miércoles, 17 de febrero de 2021
Análisis y opinión: eVTOL y movilidad aérea (3) - Sandglass Patrol
https://blog.sandglasspatrol.com/analisis-y-opinion-evtol-y-movilidad-aerea-3/
El futuro será eléctrico o no será. Pero, ¿tienen sentido las aeronaves urbanas cuando el urbanismo apuesta por ciudades más caminables?
martes, 16 de febrero de 2021
Ariane 6 – DLR ready to test first upper stage
press release
On 14 February 2021, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) will receive the first upper stage of the European Ariane 6 launcher. The fully functional test module will be subjected to extensive testing at DLR's Lampoldshausen site over the coming months. The aim is to verify that the rocket's upper stage is fit for flight – a major milestone on the way to its first launch, which is planned for the second quarter of 2022.
After being manufactured at the ArianeGroup factory in Bremen, on 29 January 2021 the upper stage was dispatched in a specially designed container. With the upper stage inside, the container weighed approximately 57 tonnes. It is roughly 14 metres long, seven metres wide and six metres high. Its journey has been split into several stages – being carried by ship then by heavy transporter – via the Weser, Hunte, Ems and Ijsel rivers, then the Rhine and Neckar rivers, before reaching its final destination of Lampoldshausen, near Heilbronn.
Unique, flexible and efficient – DLR's infrastructure and expertise for future space transport systems
"By launching its test campaign for the upper stage of the future European launcher, Ariane 6, DLR is demonstrating its scientific and technological expertise in space research," says Professor Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Chair of the DLR Executive Board. "Our new P5.2 test rig meets the requirements of modern space transport; it is cost effective and can be quickly adapted. We are harnessing the potential of flexible testing facilities and working alongside industry to lay the groundwork for the future of European space transport."
"Thanks to its test facilities, DLR is able to validate not only engines and individual launcher components, but also entire cryogenic upper stages," says Hansjörg Dittus, Member of the DLR Executive Board for Space Research and Technology.
Refuelling and hot-firing tests during test campaign lasting several months
Following the arrival of the upper stage, it will be integrated into the new P5.2 test rig. The launcher will be lifted by a crane, hung on the test rig and fastened in place. The upper stage measures 5.4 metres across and is more than 10 metres high. It weighs approximately seven tonnes without fuel, but 38 tonnes once fuel has been added.
P5.2 was specially designed and constructed by DLR for the purpose of testing the upper stage of Ariane 6. The upper stage consists of the Vinci engine, which can be ignited multiple times, the tanks for the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, piping, valves and the electronic and hydraulic control and steering systems.
Cryogenic upper stage – low temperatures, major challenges
Lasting several months, the test campaign will involve a clean fuelling and defuelling test and four 'hot-firing' tests. In the fuelling and defuelling test, the focus will be on filling and emptying the tank safely. The test is designed to build experience and facilitate the development of safe methods for carrying out such processes but also for aborting them if necessary. The fact that this is a cryogenic upper stage makes this no simple task. The hydrogen and oxygen that serve as the fuel must be cooled to extremely low temperatures –minus 183 and minus 253 degrees Celsius respectively. These temperatures require the use of specialist materials that must be handled very carefully. Ariane 6’s Vinci engine is ignited up to three times during the hot-firing tests – which simulate different flight scenarios – with the thrust and duration of the ignition varying from test to test. With this flexibility, Ariane 6 will be able to deploy its payloads in different orbits.
"With the P5.2 test rig and the test programme for the Ariane 6 upper stage, DLR has all the test facilities it needs in Lampoldshausen to comprehensively test all the space engines that Europe will require in the future," says Stefan Schlechtriem, Director of the DLR Institute of Space Propulsion, describing the unique test rig. "In addition, new development programmes and standardised acceptance tests of Ariane flight engines can take place in parallel. This makes it the most flexible and efficient test centre for rocket engines in Europe."
