MIT EAD Airframe Version 2
| EAD Airframe Version 2 | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Other name(s) | V2 |
| Type | First ion wind airplane |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Designer | Steven Barrett et al. |
| Owners | MIT |
| Number built | 1 |
| Flights | 11 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 2018 |
| First flight | 2018 |
| Last flight | 2018 |
| Developed from | EAD Airframe Version 1 |
The EAD Airframe Version 2, or V2, is a small American unmanned aircraft. It has been described as 'solid state', as there are no moving parts in the propulsion system; all thrust is powered by the phenomenon known as ion wind. It is being developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics by engineer Steven Barrett (associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics) and others.
It is claimed to be the first ion-propelled airplane. Tethered ion-propelled aircraft without wings have existed since the 1960s. These had ground-based high-voltage power supplied to the aircraft via a wire.