Ion propulsion

Florida's "silent" flying dish-rack, powered by ionic propulsion, is on track for commercial rollout in 2024, according to Undefined Technologies, which has released new outdoor flight test video. We remain curious, but unconvinced it'll be viable.

With two successful flight tests in the bag, and just under US$2 million in seed funding, Florida company Undefined Technologies has unveiled the next generation of its "silent" commercial drone, which uses ionic propulsion instead of propellers.

Florida's Undefined Technologies claims it has managed to increase the thrust levels of ion propulsion systems to "unprecedented levels" with its "Air Tantrum" technology, enabling very quiet drones with no moving parts in the propulsion system, that look like flying pallets.

Researchers are studying how to use salt-based propellants that can be used to power dual-mode rockets that work as both combustion and ion engines.

Orbiting satellites are mostly propelled by gravity. But electrospray propulsion is sometimes used to reposition them. The fine nozzles in such systems are notoriously prone to breakage though, so researchers developed a way to create them out of their own fuel source, making them self-healing.