The Aircraft About to Brutally Break the Rules of Aviation

under the watchful eye of the defense Advanced research projects agency an extraordinary creation has been taking shape a remarkable aircraft that emerged as the culmination of groundbreaking Innovation the new unmanned aerial vehicle designated x65 after a long line of iconic experimental aircraft will ditch all traditional control surfaces that had limited aerodynamics for Generations instead you will find control from within the x65 will feature active flow control rather than passive exterior moving controls and redefine Aviation with compressed air nozzles to execute Maneuvers subverting long-held tenets of Aviation and aerodynamics the advance is expected from this project seem taken out of a science fiction story they could Usher in a new era of reduced radar cross-sections increased maneuverability and unparalleled efficiency in flight besides drones this technology would make fighter aircraft more agile and Commercial passenger airliners more environmentally friendly as of 2023 an aviation giant has just taken up the task of bringing this outstanding piece of engineering to life [Music] pushing the envelope DARPA known for its avant-garde exploration of Advanced Technologies on behalf of the Pentagon recently unveiled a revolutionary drone technology demonstrator the pioneering project aimed to test the capabilities of active flow control systems or AFC such systems promised to enhance fuel efficiency while reducing radar signatures all achieved by allowing for a more streamlined and aerodynamic aircraft configuration the experimental nature of this uncrewed Marvel became evident as it discarded the conventional flight controls that had long governed aerodynamic design instead banks have compressed air nozzles were employed to execute awe-inspiring Maneuvers without the need for traditional exterior moving flight controls like hinged flaps Rudders ailerons elevators and spoilers these control surfaces although effective throughout the history of Aviation brought along the burden of added weight and intricate complexities capturing the imagination of Aviation enthusiasts and experts alike DARPA took to its social media platforms to promptly announce the coveted X designation bestowed upon this Leading Edge creation the significant Milestone came just shy of five months after darpa's selection of Aurora flight Sciences a subsidiary of Boeing to embark on the detailed design phase of the control of revolutionary aircraft with novel effectors program or crane a National Asset DARPA chose Aurora flight Sciences to proceed the crane program to create an aircraft that can fly without traditional moving flight controls on its wings and tail in turn Aurora successfully completed phase one which involved designing a testbed aircraft that utilized AFC in a wind tunnel phase one involved wind tunnel testing on a scaled down version of the x65 Prototype using compressed air blasting and suctioning nozzle arrays on the Wings upper surface the next phase aims to test the technology at Mission relevant scale and Mach numbers Phase 2 will not only assess the craft supersonic flight capabilities but will also focus on the detailed design and development of flight software and controls leading to a critical design review of an X-Plane demonstrator the contract also includes a phase 3 option in which DARPA plans to fly a seven thousand pound X-Plane that addresses the main technical challenges of incorporating AFC into a full-scale aircraft and relying on it for controlled flight the demonstrator aircraft will feature modular Wing configurations to facilitate the integration of Advanced Technologies for future flight testing the company is confident in completing the AFC based demonstration aircraft's design and flight testing which would become a national test asset beyond the crane program however the current aircraft under construction is expected to achieve a maximum speed of Mach 0.7 barely 537 miles per hour and it is not scheduled for testing until 2025. out of this world DARPA recently unveiled art concepts for the x65 interestingly commentators have pointed out that as described by DARPA the aircraft resembles the fictional X-Wing Starfighter from Star Wars when viewed from the front this is due to its canted double Wings although the similarity is less Apparent from other angles the designation of the x65 may even be a nod to the t-65 model of the X-Wing in Star Wars lore unlike traditional aircraft the experimental type has a revolutionary active flow control system that promises improved maneuverability and control by eliminating traditional jointed surfaces this Innovative design could enhance flight performance while reducing costs and wear and tear could also theoretically improve the aircraft's stealth capabilities the AFC system offers numerous advantages it eliminates the need for moving control surfaces resulting in reduced drag and improved flight at high angles of attack based on the available pictures it appears that the x65 will be powered by a single jet engine with an intake located under the belly additionally there seems to be an upper fuselage intake and exhaust potentially used to generate compressed air for use in the 14 nozzle bags around the airframe on the other hand DARPA emphasized the inclusion of modular Wing configurations allowing for the integration of Advanced Technologies in future flank testing the x65's design will be highly modular enabling the swapping of different Wings varying degrees of sweep and different types of AFC effectuators including those developed by other companies the x65 represents a groundbreaking leap in Flight control technology capturing the imagination of Aviation enthusiasts and showcasing the exciting possibilities for the future of flight potential active flow control is a technique used in aircraft to manipulate the airflow and improve performance unlike passive features such as Vortex generators that affect airflow permanently AFC utilizes nozzles to release Jets there that dynamically alter the pressure of the boundary air around the craft besides compressed air other methods of manipulating the airflow like plasma effectors are being studied its main objective eliminating surfaces on the aircraft that cause drag and increase radar signature is particularly crucial for military aircraft including drones operating contested airspace monitored by Advanced radar-guided missile defenses requires stealth reducing the radar cross-section is essential even for non-combat aircraft like tankers and transports the B2 stealth bombers address these challenges through complex flight control systems that manipulate flaps for stability and turning while discarding the tail fin and Rudder control surface however even these reduced movements increase the radar cross-section AFC has the potential to render this vulnerability unnecessary in future aircraft [Music] moreover reducing drag is significant for civilian aircraft operators as well improved fuel efficiency and extended range are highly desirable outcomes Airlines can reduce pollution and save substantial fuel costs with even a slight increase in fuel efficiency likewise military aircraft including Jets drones and missiles can travel farther with the same fuel load eventually AFC nozzle arrays are expected to become lighter less complex and more fuel efficient than traditional moving control surfaces heritage [Music] during NATO's 2018 tests drones equipped with AFC responded more aggressively than anticipated showcasing their agility if these systems can deliver high performance while maintaining low weight complexity and radar cross-section that could be attractive for various aircraft including modern jet fighters projects like crane are working towards making AFC technology affordable and practical for widespread adoption the program's manager Richard lesion stated that the x-65 would probably benefit a variety of other airflow control experiments hypothetically including those of BAE Systems magma drone [Music] Welcome To Dark Tech we're thrilled that you're here don't miss out on the chance to delve deeper into our captivating stories give that like button a click and subscribe to this Channel and the rest of our duck documentaries family by doing so you'll stay ahead of the curve and be the first to hear about our thrilling upcoming releases thank you for tuning in

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Keywords: technology, military technology, science, military science, engineering, education, history, real, military, weapons, news, military news, dark tech, dark docs, darkdocs, edutainment, explainer, factual, national security, defense, future technology, future, new technology, future military technology, science and technology news, technology news, military vehicles, military equipment, educational, military tech, future weapons, military weapons, army, tech, facts

Id: BWuo5fKpLuM

Length: 9min 1sec (541 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 22 2023