A few spots remain open for aviation professionals and researchers to attend a joint NASA-FAA On-Demand Mobility/Emerging Technology Workshop to be held March 8 and 9 in Arlington, Virginia. The roster of speakers includes researchers from NASA, DARPA and MIT, as well as industry experts from E-Volo, AeroVironment and BRS, and many more, in a packed schedule (PDF). The event aims to “specifically look at the opportunities that are being created for emergent aviation markets due to several new technology frontiers that are converging,” NASA organizer Mark Moore told AVweb. Those core technologies include autonomous operations, electric propulsion and additive manufacturing.
Some of the technologies that will be discussed include an urban VTOL air taxi that could operate without a pilot on board and a semi-autonomous conventional takeoff-and-landing commuter aircraft, for nine or fewer passengers, that could be flown by a single pilot with minimal training. Also on the agenda are presentations about an X-Prize for a VTOL air taxi and a $2 million prize for a single-passenger VTOL aircraft, sponsored by the Lighter Foundation. The event will be held at the Lockheed Martin Global Vision Center, close to Reagan Washington National Airport. A $50 registration fee includes lunch for both days.
