Wingless Electromagnetic Air Vehicle
Encyclopedia
The Wingless Electromagnetic Air Vehicle (WEAV) is a heavier than air
flight system in development for NASA
at the University of Florida
. The aircraft uses electrodes on its undercarriage in order to ionize air, and it then propels the resultant plasma using electromagnets. The high pressure zone created underneath the aircraft is consequently used to create thrust for propulsion and stability.
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
flight system in development for NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. The aircraft uses electrodes on its undercarriage in order to ionize air, and it then propels the resultant plasma using electromagnets. The high pressure zone created underneath the aircraft is consequently used to create thrust for propulsion and stability.