to Las Vegas or Los Angeles to San Francisco,” Story said.

The hybrid-electric power train, though, can easily handle flights from Los Angeles to Las Vegas or San Francisco. And unlike most of the fully electric planes now under development, it can be installed in existing aircraft by swapping out with the combustion engine.
 
The cost to swap in a hybrid-electric power train is a little more than $500,000, about the same as the cost of regularly required maintenance of conventional combustion engines.

The range parameters match up nicely with Surf Air’s current market, which is a mixture of flights between major metro areas and to leisure destinations, such as Sedona, Ariz., or Truckee near Lake Tahoe.

“This is the segment of the market that has not been served well with scheduled service from commercial carriers,” Story said. “There’s immense opportunity here for companies like Surf Air.”

New destinations
But even the hybrid-electric technology will take some time to apply to these routes.
The process of swapping out combustion engines for hybrid-electric engines in the planes Surf Air has agreed to purchase is still being perfected, and it needs certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. Shahani said he expects this certification process to take up to three years, which is why 2024 is the target year for bringing the hybrid-electric planes to market.

In the meantime, Shahani said, Surf Air plans to continue to expand its roster of destinations for current customers. In just the last 12 months, Surf Air has gone from seven destinations to 23, with several more on the way.

Surf Air is also broadening its charter offerings and planning to unveil a new flat-rate option for customers.

Unlike most of its commercial airline counterparts, Shahani said, Surf Air is on track to return to pre-pandemic passenger levels by the end of this year.

“We’ve been in a lucky place over the past year in that more customers have gravitated toward us,” he said. “We haven’t had to make our case as hard to potential customers; they are seeking us out.”


https://labusinessjournal.com/news/2021/aug/02/surf-air-mobility-enters-race-green-air-travel/




 




 


 




Mk-5 by teTra aviation is a personal eVTOL that's already available for pre-order


tokyo based start-up teTra aviation reveals Mk-5, a fully electric personal aircraft that’s designed to be safe, quiet, and easy to manufacture. the new electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) was unveiled recently at EAA AirVenture oshkosh 2021, a week-long aviation event held in wisconsin, the US.

the Mk-5 eVTOL features 32 vertical rotors on four fixed wing planes and one horizontal thrust at the rear. the aircraft cockpit fits just one person, who navigates the aircraft using a joystick and fly-by-wire electrical controls.


the aircraft measures 8.62 m wide, 6.15 m long, and 2.51 m high. constructed from aluminum and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP), the Mk-5 weighs 488 kg when empty and has a maximum take-off weight of 567 kg. regarding its performance, the eVTOL is powered by a 13.5 kwh battery and boasts a top cruising speed of 160 km/h (100 mph) and a range of 160 km (100 miles).


as well as being exhibited for the first time at EAA AirVenture oshkosh, the team at teTra aviation is also conducting test flights of the Mk-5 in 2021 with the aim to start delivering the personal transportation service as a kit plane as early as 2022. the Mk-5 is already available for pre-order from the company’s website here.

https://www.designboom.com/technology/mk5-tetra-aviation-personal-evtol-08-02-2021/


 




Joby completes 150+ mile air taxi test flight


Santa Cruz, California-based Joby Aero Inc. has achieved an important milestone in the development of its all-electric air taxi for commercial passenger service by flying a full-size prototype vehicle more than 150 miles on a single charge, including a vertical take-off and landing.

The flight was completed at Joby’s Electric Flight Base in Big Sur, California, as part of the company’s ongoing flight test campaign. The aircraft, piloted from the ground by Joby’s Chief Test Pilot Justin Paines, took off vertically before transitioning to forward flight and completing 11 laps of a predefined circuit. After more than 1 hour and 17 minutes in the air, the aircraft landed vertically, having covered a total distance of 154.6 statute miles.

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, said, “We’ve achieved something that many thought impossible with today’s battery technology.

Joby’s prototype aircraft uses commercially available lithium-ion batteries that have been adapted for aerospace use. An 811 NMC cathode and a graphite anode cell were selected, following internal testing, to deliver the optimal trade-off between the specific energy required to fly the aircraft 150 miles, the specific power to take-off and land vertically, and the cycle life to deliver an affordable service. Joby researchers demonstrated in the lab that this battery is capable of more than 10,000 of our expected nominal flight cycles.

The team developing Joby’s energy system is led by Jon Wagner, head of powertrain and electronics, who previously led battery engineering at Tesla.

