Undefined Technologies has successfully launched its VTOL drone powered by ion propulsion
MIAMI, 30 April, 2021. Undefined Technologies, a Miami-based tech startup,
announced today its successful first mission flight of a drone powered by ion propulsion. The indoor flight of a five-square-foot prototype lasted 20 seconds, and it demonstrated its good power efficiency and stability. The novel fully electric AirTantrum™ technology uses innovative physics principles which work not only in the vacuum of space, free from the powerful gravitational pull but also in atmospheric conditions with ‘unprecedented’ levels of thrust, 3X more than existing ion thruster technologies.
“Thanks to our investors and partners who have expressed their confidence in our technology and share our vision of the future and helped us reach this milestone. We've been working very hard to get where we are today. For the last three years, I looked into the fields of engineering, physics, and mathematics to find a way of using ion propulsion in atmospheric conditions, and I finally got the breakthrough,” says Tomas Pribanic, Founder and CEO of the company. “Now, using that technology, we were able to develop a fully electric drone. It has zero carbon emissions, and it's customizable to meet specific mission objectives.”
Tomas Pribanic is a seasoned engineer who has worked for some of the largest aerospace companies in the world. Last year, Pribanic formed a strategic partnership between Undefined Technologies, his venture capital-backed startup, and the University of Miami to accelerate bringing this technology to commercialization. Additionally, the National Science Foundation has evaluated the technology and it is currently in the final stages of review for additional funding to create a silent vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) craft to be used in urban areas where noise limits requirements are too stringent for existing cargo drones.
Pribanic is eager to disrupt the urban cargo delivery market and use drones for various supply chain activities, including delivering everything from online shopping packages and groceries to vital medicines.
The AirTantrum™ technology will generate noise levels below 70 decibels, which would fall under the threshold established by a number of county noise ordinances. Ionic propulsion is entirely electric and produces zero-carbon emissions. The process uses a high-voltage electric field to ionize the air molecules in the atmosphere which then naturally return to their original state after ionization.
According to the recent drone market report, the global drone market will grow to more than $42 billion by 2025. Remote work, telehealth, and automated delivery services are just a few examples of technologies that have gotten a boost as people began limiting social interactions and personal trips.
Last year, major retailers such as Walmart and Amazon received permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to commercially operate drones and launched pilot drone delivery programs in urban areas. Also, package carriers FedEx, UPS, and Wing, a division of Google owner Alphabet, received FAA certificates for drone delivery.
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Undefined Technologies, in partnership with the University of Miami, is developing a silent cargo drone powered by ion propulsion which is aimed to disrupt urban cargo delivery. The novel Air Tantrum™ technology creates a technical and commercial opportunity for ion thrusters to become a viable electric propulsion option. The innovative technology will generate noise below 70 decibels, which would fall under the threshold established by a number of county noise ordinances. Undefined Technologies is exploring the possibility of using drones for various supply chain activities, including delivering everything from online shopping packages and groceries to vital medicines. Learn more: https://www.undefinedtechnologies.com/
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For more information or media inquiries, please contact:
YULIA STROKOVA
Marketing & Communications
mobile: +1.305.793.5721
e-mail: yulia@undefinedtechnologies.com
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