How It Works-Amazing Vehicles

Microsensors

Tiny sensors on the body of

the plane can be as small as

grains of rice. Collectively,

they would have their own

power source.

Information

transmission

The sensors are paired

with software to

transmit information to

human operators and

the self-healing system.

Detection

The microsensors would

detect vital information

such as temperature,

wind speed and any

damage sustained.

Storage

Lightweight adhesive

fl uid is held in carbon

nanotubes around

the plane’s body.

Healing

The fl uid is piped to

the damaged area

where it hardens,

patching up

the problem.

Surveillance

This self-healing

technology is

designed for

surveillance

aircraft that are at

risk of attack.

THE SURVIVOR

Self-repairing plane technology

with ‘human-like’ skin

Design: BAE Systems

£117m

Research

costs in

2013

Mov ies like The Terminator may have warned

us not to create technology that can heal

itself, but the folks at BAE Systems decided to

press on regardless. The UK company has

unveiled futuristic designs that could

revolutionise the method – and speed – that

planes are repaired by 2040.

The aircraft’s body would be covered in

tens of thousands of microsensors that

detect wind speed, temperature and any

damage sustained. The craft would be able

to heal itself in mid-air thanks to a grid of

carbon nanotubes that hold a lightweight

adhesive fl uid. This would be released to the

damaged area and quickly harden – like

blood forming a scab on a cut – enabling the

craft to continue its fl ight.

This advanced use of materials would create

an extremely hardy jet capable of entering the

most dangerous of scenarios to complete vital

missions, according to a BAE Systems

spokesman. They are calling it The Sur v ivor,

and that’s not the only technology the

company believes could be incorporated in

militar y aircraft in the future. A nother t y pe of

jet, known as The Transformer, would combine

smaller sub-aircraft during travel and then

split off. This would increase range and save

fuel by reducing drag when they fly together.

Despite edging us ever closer to Skynet,

this technology is hugely exciting for the

aviation industry as smart planes would

send maintenance costs and times

plummeting, leav ing us much more time to

plan how to prevent them from rising up

against us!

AIR