Paines, a former Royal Air Force test pilot who helped develop the controls for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter before joining Joby as its chief test pilot, added, “Achieving this milestone is an important validation of our technology and I’m incredibly proud to have played a small part in what is, to our knowledge, the longest all-electric eVTOL [electric vertical take-off and landing] flight performed to date.”

Joby plans to start commercial passenger service in 2024, transporting a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200mph.

The company is working toward certifying its aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), having already agreed on a G-1 certification basis and been awarded a US Air Force Airworthiness Approval.

The FAA requires a Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate for Joby to operate its aircraft as an air taxi service in cities and communities around the United States. Alongside a Type Certificate and Production Certificate, this is one of three regulatory approvals critical to the planned launch of Joby’s all-electric aerial ridesharing service in 2024.

The company is now in the first of five stages necessary for Joby to achieve Part 135 certification in 2022.

In February 2021, Joby announced its intention to merge with Reinvent Technology Partners (RTP), a special-purpose acquisition company. RTP has scheduled an Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders for Aug. 5, 2021, to vote on the approval and adoption of RTP’s business combination with Joby.


https://www.aerospacemanufacturinganddesign.com/article/joby-completes-150-plus-mile-air-taxi-test-flight/


 




Frankfurt Airport opens new interactive Visitor Centre


A new attraction is opening today at Frankfurt Airport: the multimedia Fraport Visitor Centre in Terminal 1, Hall C, will welcome its first guests just in time for the summer travel season. Its wide range of interactive exhibits allows visitors of all ages to experience the fascinating world of aviation up-close.

On 1,200 square metres of floor space, around 30 innovative exhibits offer an exciting glimpse behind the scenes at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and of aviation in general. Visitors not only learn about the airport’s day-to-day operations; they also have the opportunity to review its history, discover aviation technologies, and consider the future of flight.

The exhibits invite guests to interact and immerse themselves. In one game, visitors put their marshalling skills to the test by guiding an Airbus A320neo to its parking position. A further highlight is a virtual reality (VR) ride through the airport’s baggage handling system.


Fraport CEO Dr. Stefan Schulte said: “Our multimedia Visitor Centre allows people to better understand and experience first-hand the diverse and highly complex airport world. The new attraction will also be key to strengthening long-term dialogue with our local community and guests from other parts of Germany and the world.”

“The Globe” is the most technologically sophisticated exhibit in the Visitor Centre. This interactive LCD wall visualises all active flights around the world in real time. It is made up of 28 individual displays, combined to create a single screen spanning some 25 square metres. The system is truly unique: nowhere else is capable of depicting thousands of flight movements in such detail. Flight data for The Globe are provided by FlightAware, a U.S. flight tracking platform. Fraport partners with FlightAware to process data required for operations at Frankfurt Airport. In particular, the data provided by FlightAware allow better planning of airport processes.

The Fraport Visitor Center was completed in autumn 2020, following two years of construction, at a cost of approximately €5.7 million. “We had to postpone its opening multiple times due to the pandemic. I am therefore all the more pleased to now unveil our new visitor attraction at Frankfurt Airport. The centre turns the spotlight on the fascinating world of airport life,” explained Anke Giesen, member of Fraport’s Executive Board and Executive Director of Retail and Real Estate.

Tickets to the center must be purchased online in advance at www.fra-tours.com/en. Booking confirmation is required to gain admission. Currently, tickets are not available at the airport itself.

The Fraport Visitor Center will be open daily from 11 am to 7 pm. The standard entry price for adults is €12. A reduced price of €10 is available for eligible guests with corresponding ID. Children under four enter free of charge. During the current regional school vacation, ending August 27, guests will be able to park for one hour free of charge in the airport’s public garages; the parking slip must be brought to the Visitor Center’s reception desk for validation.

The Fraport Visitor Center can also be booked as an exclusive venue for events. It is equipped with the latest presentation technology, and the one-of-a-kind airport panorama makes it an ideal backdrop for product launches, press conferences and sundowner parties.


https://www.internationalairportreview.com/news/161955/frankfurt-airport-opens-new-interactive-visitor-centre/


 




SITA deploys self-service ops with Ethiopian Airlines


SITA has announced a new technology deployment offering passengers enhanced check-in and bag drop self-services with Ethiopian Airlines at Bole International Airport (ADD). The deployment, which features SITA Smart Path Drop & Fly baggage solution, has been implemented in the new extension of the check-in area with international passengers of Ethiopian Airlines benefitting from the service. SITA’s self-service solutions have helped optimise the passenger experience with many travelers checking in online through the Ethiopian Airlines app, other airline applications and through SITA self-service kiosks.

