Undefined Technologies, a Florida-based startup, has claimed that it has taken a major step in creating a drone that can change the UAV service industry by using a quieter, more powerful ionic propulsion system instead of the rotors to drive UAVs. As per the organization, it passed the testing milestone in the month of September itself with a 4.5 minute flight of its drone using ionic propulsion, emitting just 75dB of noise in the process.
That trial registered further advances in the company’s development of the approach. It also extends the time aloft over previous outings while lowering the produced sound levels.
The continued development of ionic propulsion is considered a potential boost for various kinds of drone service providers, majorly for aerial delivery companies, if it turns out to be successful. The tech will reduce the attendant noise levels that consumers have always pointed out as one of the major concerns related to UAV activities.
Undefined Technologies’ original proof of concept craft last year flew for only 25 seconds and emitted around 90 dB of sound. In the September trial, the company came closer to its ionic propulsion project objective of a 15-minute drone flight at only 70dB of noise.
The ionic propulsion systems work by forcing charged paRTICLEprticles to the ions via a pair of electrodes, creating a sort do electric wind to propel the craft. The technique is highly used in space crafts. The challenge in front of the company was to create an ionic propulsion solution for drones that don’t just take off, land, and remain in the air via a vertical force, instead, they should be able to carry payloads, communication equipment, navigation and
other stuff that will surely add more weight to the vehicle.
The drone by Undefined Technologies is large in size as compared to the traditional ones because of the relatively broad areas that grid-like ionic propulsions need. It can be said that a lot of work is still required to be done before the test UAV exploits the stronger, quieter potentials of the tech over the propellers. Officials from the company have said that they will
be ready for the mass production and delivery of the drones by 2024.
