Solar Impulse of Lausanne, Switzerland has successfully flown its solar-powered Solar Impulse HB-SIA plane at night. The plane remained in the air for 26 consecutive hours, including a full night span without using a drop of conventional fuel. Using solar ...
The Gimbal Rig
The multiple-axis space test inertia facility, fondly called “the gimbal rig,” simulated tumble-type maneuvers that might be encountered in space flight. Three tubular aluminum cages could revolve separately or in combination to give roll, pitch and yaw motions at speeds ...
MIT Delivers Green Airplane Designs to NASA
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, working in conjunction with Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation and Pratt & Whitney recently presented two designs for greener airplanes to NASA. The result of a contract awarded in 2008, the ...
Orion HALL UAV
Aurora Flight Sciences of Manassas, Virginia is developing a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for long flights at high altitudes. The Orion HALL (High Altitude, Long Loiter) UAV will be capable of remaining in the air for over 100 ...
Individual Lifting Vehicle
The Performance Aviation Manufacturing Group (PAM) has created the Individual Lifting Vehicle (ILV) concept that is being developed as a kit in the United States. PAM 100B, which was constructed in order to demonstrate the ILV concept, achieved a maximum ...
Moller’s M400 Skycar
Moller International has developed a concept vehicle that can execute vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) like a helicopter, fly like an airplane and drive short distances on the ground like a car. This innovative vehicle, called the M400 Skycar, is ...
Air-Ray Ballonet
Inspired by the Manta ray, the largest known specimen of the ray family, the German firm “Festo” created the “Air ray” – a remote-controlled ballonet filled with helium and constructed with a flapping-wing drive mechanism, which allows it to “swim” ...
Robotic Fly Takes Off
For the first time, a miniature man-made robotic fly has been demonstrated. Inspired by nature’s real flies, Prof. Wood and his team from the Harvard University succeeded in manufacturing a 60 milligram robot with a three-centimeter wingspan capable of sustained ...