Passengers using the technology can directly proceed to the self-bag-drop area to check in their bags quickly and easily avoiding long lines and reducing congestion in the airport at a time when social distancing remains a priority as the industry recovers from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The solutions increase airport capacity by accommodating more passengers while empowering them with more control over their journey. The technology deployed also reduces passenger contact with ground agents, another key benefit under the context of COVID-19. With improved passenger processing and better on-time performance for airlines, ADD has become a technology-leading airport in the region. The deployment also prepares ADD for future implementations, including future-proofing the airport to accommodate biometrics quickly. Ethiopian Airlines is one of the first airlines in the region to implement this level of automation in passenger processing.

Getinet Tadesse, Acting Group Chief Information Officer, Ethiopian Airlines, said: “Both SITA and Ethiopian Airlines Group have had a clear objective of enhancing the passenger experience through intelligent, automated services, increasing operational efficiency for the airport and safeguarding passengers as we emerge from the pandemic. As the leading airline on the continent, we are delighted to welcome passengers back to the skies with improved passenger solutions. The implementation of Smart Path self bag-drop technology at our main hub will take passengers’ experience to another level through simplifying air travel while keeping customers safe.”


https://asianaviation.com/sita-deploys-self-service-ops-with-ethiopian-airlines/


 




SkyGrid and NASA Collaborate to Accelerate Deployment of Advanced Air Mobility


For years we have been talking about adding unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and air taxis or advanced air mobility (AAM) to the national airspace (NAS) but there are a few constraints that prevent these two nascent technologies to join their manned counterparts over controlled airspace. One of these restrictions is the fact that we cannot operate these unmanned vehicles in our skies by adding their management to the current air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure. Unmanned aircraft, especially UAVs, will have to have an independent unmanned traffic management (UTM) system and will coordinate with ATC but will not be dependent on it.

Since 2018, SkyGrid, a joint venture between SparkCognition and Boeing, has developed and deployed UTM technology that aims to accelerate the massive acceptance of unmanned platforms in the NAS. Last week, SkyGrid announced it has been selected to participate in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign.

SkyGrid is one of only a handful of private enterprises and institutions that have been selected for a Space Act Agreement to work with NASA to define and develop the future of AAM. SkyGrid is scheduled to participate in National Campaign-1 (NC-1) by developing future airspace system capabilities based on its AerialOS platform. NC-1 will include flight demonstrations and simulations at test sites around the country over several months in 2022. 


In order to obtain more details about the announcement we reached out to Zehra Akbar, Vice President, Strategy & Operations at SkyGrid, for an exclusive interview about their technology and the reasons for NASA’s selection.

“For two years now, SkyGrid, the joint venture between between Boeing and SparkCognition, has aimed at enabling a smarter airspace management system in order to fill gaps unaccounted for in conventional UTM solutions” Zehra explained. “Unless we figure out how to integrate unmanned platforms into an already crowded airspace without involving (ATC) the promise of drones and air taxis is never going to materialize.”

NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), academia and the private sector are actively engaged in the issue of traffic management in the NAS in order to facilitate the incorporation of unmanned vehicles, but most approaches are using technologies that do not give the regulator the confidence for autonomous operations.


“Our approach is unique, using artificial intelligence (AI) and Blockchain, we are working to produce a truly effective traffic management system that would allow for conventional operations without adding workload to existing ATC,” Zehra said. “SkyGrid is now bound to collaborate with NASA addressing pressing safety and integration challenges necessary in the development of aviation markets for passengers and cargo.”

Most UTM companies today are exploring the use of ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance & Broadcasting) and many other existing technologies to accelerate acceptance. SkyGrid’s approach is different by focusing on inflight deconfliction through the use of AI, in addition to ADS-B. SkyGrid is also in partnership with Raytheon.


“We are focused on developing solutions that will reduce the burden on human operators for day-to-day operations of these non-traditional aircraft. That is critical to creating an ecosystem that can scale,” Zehra said. “We have been talking a crawl-walk-run approach to testing UAM solutions and given our success, we can safely say that the day is approaching when these platforms will be mainstream.”


“In order to achieve this goal, SkyGrid is focusing on critical operational challenges such as inflight strategic deconfliction, interoperability among non-traditional vehicles, trajectory planning and urban infrastructure,” Zehra concluded. “Only by cohesively addressing the numerous pieces of the UAM puzzle will we be able to tackle the incredibly complex task of mixing manned and unmanned aviation over controlled airspace.” 

It is encouraging to see how these collaborations between government agencies and private companies, are advancing the cause of the full deployment of these unmanned vehicles that will eventually become part of our daily lives.


https://www.commercialuavnews.com/regulations/skygrid-and-nasa-collaborate-to-accelerate-deployment-of-advanced-air-mobility


 




Vallair augments MRO capability


Vallair has augmented its MRO capability with the introduction of in-house NDT (Non-Destructive Testing).

The capability will not only be available at Vallair’s specialist MRO facility in Montpellier and the Aerostructure repair shop in Châteauroux, but also away from these locations worldwide, with both Form 1 and 8130 release available.

NDT techniques are necessary to determine whether an aircraft is airworthy. It is a broad category of inspection techniques, and is an important tool in aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). NDT includes the inspection of an airframe structure and engine for surface and sub-surface cracks, impact damage, corrosion, and other irregularities. These inspections must be done without having to dismantle components therefore minimising downtime.

“Safety is the single most critical aspect of aviation. NDT is used throughout a product’s lifecycle – from the qualification of new materials and the design of new aircraft to in-service inspections of aircraft structures and engines,” commented Malcolm Chandler, head of commercial and marketing for Vallair. “The introduction of NDT in Montpellier is testament to our dedication to customer service. Currently we offer comprehensive repair capability, aircraft reconfiguration, painting & cabin refurbishment, as well as parking & storage.  Previously, NDT was something that would be outsourced to third parties but had become difficult due to the restrictions surrounding COVID. The addition of NDT will allow Vallair to not only expand our capabilities but also enable us to be more flexible and better serve our customers by reducing turn-around-times.”

Vallair’s NDT capability will comprise eddy current inspections, ultrasonics inspections as well as penetrant testing and will be overseen by Renaud Chastel, NDT manager for Vallair. Renaud recently joined Vallair to head up the programme and has accrued more than 10 years’ NDT experience in companies all around the world including ATR, Airbus and most recently G2 Metric.

“Building the NDT department is a great challenge for me, and it will enable Vallair to be more efficient and responsive to the requirements of its customers,” commented Chastel.  “NDT is a guarantee of quality and safety, so it is reassuring for the customer to know that Vallair is able to offer the complete scope of the treatment for any damage assessment or structural diagnosis. Thanks to the excellent work of our Quality department, we received a D1 Rating in our MOE for NDT at the end of June enabling us to perform varied inspections. The MRO world is evolving and new challenges await us all. Vallair is well prepared to meet the opportunities that lie ahead.”

www.vallair.aero


https://www.aero-mag.com/vallair-augments-mro-capability


 




Melbourne Airport kicks off US$22m transformation of Terminal 3


Melbourne Airport in Australia has unveiled a series of infrastructure improvements to transform the passenger experience for Terminal 3 (T3).

Works include modernizing amenities, introducing new Melbourne brands and improving connectivity with Terminal 4 (T4). The A$30m (US$22m) upgrades will occur in stages over the next 12 months, with completion by mid-next year.


Under the new reconfiguration, domestic travelers will have more time to relax inside restaurants and retailers before boarding their flights. The main security screening area will relocate to T4, enabling travelers to keep laptops in bags while being processed, taking advantage of the airport’s latest smart security technology, which results in faster screening.

Passengers will also experience greater connectivity between domestic terminals thanks to a new departures-level indoor walkway linking T3 and T4. In addition, a more streamlined exit point in arrivals will intuitively guide guests to outdoor transportation options.

The airport is also investing in its bathroom facilities. The new parent rooms, located close to gates 1 and 2, feature interactive full-length walls so children can play and stay entertained while their guardians tend to other needs.

Over the next year, several new iconic Melbourne dining venues and stores will open inside T3 to reflect the city’s culinary scene.

Melbourne Airport chief of aviation Lorie Argus said, “We are progressively refining the traveler experience through improving the layout, amenities and technology inside all of our terminals to deliver a world-class passenger experience for anyone traveling in or out of Melbourne. t

“One of the most significant aspects of the T3 upgrade is the relocation of security screening moving from T3 to T4. In future, it will mean travellers use T4 for processing, which allows them to move through screening much faster compared to traditional screening lanes.

