NEWARK AIR MUSEUM - News Release
Unveiling the mysterious world of unmanned aviation
The museum trustees are proud that Newark Air Museum is one of two venues in the UK to be selected by the University of Nottingham to help lift the lid on the history, role and future of unmanned flight.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been making the headlines through high profile military deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, they are increasingly being used for civilian purposes.
The temporary exhibition called “The Truth about Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” opened in August 2007 will reveal some of the secrets of unmanned aircraft. With the help of model replicas, hands on demonstrations, and an interactive quiz and video these exhibitions will trace the development of UAVs. They will take visitors back to 1849 when the Austrians used balloons to drop explosives on Venice, through to the 1930’s and the introduction of the first life-sized radio controlled aeroplane, and on to explore the current role of UAVs in the military, the emergency services, and science.
The exhibitions have been put together by experts from the Institute of Engineering, Surveying and Space Geodesy (IESSG).
Dr Chris Hill, Principal Research Officer at the IESSG said: "The IESSG were keen to try and dispel some of the myths about what UAVs can and can't do currently and to show they can be used to benefit humanitarian and civilian applications, not just high profile military uses".
UAVs are increasingly being used in the civilian world to keep a remote eye on what is happening. They are ideally suited to long term surveillance – drug trafficking and weather monitoring. They can monitor contaminated regions – in the aftermath of disasters such as Chernobyl. They can minimise the risk to human life – by following criminals, or monitoring hostage situations. But the future is even more extraordinary. Researchers are taking inspiration from nature and developing micro UAVs, so small they can land in the palm of a hand. They can be equipped with tiny sensors to retrieve information and send it back to base. These tiny machines can undertake tasks in confined spaces, such as pipe lines and collapsed buildings in disaster areas.
Howard Heeley, Secretary and Museum Trustee at the Newark Air Museum said: “The exciting new display will provide our visitors with a fascinating insight into both the history and future possible developments of UAVs. The museum is very honoured to have been given the opportunity of hosting this display and we are certain it will help people to start understanding the science behind UAVs and their expanding utilisation for new civilian use”.
The project brings together academics from IESSG, experts in the field of sensor and positioning systems and The Department for Aerospace, Power & Sensors at the Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham, the largest defence-orientated academic institution in Europe. Funding of £69,000 has been awarded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council as part of their Public Engagement Programme. The programme aims to stimulate a greater understanding about the issues and opportunities that arise from research.
