Robotics & Automation News

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Reliable Robotics and NASA complete ‘first-of-its-kind’ flight tests to advance aviation safety

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Reliable Robotics, a specialist in safety-enhancing aircraft automation systems and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), says it has completed flight tests designed to substantiate the use of existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) primary surveillance radar (PSR) data to improve the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS).

Reliable Robotics has been working with NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign since 2021 to advance the safe, secure and efficient integration of remotely piloted aircraft systems.

Of note – the FAA granted NASA limited access to PSR data for these specific flights conducted by Reliable Robotics – a step towards utilizing existing radar infrastructure for Detect and Avoid (DAA) systems. [Read more…] about Reliable Robotics and NASA complete ‘first-of-its-kind’ flight tests to advance aviation safety

Aerospace manufacturer JPB Système reaches ‘production milestone’ of 5 million flight parts

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JPB Système, a manufacturer of technology solutions for aerospace, aeronautic and other industries, says it has manufactured “five million separate flight parts since the start of its production operations over 20 years ago”.

The milestone predominantly comprises component parts used to produce JPB Système’s innovative LULYLOK B-nut self-locking device and borescope self-locking plug, both of which are supplied to global aircraft engine manufacturers including Safran, Rolls Royce, GE and Pratt & Whitney.

The figure also includes a number of other smaller parts, fittings and fasteners produced across the company’s Industry 4.0 enabled manufacturing facilities. [Read more…] about Aerospace manufacturer JPB Système reaches ‘production milestone’ of 5 million flight parts

Xwing’s uncrewed aircraft system becomes FAA’s first certification project

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Autonomous aviation company Xwing has submitted a Project Specific Certification Plan (PSCP) to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), becoming the first Standard Category large unmanned aerial system (UAS) to receive official project designation.

This marks the beginning of the process for approval of uncrewed commercial cargo operations in the national airspace.

Unlike other aviation projects that focus on augmenting piloted operations with autonomous technology or have Special Category certification, Xwing’s Superpilot technology integrates into existing type certified aircraft to enable uncrewed operations that work within the existing air traffic control system. [Read more…] about Xwing’s uncrewed aircraft system becomes FAA’s first certification project

AutoFlight achieves ‘world’s longest eVTOL flight’

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AutoFlight, the global eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) pioneer, says it has achieved “the world’s longest eVTOL flight in history” with distance of 250 km / 155 miles on a single charge of the aircraft’s lithium-ion batteries.

The flight, which took place at AutoFlight’s eVTOL testing facility on February 23th, consisted of 20 circuits on a predefined flight track, with the plane remotely piloted from the ground by AutoFlight’s Flight Test team.

Interestingly, while AutoFlight’s Gen4 aircraft is fitted with the latest in state-of-the-art avionics, the aircraft also ran third-party avionics to record and verify the distance flown on ForeFlight, an independent system widely used in the aviation sector. [Read more…] about AutoFlight achieves ‘world’s longest eVTOL flight’

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

Electric Future: Siemens providing software platform to support nascent electric airplane market

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Swedish electric airplane maker Heart Aerospace has selected the Capital product lifecycle management suite from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of software and services to support its design, development, and certification of zero emission electric aircraft.

Siemens’ Capital will provide electrical and electronic (E/E) system design and support as Heart Aerospace addresses the market and regulatory demands of escalating performance and commercial certification requirements.

As part of the extensive electrification in these aircraft, Heart Aerospace must address the complexity of the Electrical Wiring Interconnect System (EWIS) while also addressing electrical system compliance risk. [Read more…] about Electric Future: Siemens providing software platform to support nascent electric airplane market

Denso and Honeywell to develop electric engine for Lilium Jet

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Denso and Honeywell Aerospace are co-developing an electric motor for the Lilium Jet.

This is the first product developed by Honeywell and Denso since formalizing their alliance, and it marks Denso’s entry into the aerospace market. The two companies will work with Lilium, developer of the first all-electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) jet, to integrate the e-motor into Lilium’s aircraft engines.

Electric aircraft are not only quiet and comfortable, but are also more sustainable as they do not emit CO2. As mobility becomes increasingly diversified, air mobility offers potential solutions to prominent transportation issues, such as traffic congestion in urban centers, CO2 emissions and transportation access in less populated areas. [Read more…] about Denso and Honeywell to develop electric engine for Lilium Jet

Autonomous aviation company Xwing expands its air cargo operations to 400 weekly flights

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Autonomous aviation company Xwing is marking what it describes as “significant milestones”, including the expansion of its commercial cargo operations under FAA CFR Part 135 Air Carrier certificate, the addition of FAA CFR Part 145 certificates and “rapid company growth”.

Over the last 12 months, Xwing has more than tripled its team to 180 employees.

Xwing has completed the acquisition of Martinaire Aviation, a Texas-based FAR Part 135 air cargo carrier with over 40 years of experience throughout the United States. [Read more…] about Autonomous aviation company Xwing expands its air cargo operations to 400 weekly flights

Hydroplane highlights its hydrogen fuel cell powerplant development

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Los Angeles-based Hydroplane is participating in the 2022 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2022) May 23-25, 2022, where it will showcase its work toward a modular hydrogen fuel cell powerplant for aviation and mobile energy storage.

Hydroplane’s large 9m x 9m booth is located in EBACE’s Innovation Zone in the company of the most pioneering future aviation technologies.

Hydroplane CEO Dr Anita Sengupta will also participate in EBACE’s Newsmakers Luncheon on May 23 from 12 to 1.30 pm. She is serving on the “Sustainability – A Flight Plan for the Future” panel, which highlights visionaries making inroads in tomorrow’s sustainable aviation fuels and offsetting solutions. [Read more…] about Hydroplane highlights its hydrogen fuel cell powerplant development

Wisk and Skyports partner to develop infrastructure for autonomous aircraft

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Wisk Aero and Skyports are partnering to integrate autonomous, electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations at vertiports and other ground-based infrastructure.

The partnership marks the first collaboration between a vertiport developer-operator and an autonomous eVTOL developer in the US.

Wisk Aero is an advanced air mobility company and developer of an all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the US, while Skyports is a developer and operator of vertiports (landing sites for eVTOL aircraft). [Read more…] about Wisk and Skyports partner to develop infrastructure for autonomous aircraft