Session Category: Thursday Sessions

Afternoon Panel: AI-Enabled Autonomy

“Incorporating these technologies in military systems that collaborate with warfighters will facilitate better decisions in complex, time-critical, battlefield environments; enable a shared understanding of massive, incomplete, and contradictory information; and empower unmanned systems to perform critical missions safely and with high degrees of autonomy.” (DARPA)

Forum 360: Electrified Aircraft Propulsion Technologies – Air Taxis to Airliners

Rapid advances in technology of engines, electric motors, power converters, and batteries are ushering in a new era of electrified air transport systems, from vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) to large transport aircraft. The electric VTOL (eVTOL) technology inspires the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) community to revolutionize commuting within metropolitan areas while the larger electric transport aircraft address energy usage and environmental issues on a global scale. Many companies are already developing a variety of eVTOL vehicles with the intent of commercialization. Similarly, there is an increasing interest in the electrification of larger aircraft systems. Airbus, Boeing, and a other companies have already suggested the feasibility of these airplanes and are planning to commercialize them in the near future.

In this panel, representatives from organizations that are actively engaged in the research and development of such vehicles will discuss technologies and challenges involved, including transitioning technologies up in scale from air taxis to airliners.