Humanitarian aid with uncrewed aircraft and artificial intelligence
press release
https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2021/01/20210208_launch-of-the-drones4good-project.htmlIn the event of a disaster, humanitarian aid organisations need to determine the extent of damage to buildings in the affected location and work out which transport routes are safe to use as quickly as possible – ideally in real time. Relief supplies must be delivered to inaccessible areas quickly and effectively. With these demands in mind, researchers from the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) are developing and testing new artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that enable drone-based analysis as part of the Drones4Good project. DLR's interdisciplinary team includes researchers from the fields of security, aeronautics and space. They are working closely with the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP), the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (Technisches Hilfswerk; THW), the aid organisation I.S.A.R Germany and the international project Wings for Aid. "Aid organisations have very specific requirements, and DLR is developing the technology they need," says Thomas Kraft, DLR Project Manager for Drones4Good. "In this project, we are looking closely at how our technology can assist international aid missions in the event of a humanitarian crisis or natural disaster."
One project, two aims
The two-year project has two main aims. The first is to use a camera installed on a drone to image a larger area than ground-based systems can while flying at speeds of 80 to 140 kilometres per hour. The images will be processed in real time on board the drone. Humanitarian aid workers on the ground will thus receive processed information about damage to buildings, supply routes and people in need who are cut off from their surroundings via a radio link to the ground while the drone is in flight. The extracted geoinformation will then be distributed via the UN’s existing systems; this will ensure that the tools and technology developed by DLR can be evaluated together with the aid organisations involved. This scenario is due to be simulated in autumn 2021 at DLR’s National Experimental Test Centre for Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Cochstedt. One of the planned activities is to fly the equipped drone over mannequins and containers on the test site and transmit an image of the situation in real time to the emergency services on the ground.
The researchers' second primary aim for the project is to develop safe techniques for drones to drop supplies without endangering people and infrastructure below. For example, using specially developed AI technology, delivery drones could automatically detect people on the ground. With this information the remote pilot and drone would be able to assess the safety of the drop and only release the supply package – which can weigh up to 20 kilograms – if the drop site is clear.
Transferring technologies developed at DLR to operational activities for disaster relief will be particularly useful for the humanitarian aid organisations involved in Drones4Good. In the case of Wings for Aid, improving route planning and ensuring automatic access to affected areas are key to facilitating deliveries by transport drones. Being able to execute such tasks remotely is crucial to the organisation's success, but it is also proving a major challenge. For the World Food Programme, cutting down on the time between a disaster occurring and receiving information about the local situation is considered a huge benefit of Drones4Good. Following the Idai and Kenneth cyclones in Mozambique, it took 72 to 120 hours to process image data of the affected areas. The technologies developed at DLR should enable aid supplies to be delivered faster and more effectively to those in need.
Cooperation between DLR institutes
Drones4Good pools the efforts of four DLR institutes and facilities – the Institute of Optical Sensor Systems, the Remote Sensing Technology Institute, the Institute of Flight Systems and the National Test Centre for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The Modular Aerial Camera System (MACS) developed by the Institute of Optical Sensor Systems has already made it possible to transmit aerial images from commercial drones to the ground in real time. Systems on the ground then merge these image tiles into a coherent image mosaic and overlay it on a digital map. This makes it possible to assess the current situation using digital mapping services such as Google Maps or OpenStreetMap.
The Remote Sensing Technology Institute is drawing upon its research into AI technologies to contribute towards the rapid analysis of aerial and satellite images. This research will help adapt drones for optical reconnaissance, transforming them into a 'pocket satellite'. The primary focus is on identifying people, building damage and roads. Within a short space of time, a digital image of the situation can be generated displaying the areas flown over by the drone; this is immediately available to emergency services in the crisis region. DLR will work with the partner organisations to assess the extent to which such technology and image data can assist international relief efforts. "We welcome direct feedback from our partners, as it helps us to continue to develop our methods and adapt them to specific applications," says Nina Merkle, who leads the Drones4Good project at the DLR Remote Sensing Technology Institute.
