Kea Aerospace

We're pleased to share the work of two Final Year Project teams from the University of Canterbury who've been working with us to tackle some aerospace initiatives! 🎓 Team 1, supervised by Dr Ben Murton, tackled the challenge of stratospheric actuation, developing an innovative shape memory alloy actuator for our thermal management system. Operating at extremely high altitudes presents unique challenges - traditional mechanical components struggle with the harsh combination of cold temperatures and low pressure. Their solution? An actuator design using temperature-responsive metal alloys that reduces moving parts, enhances durability, and cuts down weight. Great engineering for extreme environments! Team 2, under the supervision of Sam Tullett and Carrick Corson, focused on advancing our battery technology for the Kea Atmos aircraft. They designed and built a test rig for analysing lithium battery cell performance under compression during charge-discharge cycles. Their work is crucial for developing lightweight, high-performance battery packs that will power our stratospheric flights. These projects demonstrate the value of industry-academia collaboration and highlight the practical engineering skills developed at UC Engineering. Thank you to all the students involved - your contributions are helping advance our understanding of stratospheric flight technology! 🚀

BREAKING NEWS: Solar-Powered Flying Car Project Now Officially Taking Off! ☀️ 🛸 🚗 Last month at the New Zealand Aerospace Summit and Innovation Expo, we proudly unleashed our aircraft onto an unsuspecting public for the first time. The reaction? A delightful mix of "astonished" and “is that science fiction?" Many marvelled at our sleek, aerodynamic design and enthusiastically said they couldn't wait to see our "flying car project develop." Naturally, we pretended that was our grand plan all along. Originally, we had thought, "Why not launch this beauty off the roof of an Audi? Easy as!" But we're now diving headfirst into full-on flying car development. Oh, and that shiny robot beside the car? Just our new test pilot. No big deal. The New Zealand flying car revolution is coming. Or at least it will once we've nailed down that pesky take-off and landing business. Stay tuned—this is bound to be a smooth ride… probably. #FlyingCar #InnovationOrMadness #SkyIsNotTheLimit #WhyAudi #WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong #SolarPowered

We love the Audi New Zealand yeet-tron - we mean e-tron, to launch our Kea Atmos Mk1. 🚀 Get up close with our Kea Atmos Mk1A, the solar-powered stratospheric aircraft with a massive 12.5m wingspan, mounted atop an Audi e-tron at the New Zealand Aerospace Summit 2024! See how NZ ingenuity is reshaping the skies at the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre next week. Witness the future of high-altitude exploration with the impressive Kea Atmos Mk1A! Haven't got tickets yet? Don't miss out! https://lnkd.in/d8e39fgW Witness the future of flight - it's electrifying! ⚡️

Can you spot the new hangar at Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre? The hangar has been constructed using laminated timber portals and beams from Aotearoa rather than steel or concrete to minimise its carbon footprint. We're excited to roll out the Kea Atmos Mk1B from the new hangar soon and launch from the runway at Tāwhaki. It's great to see steps towards more sustainable practices in aerospace! #AerospaceInnovation #TechForGood

🌟 First BVLOS Flight Into Controlled Airspace! 🛩️ We’re thrilled to share a significant milestone at Kea Aerospace. Last week, we completed our highest and furthest flight yet — another incredible Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) mission at the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre. Our R6 test aircraft soared to nearly 8,000 feet, covering a track distance of 32 nautical miles (58 km), marking a major leap forward in our journey to the stratosphere. This flight was particularly special as it was our first time not only entering the second zone of the newly designated Special Use Airspace near Kaitorete but also transitioning within this area into controlled airspace. We’re incredibly proud of our team’s relentless dedication to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Exciting times ahead! #KeaAerospace #AerospaceInnovation #BVLOS #R&D #Aviation #TechForGood #HighAltitudeFlight

🚀 Kea Aerospace Takes Flight in the World of Mathematics! 🧮 Last week, our brilliant team members Sam and Jeremy took centre stage at the 'Show Your Working' event, hosted by Mathateca and Christchurch City Libraries at Tūranga. They dove deep into the fascinating world where math meets the skies! 🌪️ Sam unravelled the complexities of weather forecasting, showing how mathematical models help ensure safer flights. ✈️ Jeremy took us on a journey through flight simulation, demonstrating how advanced math powers virtual testing for aircraft. A big thank you to everyone who attended and engaged in this event! We're proud to be part of a community that values knowledge sharing and inspires the next generation of STEM enthusiasts. Events like these remind us that behind every successful flight, there's a world of numbers and equations making it possible. #AerospaceInnovation #MathematicsInAviation #STEMEducation

We will have our Kea Atmos Mk1 aircraft on display at New Zealand's major annual aerospace conference. This year will be huge, it's coming up fast next month, and you can use the code SUMMIT24VIP to get $100 off your ticket! Hope to see you there!

Thrilled to have engaged with 300 of Christchurch City Council's top leaders last week! It was an incredible opportunity to share the exciting journey of Kea Aerospace and discuss the rapid growth of New Zealand's aerospace sector. This team's enthusiasm and forward-thinking inspire confidence in our future as a global aerospace hub. 🚀✈️🌏 #Aerospace #Stratosphere #Innovation #Leadership #Christchurch #NewZealand

🌟 Exciting news from Kea Aerospace! 🌟 We have completed the maiden flight of our second Kea Atmos aircraft! Our pioneering Kea Atmos Mk1a has already completed 11 successful flights, proving to be an exceptional R&D workhorse. Now, we're taking innovation to new heights with the Kea Atmos Mk1b. This cutting-edge aircraft features our latest advancements in solar cell management, propulsion system, battery pack and management system, autonomous flight capabilities, harnessing, and RF systems. This summer, we aim to make history as the Kea Atmos Mk1b reaches the stratosphere for the first time. The sky is no longer the limit—exciting times ahead! Stay tuned for more updates as we soar to new horizons. 🚀✨ #AerospaceInnovation #StratosphericFlight #KeaAerospace

It was wonderful to meet again this week Hon Judith Collins KC MP! The big announcements sound rather exciting!