Suggested Searches

A white aircraft body with small black dots is hoisted in the air by cables. There are several test dummies inside of the aircraft. The aircraft does not hang far off of the ground. Three workers with hardhats remove pink foam squares from underneath the aircraft. Behind the aircraft is a large white board to measure the height, which includes many black squares with small numbers inside some of the bottom squares.

NASA Drop Test Supports Safer Air Taxi Designs

An aircraft body modeled after an air taxi with weighted test dummies inside is being prepared for a drop test by researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The test was completed June 26 at Langley’s Landing and Impact Research Facility. The aircraft was dropped from a tall steel structure, known as a gantry, after being hoisted about 35 feet in the air by cables. NASA researchers are investigating aircraft materials that best absorb impact forces in a crash.

Image Credit: NASA/Mark Knopp

TakenJune 26, 2025

Image CreditNASA/Mark Knopp

Size7868x5246px