MIT EAD Airframe Version 2
Type of aircraft / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The EAD Airframe Version 2, or V2, is a small American unmanned aircraft. It has been described as 'solid state', as there are no moving parts in the propulsion system; all thrust is powered by the phenomenon known as ion wind.[1] It is being developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics by engineer Steven Barrett (associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics) and others.[1][2]
EAD Airframe Version 2 | |
---|---|
Role | First ion wind airplane |
National origin | United States |
Designer | Steven Barrett et al. |
First flight | 2018 |
Number built | 1 |
Developed from | EAD Airframe Version 1 |
Other name(s) | V2 |
Type | Experimental |
Manufacturer | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Manufactured | 2018 |
First flight | 2018 |
Owners and operators | MIT |
Last flight | 2018 |
Flights | 11 |
It is claimed to be the first ion-propelled airplane.[3][1] Tethered ion-propelled aircraft without wings have existed since the 1960s.[4][5] These had ground-based high-voltage power supplied to the aircraft via a wire.