Friday, May 19, 2006

'Fly-by-wireless' plane takes to the air

In a NewScientistTech post,a plane with no wires or mechanical connections between its engine, navigation system and onboard computers - only a wireless network - is being built!

Extract: "The 3-metre-long uncrewed plane "AIVA" will rely entirely upon a Bluetooth wireless network to relay messages back and forth between critical systems – a technique dubbed "fly-by-wireless".

Tests flights on a partly wireless prototype carried out in Portugal have shown that the system works well. Cristina Santos, at Minho University in Portugal, who developed the plane, says the aim is primarily to reduce weight and power requirements. "Also, if you do not have the cables then the system is much more flexible to changes," she says."

What if there was a wireless disruption??

No comments: