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NASA unveils first Electric Experimental Aircraft X-57 Maxwell
While private companies have been developing all-electric planes and hover-craft for years, NASA's X-57 venture is aimed at designing and proving technology according to standards that commercial manufacturers can adapt for government certification.
Those will include standards for airworthiness and safety, as well as for energy efficiency and noise, Brent Cobleigh, a project manager for NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards, about 100 miles (160 km) north of Los Angeles.
"We're focussing on things that can help the whole industry, not just one company," he told Reuters in an interview at the research centre. "Our target right now is to fly this airplane in late 2020."
The final modification, or Mod IV, of the aircraft will feature narrower, lighter-weight wings fitted with a total of 14 electric engines - six smaller "lift" props along the leading edge of each wing, plus two larger "cruise" props at the tip of each wing. The lift propellers will be activated for take-off and landings, but retract during the flight's cruise phase.
Because electric motor systems are more compact with fewer moving parts than internal-combustion engines, they are simpler to maintain and weigh much less, requiring less energy to fly, Cobleigh explained. They also are quieter that conventional engines.
One challenge is improving battery technology to store more energy to extend the plane's range, with faster re-charging. Due to current battery limitations, the Maxwell's design is envisioned for use in short-haul flights as an air-taxi or commuter plane for a small number of passengers.
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