The general aviation industry is about to be transformed by a rare convergence of technologies, mainly electrification, automation, and autonomy. Small aircraft of the future will be more sustainable, safer to operate, and more capable than today’s piston-engine aircraft. This report describes some of the challenges and opportunities that will arise when the upcoming technology convergence wave finds applications in four- to six-seat aircraft that will enter into service before the end of the 2020s.
NOTE: SAE EDGE™ Research Reports are intended to identify and illuminate key issues in emerging, but still unsettled, technologies of interest to the mobility industry. The goal of SAE EDGE™ Research Reports is to stimulate discussion and work in the hope of promoting and speeding resolution of identified issues. These reports are not intended to resolve the challenges they identify or close any topic to further scrutiny.