“We’re also really excited about the amenities upgrade, which goes far beyond traditional toilets. Apart from male, female and ambulant facilities, we are installing all gender areas, adult change rooms and assistance animal relief spaces.

“We understand flying can be stressful for parents, so we’ve introduced interactive play walls inside our new parent rooms, encouraging kids to touch and watch different scenes keeping them amused while their carers are busy with other children. We’ve already received great feedback, with some guests stating they don’t want to leave the new facilities.

“Overall, the modernization and reconfiguration of the terminal will enable greater flow with T4 and when security screening moves next year we encourage T3 guests to park in the T4 car park, as it’s a shorter walk to gate, especially without luggage. We look forward to making enhancements as we progressively welcome back more domestic passengers.”


https://www.passengerterminaltoday.com/news/airport/melbourne-airport-kicks-off-22m-transformation-of-terminal-3.html


 




Fast becoming a fully-fledged industry


As various authorities around the world have granted companies the right to operate drones in a number of markets – from agriculture and construction to insurance – the range and variety of applications has grown substantially over the past five years.


Supported by new regulations and frameworks there is now a fully-fledged drone industry that, according to Goldman Sachs, was worth over $100bn in 2020, with demand being driven by both the commercial and government sectors.

In a significant step forward for the drone industry within the UK, the drone company sees.ai secured authorisation from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to trial a concept for routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.

According to Stewart Marsh, Head of Aerospace at Cambridge Consultants, “A future where multiple drones can be piloted from a central location, flying hundreds of miles beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) has significant potential for many industries. This first trial for routine BVLOS operations in the UK is great news and an important step.”

According to Marsh, however, the real value of drones will only be unlocked when they are able to operate at scale and that will only be possible by combining a number of innovative emerging technologies.

“Firstly, new intelligent detect and avoid sensor systems will ensure drones can operate safely in dynamic environments. The application of the latest global satellite communications will provide more reliable and secure connectivity over longer ranges, while precise positioning technology, using AI and machine learning, will ensure safer navigation,” Marsh explained.

Addressing at least some of these technical challenges Parrot, a European drone group, recently unveiled the ANAFI Ai, the first drone to use 4G as its main data link between it and its operator, addressing some of the transmission limitations drones currently suffer from. This improved connectivity will enable more precise control at any distance – even for Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights.

The drone also includes an embedded Secure Element both in it and in its Skycontroller 4. The 4G link between the drone and the user’s phone is encrypted and the Secure Element protects both the software and the privacy of the data being transferred.

Parrot has also made the piloting application open-source and is offering developers a Software Development Kit (SDK) to execute custom code in the ANAFI Ai drone during the flight. The SDK gives access to all flight sensors, including obstacle avoidance sensors, occupancy grid and internet access.

The drone’s obstacle-avoidance (OA) system is able to detect obstacles in all directions, using stereo cameras to sense objects and automatically avoid them. It incorporates a 48 MP main camera and comes with a powerfully-stabilized 4K 60fps/HDR10 camera to capture finely-detailed aerial images and smooth video footage.

Testing times

Testing of these emerging technologies and operating fleets of drones at scale is critical if the industry is to reach its potential. One company, Bell, which has a long history operating in the aerospace industry, has moved into the sector and is developing a mobility-as-a-service business model.

The company’s Bell Innovation arm is now, as its Technical Lead for its Intelligent Systems team, Grant Bristow, said, “Targeting autonomous mobility – moving people, packages and data.”

The Bell APT delivery drone and the Bell Nexus 4EX, an air taxi that flies using four tilting ducted fans powered by a hybrid-electric or all-electric engine have been used to demonstrate the concept of mobility-as-a-service but also how to deploy fleets of drones offering city-wide coverage.

“Within Bell’s Intelligent Systems division, we’re looking beyond the independent vehicle,” explained Bristow. “How do we connect all these vehicles? How do we develop the digital backbone? How do we operate it as an ecosystem of vehicles, not just independent vehicles? We’re developing a fleet scheduler suite of services that would help manage and connect all these vehicles.”

In the lab, Intelligent Systems has achieved this with 16 Vantage V5 cameras positioned around an indoor space. Using Bell’s Vicon system to capture the positions of numerous drones in real time, Bell has been able to effectively simulate a network of Nexus and APT vehicles that it can use as a proxy for a real fleet while it develops AerOS, the software that will ultimately control the network.

