Prototype To Be Featured Featured at NASA/NIA Conference

Future airplanes may be as small as birds and cars of tomorrow may get 100 miles to the gallon. One of those concepts is being developed by Lynchburg-based Edison2, which just won $5 million in the Automotive X Prize competition for its Very Light Car. That car will be one of the technologies featured at "Aviation Unleashed," a three-day forum sponsored by NASA's Langley Research Center and National Institute of Aerospace (NIA), in Hampton, VA, October 18-20.

Edison2 chief designer Ron Mathis is scheduled to be the conference luncheon speaker, Tuesday, October 19, and the Edison2 Very Light Car will also be on display nearby.

"Some of the technologies that have made the Very Light Car possible could be used in airplanes," said David Hinton, deputy director of NASA's Aeronautics Research Directorate. "So we thought Edison2's knowledge and experience would interest an audience that's focusing on what's possible in aviation."

Other speakers scheduled to share ideas at the conference include Henri Seydoux, designer of a small helicopter that can be controlled from a smart phone; Peter Norvig, director of research at Google; Neil Gershenfeld, director of MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms; futurist John Petersen, founder of the Arlington Institute; and visionary Dennis Bushnell, chief scientist at NASA Langley.

During Aviation Unleashed participants will have the chance to see demonstrations of a number of small remotely piloted flying concepts, learn more about how video and tele-technology may shape travel and how advanced aircraft, made of new materials, propelled by innovative engines, could give people and goods efficient on-demand mobility. They'll also hear various future scenarios and how those scenarios could impact current aviation development.

FMI: http://nia-webdev.nianet.org/aviation-unleashed