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Airbus Ventures invests in Eureka Robotics

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Airbus Ventures has made an investment in Singapore-based Eureka Robotics.

Eureka says it will use the $10.5 million Series A funds to accelerate the development of its main products – Eureka Controller and Eureka 3D Camera, which enable system integrators and manufacturers to deploy High Accuracy-High Agility (HA-HA) applications in factories and warehouses.

It will also scale the company’s operations in the existing markets of Singapore and Japan, with a plan to launch more widely across Japan, as well as to enter the US market, where the company has already acquired initial customers. [Read more…] about Airbus Ventures invests in Eureka Robotics

Drones and the Future of Travel: What’s Next for Airline easyJet?

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easyJet has always been at the forefront of innovation in the airline industry, not only for their consumer offerings but also in terms of aircraft maintenance and operations.

All the way back in 2015, when drones were far less readily available, easyJet pioneered the use of the Remote Intelligent Survey Equipment for Radiation or RISER drone quadcopter to complete inspections on Airbus A320 units.

It was used with a T-Series tracking system that assessed the location of the aircraft relative to its own position in 3D, allowing it to maintain a safe distance while inspecting the plane for signs of lightning strikes and other issues. [Read more…] about Drones and the Future of Travel: What’s Next for Airline easyJet?

Nidec Leroy-Somer selected by Airbus to develop electric motors for its future hydrogen powered zero-emission engine

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Nidec Leroy-Somer has signed an agreement with Airbus, the worlds largest airplane manufacturer, to develop an electric motor for its hydrogen-powered fuel cell engine prototype, as part of Airbus’ ambition to bring the first zero-emission commercial aircraft to market by 2035.

The long-standing expertise and extensive know-how of the French electric motor manufacturer, who already provides proven advanced technologies to many demanding industries, such as navy, nuclear, railway, automotive and robotics is now collaborating on aviation decarbonization.

Leroy-Somer, part of the Japanese Nidec Group since 2017, is entrusted to design and develop a series of electric motor prototypes which meet very high requirements in terms of safety, reliability, energy-efficiency and lowest weight for the targeted power. [Read more…] about Nidec Leroy-Somer selected by Airbus to develop electric motors for its future hydrogen powered zero-emission engine

Airbus to expand robotic usage at Rochefort logistics site

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Airbus, the world’s largest airplane manufacturer, is expanding its usage of robotic solutions at its Rochefort, France logistics facility.

Airbus expects to be manufacturing a staggering 1,000 aircraft a year by 2025, which would significantly increase its requirements for parts picking in its warehouses.

Airbus’ partners at the Rochefort warehouse are Blondel Group and Scallog. Specifically, logistics company Blondel manages the warehouse and has installed Scallog robotic systems to accelerate operations. [Read more…] about Airbus to expand robotic usage at Rochefort logistics site

Airbus boss backs hydrogen airplanes as the ‘ultimate solution’

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The CEO of Airbus, currently the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, says he believes hydrogen-powered airplanes are the “ultimate solution” to the unfair criticism of the aerospace industry as a planet-polluting monster.

The World Wildlife Fund says the aviation industry is “one of the fastest-growing sources of the greenhouse gas emissions driving global climate change”, adding that air travel is “currently the most carbon intensive activity an individual can make”.

These things have been true for many decades, but with completely crazy extreme weather systems attacking different parts of the world on an almost weekly basis over the past couple of years, the search for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) has taken on a new urgency. [Read more…] about Airbus boss backs hydrogen airplanes as the ‘ultimate solution’

Airbus to develop ‘Moon Cruiser’ concept for ESA

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Aerospace giant Airbus has been awarded a CLTV (Cis-Lunar Transfer Vehicle) study for a “Moon Cruiser” by the European Space Agency (ESA).

According to the study concept (two parallel Phase A/B1), the CLTV is a versatile, autonomous logistics vehicle that could, for example, provide timely and efficient support to NASA and ESA in the implementation of the future Artemis Moon missions.

The spacecraft will be based on existing and proven technologies and will complement the multipurpose European Large Logistic Lander (EL3). [Read more…] about Airbus to develop ‘Moon Cruiser’ concept for ESA

Airbus adds new satellite to its SpaceDataHighway constellation

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Aerospace company Airbus has added a new satellite to its SpaceDataHighway constellation.

The company says its EDRS-C satellite, the second node of Airbus’ SpaceDataHighway constellation, has completed its commissioning tests and is now ready to start operational services.

Following its successful launch in August 2019 and manoeuvring to its geostationary orbital slot at 31 degrees east, in-orbit testing has been executed and laser communication links have been established to the Copernicus programme’s Sentinel Earth observation satellites. [Read more…] about Airbus adds new satellite to its SpaceDataHighway constellation

Airbus unveils autonomous helicopter

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Aerospace giant Airbus has unveiled an autonomous helicopter.

The prototype of Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 unmanned aerial system has performed its first free flight. The VSR700 performed a 10-minute flight at a drone test centre near Aix-en-Provence in the south of France.

The company says this is a “significant step” in the programme following the first flight in November 2019 when the prototype was tethered to comply with regulatory requirements. [Read more…] about Airbus unveils autonomous helicopter

Airbus unveils autonomous airplane

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Aerospace giant Airbus has unveiled an autonomous airplane the company is using to research and develop pilotless technologies.

Following an extensive two-year flight test programme, Airbus says it has “successfully concluded its Autonomous Taxi, Take-Off and Landing (ATTOL) project”.

In completing this project, Airbus has achieved autonomous taxiing, take-off and landing of a commercial aircraft through fully automatic vision-based flight tests using on-board image recognition technology – a “world-first in aviation”, according to Airbus. [Read more…] about Airbus unveils autonomous airplane

Airbus and Xenesis to demo 10 Gbps networking on ISS for robotics and other applications

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Airbus and Xenesis have signed a contract for a payload slot on the International Space Station Bartolomeo platform for the demonstration of their Xen-Hub optical communication space terminal.

The Xen-Hub is a greater than 10 gigabyte per second optical communications terminal. The terminal was enabled with a technology transfer from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is designed to increase satellite communications bandwidth.

The Airbus-built Bartolomeo platform offers external science and payload hosting capabilities on the ISS, providing new opportunities for science and research. [Read more…] about Airbus and Xenesis to demo 10 Gbps networking on ISS for robotics and other applications