UAH tackles VTOL
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Researchers at the University of Alabama in Huntsville are helping to develop autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircrafts.
The big picture: UAH's Rotorcraft Systems Engineering and Simulation Center (RSESC) will work with VTOL maker ASKA, aiming to collaborate on developing the autonomous, hybrid-electric aircraft, per an announcement.
- The partnership will also explore workforce development and eduction opportunities.
Zoom in: ASKA and UAH will collaboratively research components like battery systems, electric motors, simulation environments, safety systems and autonomous flight control technologies.
- The collaboration will pursue U.S. Department of Defense-aligned opportunities, as ASKA has with an award from Singapore, with its 64-island operating environment offering a realistic testbed for the technology.
What they're saying: Guy Kaplinsky, CEO of ASKA, said in the release that by working with UAH, "we aim to combine cutting-edge research with real-world development."
- Jerry Hendrix, director of RSESC, said it "performs a wide variety of autonomous aerospace research, and we are excited about this partnership and applying our autonomy, UAS design and FAA expertise."