NASA has showcased its first all-electric aircraft, the X-57 Maxwell which is at least a year away from its first flight test.
Unveiled on Friday, the Maxwell is NASA's first crewed X-plane in two decades. It is adapted from Italian Tecnam P2006T aircraft.
NASA took delivery of its first all-electric experimental aircraft from Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) of San Luis Obispo, California on October 2.
ESAero delivered the X-57 at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in the first of three configurations as an all-electric aircraft, known as Modification II, or Mod II.
A goal of the X-57 project is to help develop certification standards for emerging electric aircraft markets, including urban air mobility vehicles, which also rely on complex distributed electric propulsion systems.
ESAero delivered the X-57 at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Pixabay
NASA will share the aircraft's electric propulsion-focused design and airworthiness process with regulators and industry, which will advance certification approaches for aircraft utilizing distributed electric propulsion.
The X-57 uses rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. It uses a dozen small motors located across the wing to increase airflow so that the wing produces lift even when the aircraft is flying slowly. (IANS)