According to Bristow, “For us to rapidly develop in the space, we wanted a fleet of vehicles that we could fly indoors as proxies for APT or Nexus, so we could develop in parallel and converge by the time Nexus was flight-worthy.”

However, while it is possible outside to use GPS data to complement other sensory inputs, when testing inside that doesn’t tend to work.

“We’re using the Vicon system to emulate GPS indoors,” explained Casey Hanner, a hardware and software innovation engineer at Bell. “We set the system up, we calibrate it, and then set an origin. Then we can tie the origin that we set in Vicon to an actual latitude and longitude point on

Earth, so our vehicles actually don’t know the difference between GPS and Vicon [data].”

Bell has demonstrated this technology at CES where it operated a fleet of Nexus 4EXs flying autonomously, nonstop, all day long, around a space filled with replica buildings.

“This was not a demonstration just to be pretty – this was a demonstration of technical capability,” said Bristow.

“All of the camera data, all that traffic, was sort of smashed together through one physical network connection, using virtual networks,” said Hanner.

The Vicon system was able to demonstrate accuracy and precision and, as a consequence, showed that it was possible to manage multiple air vehicles in the same proximity, without crashing into each other.


Industry reach

The testing of drone technology and the successful management of drone fleets highlights the opportunities associated with this technology, which is now being deployed across a growing number of industries.

Popular applications in agriculture, for example, include crop and livestock monitoring, irrigation management, and fertilization – drones are said to be able to spray fertilizer 40 to 60 times faster, than doing so by hand.

The use of drones in construction and mining is also growing rapidly and could eventually become a $28.3 billion global market, according to PwC, as businesses leverage drones to adhere to laws and regulations concerning worker safety – rather than taking hours, drone technology can conduct inspections in a matter of minutes.

Drones are also being used to process insurance claims with insurers using them to provide faster and more accurate property assessments. They are able to capture precise images and videos of damage that can be transmitted back to mobile devices for assessment in real time.

One sector, in which the use of drones has accelerated, helped by the pandemic, has been in healthcare although how UAVs can be of benefit is only just being explored in terms of addressing issues around logistics.

In areas where healthcare infrastructure is inadequate, drones can be used to provide life-saving assistance and are seen as having a critical role to play in providing medical supplies, especially over remote of geographically difficult terrain.

Their speed and accuracy make it easier to deliver drugs to emergency situations, even when medical personnel are not present. They are able to hover and analyse a situation, as well as communicate specific instructions prior to the release of medicines.

The protection of the supply chain is critical when it comes to delivery of medicines by drone in urban areas, especially when they’re used in the ‘final mile’ and are seen as having a significant impact on limiting pollution and speeding up delivery times. However, additional security protection technologies to secure supplies from criminal gangs are having to be developed.

Whatever the challenges, drones are seen as having an important role to play in delivering medicines and bringing medical services to patients, rather than them having to attend hospitals and surgeries.

A good example of how drones are speeding up testing can be found in Africa where a UNICEF led project is using helicopter-style drones designed, developed, and programmed by Matternet to try to speed up HIV testing of infants.

Italian company Zipline is using drones to supply blood and pharmaceuticals to remote areas in Rwanda in a matter of hours. Drones are able to drop small packages from very low altitudes as they arrive at hospitals using simple paper parachutes.

Another company, F-Drones is transporting medicines to cargo ships, replacing small boats and helicopters for offshore deliveries and saving up to 80% of the cost while also being more environmentally friendly.

Drones are helping to overcome problems, especially in rural areas, where a lack of infrastructure has prevented people accessing the medical supplies they need.

When it comes to the medical space, while drone technology is evolving rapidly, especially when it comes to delivering medicines or collecting or delivering test samples, issues concerning vibration, g-force, rapid changes in pressure, humidity, and temperature all have to be taken into account.

Beyond the Earth

While the use of drones is certainly accelerating here on Earth, scientists are also looking at developing drones that could be used to map and explore other planets.

A team of scientists led by Christopher Hamilton of the University of Arizona has been awarded a $3.1 million NASA grant to develop a new concept that combines rovers and unmanned aerial systems to explore regions on Mars that have been hitherto inaccessible.

These new Rover–Aerial Vehicle Exploration Networks (RAVEN) are going to be tested in Iceland to explore volcanic terrains similar to those observed on Mars.

Planetary exploration has usually comprised of four steps, each building on the findings of the previous one: flyby, orbit, land and rove, now the RAVEN project has added flying to that mix.

