Travelling light

The Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) has held an annual unmanned aircraft system competition since 2014. The participants undertake a full design and build cycle of a UAS, with this year’s rules and objectives including a maximum take-off mass of 10kg to undertake specific mission objectives, including navigating, accurately dropping an aid package and returning to base. The competition includes design, development, flying demonstration and business case presentations. Although of smaller vehicle size, this year’s competition has synergy with our GA Design Competition and so the team from the Islamic University of Technology (IUT), which won three of the six prizes in the IMechE competition this year, was invited to take part in our design conference. Tausiful Islam, a student at IUT, is the Team Leader and Chief Operating Officer of ANTS Aerial Systems and he presented their impressive project.

The Freedom Drone ​

The ACCEL ionBird propulsion system test frame. Rolls-Royce​Tausiful detailed the need for a rapid response system to deliver urgent small package medical aid anywhere in Bangladesh. The Freedom 71 drone system has been developed to do just that, responding in an hour or less at a small fraction of the cost of a helicopter or a fraction of the time taken by ground transport. The drone is of simple robust and modular construction and the on-board electronics enable stable flight, accurate navigation, search and identification of destinations and even people, supply dropping and return to base. Uses extend way beyond aid into package delivery, journalism, search and rescue, crop mapping and more. ANTS Aerial Systems is setting up a network of hubs that can service all 64 districts of Bangladesh. Its programme has included a full business model and a wide-ranging STEM outreach activity, meeting with an enthusiastic response, and success will be fully deserved.

The Freedom 71 presentation led neatly into the (GA) Light Aircraft Design Competition Session chaired by GA Committee member Tony Bishop. Tony, a founder of FLIMAX and a key instigator of several aviation initiatives, including the Barclay Eagle Labs at Cranfield and aeronautical companies, has been for several years the driving force behind the Design Competition.

The RAeS Light Aircraft Design Competitions are aimed at promoting major innovation in the general aviation aircraft sector and this year’s theme was to define a vertical take-off, electric aircraft for a humanitarian mission. The winning submission is shown below, and a fuller description of the competition is on the next page.

The Faradair BEHA 18-seat or cargo regional feeder aircraft. The Faradair BEHA 18-seat or cargo regional feeder aircraft.

The UK to see the light again?

In the past the UK has had a thriving light aircraft industry. In recent times this has declined to a small number of active companies. Some of us have cast envious eyes at successes in light aviation elsewhere in the world and especially at the remarkable history of the German Akafliegs which exist in 14 universities. These have consistently designed and flown prototype and leading-edge aircraft for many decades. Now, with the digital, electric and battery revolution, RPV developments and Go Green pressures, there is an unprecedented opportunity for start-ups and new industry in the UK. 

David Chinn, a Council Member of the RAeS, has, during the course of his career in the MoD, had the opportunity to make contact with Akaflieg members and operation. David shared his experience and outlined some of the remarkable work in Akafliegs and also at Delft University, and went on to share his views on ‘DESIGN, BUILD, FLY – and his thoughts on developing a UK ‘Akaflieg’. Encouraged by David, the GA Committee has put in place a Design, Build, Fly (DBF) working group this year. The working group is a study group with a report due in May 2021 but we look for the RAeS DBF group to go way beyond mere study, to encouraging and enabling real projects to emerge in the UK in the near future.

Above: Delft University of Technology: examples of highly effective D:DREAM Team work.

The triplane alternative

Faradair has recently relocated to a prime position at Duxford – a key centre for GA and Business Aviation activity. Neil Cloughley, Faradair’s MD, described how Faradair is developing its BEHA – Bio Electric Hybrid Aircraft – to serve the need for regional flight aircraft. The BEHA is a diesel-engine powered electric-hybrid concept to address three core problems for regional aircraft: noise, operation costs and emissions, and achieve significant reductions in these areas. The BEHA is a forward staggered triplane with the enclosed ducted fan also acting as a tail unit. A multirole asset, BEHA can convert from an 18-passenger configuration to cargo in just 15 minutes. Accommodating three LD3 cargo containers and payloads of up to 5 tons, BEHA is an environment-neutral workhorse, maximising revenue. The triplane layout aims to give a small field performance, enabling operators the ability to offer economical scheduled and charter flight services to regional towns and city hubs. BEHA was also shown in a military guise, capable of operating on aircraft carriers.

Left: Pipistrel 801 UAM aircraft. Right: Pipistrel NUUVA V300 Cargo Drone.

Pioneering Pipistrel​

For the final presentation, Dr Tine Tomazic, Chief Technical Officer of Pipistrel and world authority on electric flight, described the history of Pipistrel, leading onto its extensive electric aircraft experience from 2007 to 2020 and beyond. Initially, Pipistrel produced hang-gliders and trikes designed by its founder Ivo Boscarol, the first in 1989. Pipistrel produced nearly 600 trikes until the early 2000s. In the 1990s the company built on this experience, moving on to ultralight aircraft and making full use of composite materials.

The resulting Sinus and Virus 2 seater aircraft have been very successful, selling over 1,000 units and leading onto the subsequent Alpha Electric Trainer which is now well established. Pipistrel has also created a two-seat electric-power assist glider – the Taurus. Pipistrel is continuing into the drone market with the cargo drone NUUVA V300 (and a smaller version) shown on the Design Conference Flyer, and also is designing an eVTOL passenger carrier, the Pipistrel 801, for urban air mobility.

In conclusion: this and last year’s Light Aircraft Design Conferences, while themed on electrical flight, have barely scratched the surface of both activity and possibilities – it is an exciting time to be involved. Next year will see the output of the DBF working group, some exciting lectures and events during the year and, at next year’s Design Conference, we could be looking at advanced and lightweight structures, design for safety, DBF business models and manufacturing, design tools – and more. We welcome all proposals for GA design and technology subject areas to explore for the next conference, and we look forward to you joining us next year.