Jump Aero and Caltech to develop ‘electronic parachute’ for its JA1 eVTOL aircraft as part of Agility Prime contract
Jump Aero has been awarded its second Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) research contract from the U.S. Air Force as part of Agility Prime, where it will work with Caltech to develop an ‘electronic parachute’ for its JA1 eVTOL aircraft.
The adaptive flight controller will be pre-tuned in simulation for various failure scenarios with a machine-learned neural network, that will enable the pilot of the JA1 to initiate rapid recalibration of the flight controller mid-air in the event of damage.
This adaptive/ML control technology has the potential to improve the probability of a safe outcome if the aircraft is physically damaged in flight without significantly increasing the training burden on the pilot.
Carl Dietrich, founder and president of Jump Aero, said: “Jump Aero is thrilled to have been selected for this contract. We look forward to working with Professor Soon-Jo Chung’s world-class autonomous systems controls laboratory at Caltech to mature this exciting new technology in the hope that a future electronic parachute will make our aircraft even more damage-tolerant.”
Jump Aero is developing the JA1 eVTOL aircraft to help first responders get to the scene of an emergency as fast as possible. The research conducted as part of this STTR contract has the potential to improve the operational safety of future Jump Aero products, paving the way for safety enhancing flight control systems across the broad spectrum of aircraft in the advanced air mobility space.
Historically, adaptive, complex, and non-deterministic flight control systems have been impractical to certify due to the need to prove a level of safety in all scenarios that is commensurate with accepted standards. The need for deterministic proof of safety of arbitrarily complex systems has prevented these complex control systems from being commercially viable.
Recently, the FAA certified the first autonomous landing function for use in emergency situations, thereby demonstrating a realistic path to bring such technologies to market — as emergency recovery systems.
Founded by experienced aviation entrepreneurs, Jump Aero’s mission is to leverage eVTOL aircraft technology and cut emergency response times in half. It invites first responder organisations with an interest in learning more about its lifesaving technology to contact us through its website, www.jumpaero.com