AI that can identify people at the drop site using information from aerial images is particularly important for dropping relief supplies using drones, as this dropping poses a danger to individuals on the ground. The Institute of Flight Systems has already conducted initial testing of such technology in the Dominican Republic. "Drones have the potential to perform tasks quicker and in a more targeted way than their alternatives. However, we have to be able to guarantee the highest standards of safety and build trust in the technology," explains Johann Dauer, Head of the Unmanned Aircraft Department at the Institute of Flight Systems. "As part of Drones4Good, a tailored version of DLR's MACS camera system will be integrated into DLR's superARTIS research helicopter. We will use specific hardware and software developments to determine the extent to which it is possible to identify people in aerial images in real time and determine whether relief supplies can be dropped safely."
"Once we have successfully tested the various technologies for drone-based reconnaissance and the safe dropping of aid supplies under these conditions, the next step will be to test them as part of international exercises conducted by the project partners," says DLR Project Manager Thomas Kraft. Findings from the Drones4Good project are also being fed into the work of the Optical Technologies for Situational Awareness Lab (OPTSAL) – a Helmholtz Innovation Lab led by DLR – which makes relevant research findings from the field of optical technology directly available to end users working in civil protection and disaster management.
Pipistrel is one of the winners of the worldwide Re.Invent Air Mobility initiative
press release
To develop a system of air mobility in the Paris region, the RATP Group, Groupe ADP and Choose Paris Region launched an international initiative on 1 October 2020. The purpose of the call was selection of companies, institutions and projects that can make a key contribution to the development and implementation of more efficient air transport within large cities and accelerate the emergence of a new branch of industry: Urban Air Mobility.
This initiative, the scope of which is unprecedented in Europe, brought together leading industrial players in the field of air mobility, such as Airbus, as well as international start-ups and major academic and research institutions, including the University of Berkeley and the French Civil Aviation School.
All together 150 applications from 25 countries.
To meet the challenges posed by this new form of mobility (terms of use cases, public acceptance, technologies and industrialization etc.) the call was structured around the following five categories:
– Vehicle development
– Urban infrastructure
– Operations
– Airspace integration
– Acceptability
Pipistrel’s application was selected as one of the winners in the “vehicle development” category, for its expertise in electric aircraft and logistics VTOL manufacturing, together with the following other organizations:
- Airbus (France): aircraft manufacturer;
- Ascendance Flight Technologies (France): Hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft manufacturer;
- Ehang (China): passenger electric VTOL manufacturer;
- H3 Dynamics (Singapore): manufacturer and ultralight hydrogen-electric systems developer;
- Safran Electronics & Defense (France): manufacturer of the Patroller VTOL and optronics, avionics, electronics systems and critical software provider for civil and military applications;
- Volocopter (Germany): manufacturer of the VoloCity electric VTOL;
- Vertical Aerospace (United Kingdom): manufacturer of the VA-1X eVTOL;
- Zipline (USA): logistics drone operator and manufacturer.
After being selected as winners, the companies will now be able to share their expertise, identify synergies and deploy experimentation. The first step will be an online kick-off meeting gathering laureates and organizers in the beginning of February.
The winners are to conduct experiments and start flight testing already from June 2021 onward.
Tests of parking, takeoff and landing operations, as well as operations around the vehicle, maintenance and electrical recharging, will be carried out in a real aeronautical environment at the Pontoise-Cormeilles-en-Vexin airfield, about 16km northwest of Paris, in close cooperation with the French civil aviation authority (DGA) and with the support of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Eurocontrol.
More information:
Download the original .pdf press release: HERE
https://www.ratp.fr/en/groupe-ratp/newsroom/innovation/choose-paris-region-groupe-adp-and-ratp-group-announce-winners
https://evtolinsights.com/2021/01/more-evtol-aircraft-developers-chosen-to-join-volocopter-and-begin-flight-testing-in-france-as-part-of-urban-air-mobility-project/
Pipistrel selects C-Astral Aerospace as industrial and R&D partner with C4 solutions for the Nuuva V20 re-launch
press release
Following the immense market response after the initial launch of the NUUVA products family (on 1st September 2020), Pipistrel is relaunching the NUUVA V20 based on initial customer feedback and needs, in order to deliver even greater value for the end users’ diverse needs. Beginning today, the NUUVA V20 is gaining capability that goes beyond delivery of cargo such as spare parts, valuable items, medical supplies etc., by adding ISR functionality with a diverse array of payloads, sensors and data link options for achieving superior situational awareness and C4I systems integration. First deliveries of NUUVA V20, furnished for VLOS as well as BVLOS operations, to our launch customers will begin already in Q1 2022.
