Sustainability Problem:
Aviation accounts for 12 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions annually
Technology:
The new X-57 (affectionately called Maxwell) will be the first aircraft of its kind that utilizes electric motors in lieu of traditional technology that produced substantial amounts of carbon dioxide emissions
http://inhabitat.com/meet-maxwell-nasas-zero-emission-14-motor-electric-airplane/
- X-57, “Maxwell,” is the experimental aircraft by the US Airforce and NASA researchers
- “Maxwell” was chosen to honor James Clerk Maxwell, the 19th century Scottish physicist who did groundbreaking work in electromagnetism
- 12 electric motors on the wing’s leading edge for take offs and landings
- One larger motor on each wing tip for use while at cruise altitude
- NASA plans to use Maxwell to validate the idea that distributing electric power across a number of motors integrated with an aircraft will result in higher energy efficiency
- The plane is believed to be able to travel at a cruising speed of around 175 miles per hour
- A big deal for the future of aviation
Organizational Stakeholders
- US Airforce
- NASA
- Aviation Industry
- Customers
Deployment
- Validate technology
- Scale technology to meet commercial specs
- Educate consumers
- Partner with airlines
- Build fleet & deploy
makeasmartcity 
Thanks for sharing this technology!
Reducing carbon emissions for planes will be a significant improvement in aviation. For it to create a big impact, this technology would need to be made accessible and affordable to all. I would love to see that happen soon. It will certainly make traveling all the more fun (and guilt-free).
UNI: mb4033
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Absolutely, this would make a huge difference to the impact of travel! Joby Aviation is also developing a small (two-person) aircraft powered by sixteen electric motors – it will be interesting to see who else enters the market as the technology develops.
http://www.jobyaviation.com/S2/
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