Electric-powered airplanes may still be far from mainstream, but interest in this technology continues to grow. In late April, Airbus engineers successfully flew the E-Fan, a tandem two-seater with a pair of electric-powered ducted fans on the tail. The batteries, carried in the wings, provide 30 minutes of flight. Airbus officials said they hope to develop an electric-powered regional airliner within 20 years. Also in April, the annual CAFE Electric Aircraft Symposium was held in Santa Rosa, Calif., bringing together experts from around the world. Discussions included advances in lithium-battery capacity, hybrid powertrains for general aviation, quiet and efficient propellers, and new designs to simplify using computers in the cockpit.
Although the FAA continues to move at its normal glacial pace toward integrating unmanned aircraft systems into the National Airspace System, the UAS industry is blazing ahead. In May, an FAA official said it could take until 2020 to finalize rules for integration, but at the annual trade show for the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, held in Orlando, Fla., advocates were hopeful that some kind of rules could be worked out sooner. At the show, manufacturers showed drones capable of aerial photography, crop dusting, power line maintenance, and more–but the key to their success may be proving they can consistently sense and avoid other aircraft.