"And not only that,” said Hamilton. “The whole concept is really geared towards building new technology and procedures for two robots to work together on an extra-terrestrial body. We are going to look at how a rover and a drone can work together to maximize the scientific output of such a mission."

RAVEN will see the drone providing reconnaissance to scout the best path forward, and even be able to collect and return remote samples that are inaccessible to the rover.

RAVEN builds on drone technology – such as the Mars Helicopter, that was used on NASA's Mars 2020 rover and the DragonFly mission to Saturn's moon Titan.

RAVEN will provide a test platform for new technologies like remote sample acquisition and navigation based on computer-generated, 3D terrain models. The insights gathered from the RAVEN project will also be used to directly inform next-generation follow-up missions such as NASA's upcoming Mars 2020 mission, which will include a lightweight, twin-rotor drone named Ingenuity that will be used as a technology demonstration to test powered flight on Mars for the first time.

RAVEN includes a prototype grabbing device – the Claw – that will be attached to a drone that can be configured in various ways, for example to pick up rocks or scoop up sand, and to return cached samples to the rover.

Also tested will be alternative payload configurations, including lidar, hyperspectral imaging and drilling technology.

Looking at the drone industry the range of applications that are being developed is immense; whether that’s monitoring health and safety on a construction site here on earth or charting unexplored regions of other planets and suggests that it’s a sector that’s embarking on an accelerated period of growth.


https://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-technology/fast-becoming-a-fully-fledged-industry/239315/


 




This Bonkers Helicopter-Jet Hybrid With Rocket Boosters Could Have Been The Military Transport Of The Future


What do you think happened when one particularly ambitious British aerospace firm decided to combine the traits of a helicopter with the latest and greatest in jet technology? If your answer was to revolutionize both civilian and military aerospace, you'd be dead wrong, obviously. Jokes aside, there was a real chance in the late 1950s of such an aircraft legitimately changing the way people traveled via air.

The Fairey Rotodyne was a bit of a hidden gem in the history of British aviation, mostly unknown to most of the world until 2019 when an internet video, now with 6.5 million, views showcased it to the world. Had the Rotodyne project survived, the results of such a partnership could have been a gamechanger in wars Britain and its allies were soon to fight.


By the end of the Second World War, one fundamental truth about the advancement of military technology was abundantly clear. This truth was that the future of areal warfare was to be waged primarily by a combination of jets and helicopters. To the untrained eye, the Rotodyne looks like a Frankenstein's mashup of an airliner and a large helicopter but in reality, this isn't the case at all.


Unlike a helicopter, the rotors of the Rotodyne weren't connected to a motor of any kind. Simply put, each of the aircraft's four massive rotor blades was there principally to cut through the air in level flight, creating an effect that added supplemental lift. This made it possible for such a vehicle to take off like a traditional short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft and land like a helicopter using the centrifugal force of the rotor. Such a machine is referred to as a Gyrodyne, hence the name "Rotodyne".


What makes the Rotodyne different from most gyrodynes and what bumps its coolness factor to the next level is the addition of tip-jet engines, mounted predictably on the tip of each of the rotor blades. The Rotodyne used a mixture of jet fuel and compressed air from its traditional turboprop engines to spin the blades far faster than on their own, making for a temporary thrust boost for takeoff, landing, and advanced maneuvering. This effectively gave the Rotodyne four rudimentary rocket boosters at any of its four rotor blades.


It was said that with this technology, trips like London to Manchester, or New York to Philadelphia could be no more difficult than hopping in an uber would be today. It could cruise at 190 miles per hour (307 kph) still faster than most helicopters today, and connect nearby by urban centers in ways unimaginable even now. Sadly though, issues commonly pinned down to politics both inside and outside the Fairey aircraft company, the Rotodyne was soon lost to history.


Apart from its obvious advantages in the civilian sector, and what the now world-famous Youtube documentary failed to mention was that the Rotodyne also drew the interest of the Royal Air Force, there were even whispering that the US Army was practically salivating at the chance to purchase these aircraft for use as military transports.


Consider this, by the time the Rotodyne conducted its first flight tests fresh from the Fairey factory, the Royal airforce had already begun to rely extremely heavily on American transports like the C-130 Hercules. The very same traits that made the Rotodyne so potentially adept for passenger service made it perfect for a military cargo aircraft. While not large enough to compete with the cargo capacity of a Hercules in its current form, the concept was developed with the intent of scaling the technology to larger sizes as advancements were made. The prospects of such a large transport aircraft being able to land like a traditional helicopter could have potentially turned the tide in a war Britain's closest ally ultimately lost decisively.


