Since the first aeroplane flight more than 100 years ago, aeroplanes have been propelled using moving surfaces such as propellers and turbines. Most have been powered by fossil-fuel combustion. Electroaerodynamics, in which electrical forces accelerate ions in a fluid1,2, has been proposed as an alternative method of propelling aeroplanes—without moving parts, nearly silently and without combustion emissions3–6. However, no aeroplane with such a solid-state propulsion system has yet flown. Here we demonstrate that a solid-state propulsion system can sustain powered flight, by designing and flying an electroaerodynamically propelled heavier-than-air aeroplane. We flew a fixed-wing aeroplane with a five-metre wingspan ten times and showed that it achieved steady-level flight. All batteries and power systems, including a specifically developed ultralight high-voltage (40-kilovolt) power converter, were carried on-board. We show that conventionally accepted limitations in thrust-to-power ratio and thrust density4,6,7, which were previously thought to make electroaerodynamics unfeasible as a method of aeroplane propulsion, are surmountable. We provide a proof of concept for electroaerodynamic aeroplane propulsion, opening up possibilities for aircraft and aerodynamic devices that are quieter, mechanically simpler and do not emit combustion emissions.A solid-state propulsion system can sustain powered flight, as demonstrated by an electroaerodynamically propelled heavier-than-air aeroplane.

中文翻译：

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驾驶固态推进飞机

自 100 多年前第一次飞机飞行以来，飞机一直使用移动表面（例如螺旋桨和涡轮机）进行推进。大多数都由化石燃料燃烧提供动力。电空气动力学，其中电力加速流体中的离子 1,2，已被提议作为推进飞机的替代方法 - 没有移动部件，几乎无声且无燃烧排放 3-6。然而，目前还没有配备这种固态推进系统的飞机飞行。在这里，我们证明了固态推进系统可以通过设计和飞行比空气重的电空气动力推进的飞机来维持动力飞行。我们试飞了一架五米翼展的固定翼飞机十次，结果表明它实现了稳定的水平飞行。所有电池和电源系统，包括一个专门开发的超轻型高压（40 千伏）电源转换器，被带上飞机。我们表明，传统上接受的推力功率比和推力密度 4、6、7 的限制是可以克服的，这些限制以前被认为使电空气动力学作为飞机推进方法不可行。我们为电空气动力飞机推进提供概念验证，为更安静、机械更简单且不排放燃烧排放的飞机和空气动力设备开辟了可能性。固态推进系统可以维持动力飞行，正如电空气动力推进的更重- 比空气的飞机。7，以前被认为使电空气动力学作为飞机推进方法不可行，现在是可以克服的。我们为电空气动力飞机推进提供概念验证，为更安静、机械更简单且不排放燃烧排放的飞机和空气动力设备开辟了可能性。固态推进系统可以维持动力飞行，正如电空气动力推进的更重- 比空气的飞机。7，以前被认为使电空气动力学作为飞机推进方法不可行，现在是可以克服的。我们为电空气动力飞机推进提供概念验证，为更安静、机械更简单且不排放燃烧排放的飞机和空气动力设备开辟了可能性。固态推进系统可以维持动力飞行，正如电空气动力推进的更重- 比空气的飞机。