The Flight Physics group of LNCA is excited to announce that we completed the first flight of the very flexible 6 m wingspan X-HALE-BR prototype. More flight tests are coming. In the next months, active vibration control laws will be tested in this airplane.
The following video shows a few images of the first flight, that happened on 31st October, 2019.
Furthermore, 48 flights with the 4 m wingspan X-HALE-BR prototype happened between 2017 and 2019. The following video shows a few images of the first flights of the 4 m prototype.
The motivation and inspiration for the creation of the Laboratory of New Concepts in Aeronautics – LNCA is the opportunity of having a high level research orientation and management support group in the Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering Division at ITA.
Based on identified technological challenges such as higher energetic efficiency and lower environmental impact air vehicles, visionary concepts in aeronautics are the demand of the future aviation technologies. Research and development drivers and initiatives are oriented towards ecological demands and related affairs.
Several initiatives from government or community funded research programs to international advising and regulation organism provides the guidance and fostering for both academia and industry:
· International Civil Aviation Organization – ICAO (Environmental Report)
· Horizon 2020 (The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation)
· CleanSky (Single European Sky environmental objectives)
· NASA/FAA NextGen Programs
The academia is an inherent fertile subtract by its conception and working philosophy. The plurality of knowledge, multidisciplinarity, training and contact with people provides conditions for new ideas, such as an environment-oriented engineering education. In the academia there are opportunities to imprint the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among the students and faculty staff. The LNCA in the academic environment also allows opportunities for redefining engineering at ITA and the best engineer formation.