According to official records, Great Britain never formally involved itself in the American war in Vietnam. Closer examination reveals murky clandestine operations to provide top-secret military tech for use in American wars in exchange for mutual protection. Perhaps the most famous of these mutual agreements is English Electric Canberra, which was licensed to the Martin Aviation Company in America to create the Martin B-57.


Had the Rotodyne received the same treatment, the U.S. would have had a transport vehicle capable of quickly dropping in fresh troops and extracting old ones on a fast flight back to friendly soil all while in the congested, swampy jungles of Vietnam. To say such a machine would have changed the outcome of the war is frankly impossible to quantify. But had the Fairey Rorodyne seen the light of day beyond just a prototype, there's a chance the skies of the world would have been occupied by giant Gyrodynes instead of airliners, which in itself is rather astonishing.


https://www.hotcars.com/this-bonkers-helicopterjet-hybrid-could-have-been-the-military-transport-of-the-future/


 




US GAO upholds SpaceX's Moon lander contract


NASA did not violate regulations when it awarded SpaceX the sole contract to build a Moon lander, the US Government Accountability Office said Friday, following their investigation into the contract process after protests were lodged by rivals Blue Origin and Dynetics back in May.

“GAO first concluded that NASA did not violate procurement law or regulation when it decided to make only one award. NASA’s announcement provided that the number of awards the agency would make was subject to the amount of funding available for the program,” the GAO said in a press release.

Last year, NASA awarded almost $1 billion in contracts to three private US space companies – SpaceX, Dynetics and Blue Origin – to design and develop human landing systems (HLS) as the country prepares to return humans to the lunar surface.

After the 10-month base contract period, a sole contract worth $2.9 billion was won by Elon Musk's company in April 2021.

Reports suggested that the award, given to the lowest bidder, was the result of the agency receiving only 25 percent of the funding requested for FY2021; $850 million instead of $3.4 billion.

The decision was protested 10 days later by Dynetics and Blue Origin (with its National Team members Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Draper) who argued NASA was required to make multiple awards and that the evaluation process was unfair.

“The Dynetics design was not altered, only refined — what must have changed were NASA’s technical and programmatic evaluation criteria,” Dynetics said in its protest at the time.

The GAO does acknowledge, that in reaching its award decision, NASA concluded that it “only had sufficient funding for one contract award,” however the GAO further states there was no requirement for NASA “to engage in discussions, amend, or cancel the announcement as a result of the amount of funding available for the programme.”

As a result, GAO denied the protest arguments that NASA acted improperly in making a single award to SpaceX, the Accountability office said in its statement.

Blue Origin responded on Friday by saying that it believed the GAO wasn't able to address "fundamental issues" with the original decision because of its limited jurisdiction.

Recently, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, wrote an open letter to NASA offered to waive up to $2 billion in payments for FY2021-2023 to “restore competition to the Human Landing System programme by closing NASA’s near-term budgetary shortfall.”

"The Human Landing System program needs to have competition now instead of later – that's the best solution for NASA and the best solution for our country,” said a company spokesperson.

"We'll continue to advocate for two immediate providers as we believe it is the right solution.”

Dynetics echoed the same sentiment I their own statement published shortly after the announcement saying that they also “believe healthy competition is necessary to maintain the industrial base required to achieve the important strategic goals of space exploration and national security.”

But, say the firm “while disappointed” with the GAO's determination announced Friday, it respects the announcement and that they “look forward to working with NASA on the future HLS opportunities.”

SpaceX boss, Elon Musk, was less verbal about the matter, choosing to respond to GAO’s decision with a simple tweet of the words “GAO” followed by an emoji of a flexed arm muscle.

With the protest decision now made, NASA said it wants to move ahead with its award to SpaceX so that an update on the way ahead for Artemis can be made “as soon as possible”.

“The decision enables NASA to award the contract that will ultimately result in the first crewed demonstration landing on the surface of the moon under NASA’s Artemis plan,” the agency said Friday.

“Importantly, the GAO’s decision will allow NASA and SpaceX to establish a timeline for the first crewed landing on the moon in more than 50 years,” NASA added.


https://room.eu.com/news/us-gao-upholds-spacexs-moon-lander-contract





Curt Lewis