The UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) has honored half a dozen companies and projects for their contributions to technology and innovation. The awards, which were handed out at the ATI conference last week, specifically highlighted contributions to achieving net-zero carbon in aviation, as well as teamwork and collaboration.
ZeroAvia won in the Project of the Year category for its HyFlyer II program to convert existing regional airliners to hydrogen propulsion. The team award went to the Ascend project, led by GKN Aerospace, which is focused on accelerating the use of composite materials and other new manufacturing processes to support a new generation of more energy-efficient aircraft.
The Shaping the Future award went to eVTOL aircraft developer Vertical Aerospace. The judges recognized the Bristol-based company’s advances in the application of battery technology, and also its emphasis on supporting the UK supply chain.
Adaptix took the Innovation Award for its robot-mounted 3D X-ray digital inspection technology, which has been developed with Cranfield University to inspect aerostructures on the factory floor. Sensor Coating Systems received the Making the Difference Award for its technology for measuring temperatures of up to 1,500 degrees C with an accuracy of plus or minus 25 degrees. ToffeeX won the Breakthrough Award for its work on heat exchangers to improve thermal management.
High commended recognition also went to the following: Rolls-Royce (for running its Pearl business aircraft engine on hydrogen); the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Center (for its Automated Visual Grain Inspection collaboration with Rolls-Royce); the Ecotool project led by Pentaxia and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (for low-energy, large composite manufacturing technology); Sora Aviation (for its 30-seat eVTOL aircraft concept); the Optimised Composite Wing and Aerostructures project lead by Spirit AeroSystems’s Belfast unit; and the HiClass and Reinstate teams, led by Rolls-Royce and partners (for work on airborne security; safety-critical software; and maintenance, repair, and overhaul solutions); and the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s Hydrogen Challenge.
According to ATI's chief relationships officer, Sophie Lane, the judges' scoring was very tight, with just one point separating some of the final scores.