MOTAT is striking a balance between the past and the present with a new exhibition called Hautū Aunoa Autopilot. (more…)
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“A lot of people connect really closely with the heritage of MOTAT,” says Senior Curator Technology Nicola Jennings. “We have a very strong base with that, but we also want to showcase what’s happening now.”
New Zealand has a rich aviation history and a good chunk of it is on display at MOTAT, but an autonomous aircraft developed in recent years is the focus of a new exhibition called Hautū Aunoa Autopilot, which aims to showcase the innovation happening here.
The centrepiece is a Wisk Gen 5 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi, which was tested by the California-based company in Canterbury and is designed to take two passengers without a crew.
“It’s really exciting to be able to acquire a Wisk and put it on display so quickly,” Jennings says. “We find that really exciting as it shows that people in the industry see MOTAT representing what’s happening now, not just transport and technology heritage.”
She says the aircraft (also known as a Cora) is a good example of New Zealand’s reputation as a fertile environment for research and development. There’s a real openness and encouragement from the Government, good safety standards and a relatively clear legal framework that has encouraged experimentation and growth in the industry.
While visitors to the exhibition won’t get airborne, they will get the next best thing: a virtual reality experience that goes from Te Wai Ōrea/Western Springs to Mechanics Bay, which was an important trading and transport area for Māori and the site of New Zealand’s first international airport, including TEAL’s flying boats on the Coral Route that went through the Pacific Islands.
“As you fly, you engage with landmarks and other objects from the collection,” says Hannah Crichton, MOTAT’s Exhibitions Content Developer.
Autopilot also features an interactive experience for the under fives, which “allows them to playfully move icons inspired by collection objects across an illustrated map of Te Wai Ōrea”.
Enhanced productivity and streamlined processes are a driver of autonomous technology development, whether it’s an unmanned ‘air taxi’ or, in the case of AquaWatch’s ‘waka’, a water quality monitoring solution.
The floating device, which is made from recycled plastic, monitors five different metrics and the data is sent back to the user via satellite or cellular networks. James Muir developed the waka when he and his father Grant were having problems with water quality on the family farm. The company is now expanding into international markets.
The exhibition also features a drone made by New Zealand company Aeronavics that’s used for mapping and planning. Drones are also being used in agriculture to monitor stock or deploy fertiliser or pesticides.
Jennings says MOTAT is currently working with Dotterel Technologies to acquire one of its ‘silent drones’ with noise reduction and microphone array technology that allows the capture of clear sound for the film industry.
Crichton says Autopilot is about inspiring the young innovators of tomorrow. “We’re here to safeguard and protect these objects for future generations, but we want visitors to explore and engage with the technology. This is hands-on, minds-on and the goal is to spark curiosity.”
MOTAT is striking a balance between the past and the present with a new exhibition called Hautū Aunoa Autopilot. (more…)
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