What’s an Ion Propulsion Drone?

Undefined Applied sciences Demonstrates Viability of Ion Propulsion Drone

by DRONELIFE Workers Author Ian M. Crosby

Florida-based startup Undefined Applied sciences has introduced that its Silent Ventus ion propulsion eVTOL drone has cleared a vital check flight.

Proceed studying beneath, or pay attention:

The plane met its projected flight time and lifting energy, and showcased its flight efficiency over the course of the 4-1/2 minute flight, demonstrating larger effectivity energy supply programs and noise ranges beneath 75 dB.

“We’ve been on this upward trajectory for almost an entire 12 months, working exhausting on overcoming many technical challenges associated to craft’s cooling programs, battery lifetime, avionics, and noise-abatement applied sciences,” mentioned Undefined Applied sciences Founder and CEO Tomas Pribanic. “This milestone secures our imaginative and prescient of creating ion propulsion expertise viable to be used in atmospheric situations. I’m extremely happy with our extremely devoted workforce who has been relentless in bringing our breakthrough over to the subsequent growth section.”

By the tip of 2023, Undefined Applied sciences intends to succeed in 15 minute flight occasions with sub-70 dB noise ranges, in accordance with noise restrictions for the last-mile cargo supply sector. The corporate has repeatedly adhered to a strict vertical integration mannequin, designing and manufacturing its in-house parts to speed up growth, safeguard its mental property, and scale back provide chain disruptions.

“This 4+ min flight required advances within the chemical composition of the batteries that may now present us with larger vitality densities,” mentioned Undefined Applied sciences Lead Aerospace Engineer, Thomas Benda Jr. “This enchancment is a part of our efforts to focus on lighter weights.”

Silent Ventus’s “Ion Booster” creates an ion cloud, leading to ranges of thrust with a 150% enhance compared to present ion thruster applied sciences. The thrust generated by the Ion Booster opens the door for this expertise to function a viable possibility for electrical propulsion.

Undefined Applied sciences has beforehand confirmed that it possesses the required infrastructure and expertise to ship the eVTOL craft into commercialization for civil and army functions. The corporate seeks to create a production-ready serial drone in 2024. On account of sturdy present of curiosity by Federal and Industrial entities, Undefined Applied sciences is positioned to open a brand new funding spherical.

Just lately, the corporate has demonstrated its all-electric drone at a wide range of UAV and concrete mobility expo reveals, comparable to Manifest 2022, CoMotion Miami 2022, the Industrial UAV Expo Americas, and the AUVSI XPONENTIAL, the place it generated main curiosity from the biggest drone supply firms within the personal sector.

Learn extra about drone noise:

Ian attended Dominican College of California, the place he acquired a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong ardour for writing and storytelling and a eager curiosity in expertise, he’s now contributing to DroneLife as a employees author.