MIAMI, 21 December, 2021. Undefined Technologies, a venture-backed startup based in Miami, announced that its silent drone powered by ion propulsion has successfully completed a major test flight achieving significant increases in lifting power and mission time. During the 2-minute and 30-second mission flight, the team tested the aircraft's performance, flight dynamics, endurance, and noise levels. The results of this milestone showed the craft’s flight time extended to five-fold from the previous version and generated noise levels below 85 decibels. The company expects that its silent drone will be a major component of the “last mile delivery” solution compliant with widespread regulatory measures applicable to urban drone use.
"The past eight months have been an incredible journey, challenging and rewarding at the same time," says Tomas Pribanic, Founder and CEO of the company. "I'm incredibly proud of our highly dedicated team, which overcame many technical challenges along the way and advanced our ion propulsion technology to the next level. With our new discoveries and further understanding of the physics, this Milestone takes us one step closer to bringing our silent drone to market."
The fully electric technology uses innovative physics principles which make it viable to use ion propulsion in atmospheric conditions with significant superior performance compared to existing ion thruster technologies. Undefined Technologies is already engaged in the next phase to achieve even longer flight times with noise levels below 70 decibels, overcoming noise restrictions for the last-mile cargo delivery sector. From the beginning, the company has been laser-focused on a vertical integration model, building its crafts with in-house manufacturing.
"We can only control what goes on within our walls. Of course, it’s challenging to bring full production in-house and harder to manage, but this is how we can lower costs, be more flexible, and quickly respond to any obstacles in the supply chain," Tomas explains. "Rather than having to wait for overseas shipments and also deal with import restrictions, we can respond in a matter of days. We think that's critical when it comes to rapid innovation and intellectual property protection."
This December, the company also joined the Aviation Sustainability Center (ASCENT-AERO), represented by16 leading US universities, co-led by Washington State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and over 60 private sector stakeholders working to create science-based solutions to reduce the environmental impact of aviation. This collaboration marks the company's commitment to work with industry partners, universities, and research institutions to accelerate the development of next-generation sustainable aircraft generating zero carbon emissions and minimum noise.
"It took less than a year for Undefined Technologies to demonstrate huge progress in its break-through development. The company has proven that passion, knowledge, and dedication can yield incredible results," added investor Jonathan Cole, Rio Vista Advisors. "I am excited to be working with the talented team led by Tomas Pribanic. This is a great addition to the South Florida tech company landscape. I congratulate the whole team and look forward to the next level of accomplishments to move the drone industry forward."
Get the latest updates from our lab to your inbox:
For additional information, please reach out to:
Yulia Strokova
Marketing & Communications Director
+1 (786) 505-2283
yulia@undefinedtechnologies.com
Follow us on: