5 pioneering ideas to inspire the future of flight: Airbus Fly Your Ideas finalists announced
© Alberto Fechado - Retrolley Team Sketch of one of the ideas selected for the final.
A wing-skin that harvests natural vibrations to power in-flight systems, drones that lead birds to a safe haven “birdport”, and a games console-inspired infra-red system that detects potential obstacles when taxiing, are among the ideas from the university student teams that have made it to the final of the Airbus Fly Your Ideas 2015 challenge, held under the patronage of UNESCO. The Fly Your Ideas contest, which challenges students worldwide to develop innovative ideas for a more sustainable aviation industry, aims to inspire young people about innovation and engineering, an ambition shared by both Airbus and UNESCO.
Five finalist teams have now been selected from over 500 ideas for the Fly Your Ideas final that will take place on 27 May 2015 in Hamburg. The teams will have to make their case in front of a panel of judges to take home the €30,000 jackpot; the runners-up will share €15,000. Made up of eight nationalities from 9 universities, with a mix of engineering and non-engineering backgrounds and a higher percentage of female students than ever before, this year’s edition sees the most diverse line-up for the competition ever.
“We are proud to partner with Airbus on Fly Your Ideas” said Flavia Schlegel, Assistant Director-General of the Natural Sciences Sector at UNESCO. “With diversity key to driving innovation, the competition gives students, both male and female, from all different backgrounds and based all over the world, the opportunity to offer their individual expertise and to experience the future of the aviation industry. We wish all the finalists good luck in the final round of the competition.”
Sketch of one of the ideas selected for the final. © Multifun team
The five teams that have made it to the final round of the Fly Your Ideas 2015 competition are:
‘Good vibrations’ energy-harvesting skin
Team ‘MULTIFUN’, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
MULTIFUN is all about good vibrations. The team’s idea sees plane wings dressed in a composite skin that harvests energy from natural vibrations or flex in the wings. Piezoelectric panels gather electrical charges from even the smallest movements during flight, storing the energy generated in battery panels under the wing and using it to power auxiliary in-flight systems, such as lighting and entertainment systems. This reduces the energy footprint of aircraft during flight and could even replace the entire power source for ground operations.
Drone-guided ‘birdport’
Team ‘BIRDPORT’, University of Tokyo, Japan
BIRDPORT proposes deploying a flock of drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to guide birds from airports to a comfortable habitat nearby. The drones use tactics of separation, alignment and cohesion to manipulate flocks and divert them to Birdport, where birdsong and decoys are used to create a natural and safe habitat for birds in the area. The idea is designed to reduce bird strikes to aircraft by 70% and to enhance aircraft availability.
Game console-inspired infra-red guidance system
Team AFT-BURNER-REVERSER, Northwestern Polytechnical University, China
AFT-BURNER-REVERSER has applied motion-sensing technology from a games console to an aircraft guidance system for use when taxiing. The model uses infra-red and visual information to warn the pilot and ground crew of high-risk obstacles. This is designed to reduce the turnaround time of aircraft between flights and the cost of damage, saving airlines up to US$10bn per year.
Faster trolley trash
Team RETROLLEY, University of São Paulo, Brazil
RETROLLEY has tackled the issue of reducing waste in-flight and cutting down the time taken to collect and sort rubbish post-flight, speeding up airline operations, particularly on short-haul carriers. The team’s bespoke trolley is designed to intelligently sort rubbish and recycling. It does this through smart stacking and piling, minimising the volume of foils, paper and plastic and collecting residual fluid. In doing so, the weight of galley equipment can be reduced by up to 30kg reducing fuel consumption and offering more space in-flight for refreshments.
Wireless and greener ground operations
Team BOLLEBOOS, City University London, UK
BOLLEBOOS has put forward its pioneering WEGO system that harvests energy during taxiing. Pick-up sections on the ground, located just underneath the aircraft in the tarmac, transmit electrical power inductively to a receiver placed on the nose-wheels. This provides a sustainable energy source to power ground operations, reducing carbon emissions by up to 72%.
Finalists of the 2015 Fly Your Ideas challenge by Airbus
“I congratulate the five teams for reaching the final of our Fly Your Ideas challenge” said Charles Champion, Airbus executive Vice President Engineering. “The competition as always has been incredibly tough and they can all be very proud to get this far. What their ideas show us is that the next generation can bring fresh thinking to our industry and help shape the future of flight. That’s what Airbus Fly Your Ideas is all about.”
While the finalists prepare for this third and final round, it’s up to the public to select the best video submitted to present teams and ideas that made it to the second round. The eight shortlisted teams for the Video Competition are from Poland, the United States, Canada, France, Brazil, Italy, Jordan, and India. The team that has received the most votes on Sunday 17 May 11:59 GMT will be crowned winner of the Fly Your Ideas “Best Video Team”.
Related links:
<- Back to: All news
