Engineers at MIT fly first plane with no moving parts

The video explains a glider weighing 2 kilograms with a 5-meter wingspan that uses ion propulsion. It has two rows of wires under its wings, with the front row carrying positively charged ions and the back row carrying a negative charge. This setup creates ionic wind, generating thrust to propel the glider forward. The glider was tested indoors, achieving a 60-meter flight, marking the first solid-state flight without moving parts, as published in the journal Nature.

What distance did the glider manage to sustain flight?

Evaluate responses using AI:

OFF

What is the significance of the flight being described as 'solid-state'?

Evaluate responses using AI:

OFF