Pipistrel is excited to partner with C-ASTRAL Aerospace, whose UAS integration and R&D experience will enrich the product with proven and class-leading C4 solutions intuitive ground station elements and support suites.
Boštjan Bremec, C-ASTRAL Aerospace CTO: The global unmanned systems space is undergoing a not so quiet evolution, with pioneering companies such as Pipistrel and C-ASTRAL Aerospace joining forces to field integrated innovative unmanned systems that will work for our customers and their “customers” down the goods, materials and information supply chains. C-ASTRAL Aerospace is excited to work with Pipistrel on the advanced NUUVA V20 family of unmanned systems and widen this efficient platform customer base from the commercial to the C4ISR world. Our joint sales and support through Pipistrel, C-ASTRAL and Terra Drone networks will also provide a unique value global support and MRO structure for our new customers.
Ivo Boscarol, Pipistrel founder and CEO: To make innovation a true success, you need to first set the trend, always respect market feedback and deliver unique, unprecedented solutions, which solve significant customer challenges. The relaunch of NUUVA V20, also thanks to C-ASTRAL Aerospace’s competences, will create a superior product, fulfilling exactly what our customers have asked us to do. At the same time, I see that the NUUVA V20 can be a unique complement to the larger NUUVA V300, or be used as a standalone highly efficient and capable platform. About NUUVA V20: https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/aircraft/nuuva-v300/#tab-id-3
Pipistrel makes significant progress with Miniliner designs for a new generation of zero-emission aerial mobility
press release
Pipistrel is proud to announce that conceptual design studies that had been conducted are indicating significant market potential on the premise of identified technological and infrastructural feasibility. Our Miniliner concept will deliver a leading solution for future small regional aircraft that will enable clean, fast, and cost-effective transportation.
The Miniliner is a new kind of zero-emission airplane in the 20-seat size class, capable of operating quietly from runways shorter than 1 km, including grass airstrips at small aerodromes. These aeroplanes have therefore the potential to disrupt aerial mobility, connecting currently unserved populations at 200 to 1,000 km range, but also catering for microfeeder services from small airports to large hubs.
Having started considering larger zero-emission aircraft already as a part of the MAHEPA project several years ago, Pipistrel is now actively performing conceptual design studies in-house, as well as partnering with universities under the also EU-funded UNIFIER19 project.
While several powertrain solutions are being evaluated, advanced hydrogen-based propulsion systems answer the non-negotiable requirements of zero-emission, quiet and safe operations.
Current aircraft in this segment rely on 40-year-old designs, powered by fuel-burning, noisy and maintenance-intensive turboprop engines. Pipistrel’s Miniliners allow for a Direct Operating Cost (DOC) reduction of 30 to 40% on a per-seat metric relative to today’s solutions, even with the introduction of new zero-emission propulsion, real-time emissions monitoring and advanced flight control automation technologies. The latter will, at the same time, facilitate single-pilot operations.
Pipistrel aims for an EIS (Entry into Service) of 2028-2030, as the proposed concepts are geared towards not requiring large infrastructural investments. To overcome current challenges on the regulatory, operational, and technological domains, Pipistrel is engaging with Europe’s Clean Aviation, SESAR, and EASA, as well as setting up multiple industry partnering initiatives.
We are excited to be surrounded by like-minded organisations which will achieve regulatory adaptations to next-generation single-pilot cockpits and commuter operations from unpaved runways. Microfeeder flights will leverage advanced air traffic control systems to safely integrate the miniliners into the busy airspaces around large airports. With airports becoming zero-emission multimodal nodes, as directed by EC Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, hydrogen powered zero-emission miniliners are every day closer to reality and will Springboard the developments to bring Clean Aviation closer to communities.
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