Future Flight Challenge announces projects to help revolutionise regional aircraft networks
The Future Flight Challenge at UK Research and Innovation has announced the 17 projects sharing £73 million in funding to develop and demonstrate integrated aviation systems and new vehicle technologies. The progress of new technologies, social insight, and advanced aviation solutions means these projects are set to deliver the third revolution in aviation.
Working with the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure these technologies are delivered safely and effectively, these projects show the potential societal benefits of these new technologies.
Projects include using planes powered by hydrogen or electricity to open-up greener regional connectivity across the UK. This includes the follow regional aviation focused projects –
- Project HEART: Phase 3
Project HEART will revolutionise the operation of regional aircraft networks, initially targeting the 9 to 19 passenger market, with innovations in fuel, propulsion, autonomy, connectivity and operational models and conducting flight trials with automated, SPO aircraft powered by zero-carbon, hydrogen electric systems.
Project HEART will provide a holistic operational, infrastructure and technology model that is commercially viable, subsidy-free and environmentally friendly
- Sustainable Aviation Test Environment 2 (SATE 2)
The Sustainable Aviation Test Environment (SATE), based at Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL)’s Kirkwall Airport in the Orkney Islands. This phase of the project expands on the work of the original project to create a UK Centre for Excellence of Sustainable Aviation Systems.
This will enable SATE to host pre-commercial demonstrations of novel aviation technologies with proven use cases to commercialise clean innovation in a real-world environment. Use cases will include:
- Scheduled airline routes
- Offshore energy services
- National Health Service activities
- Island and remote region deliveries
- Environmental survey and inspection.
The use case demonstrations will have a positive impact on Island communities. They will improve quality-of-life, and address issues of social exclusion and access deprivation (including access to health services). Within the SATE project and partner organisations, at least 45 new highly skilled jobs will be created. Many of the roles created will be based in remote communities around Scotland representing high-value roles.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:
“The return of the Farnborough International Airshow after a four-year absence is a clear example of the aerospace and aviation sector’s recovery. Today’s package of support will add to this and help the sector take further steps to seize on the enormous opportunities for growth that exist as the world transitions to cleaner forms of flight.
“Through funding for the latest in green technology, such as hydrogen aircraft networks and medicine delivery drones, we are once again placing the aerospace sector directly at the centre of our plans to deliver jobs and grow the economy.”
Gary Cutts, Future Flight Challenge Director said:
“Over the past few years we’ve seen rapid developments in all aspects of the aviation system. From cutting the length of time someone waits for medicine to arrive, to supplying greener ways to travel, these 17 projects will deliver real benefits to people across the UK.
“But there is still much to do. By involving public bodies and regulators we aim to resolve these issues in an open and transparent way allowing real-world demonstrations by 2024.”