Bell Embraces Virtual Reality to Design Helicopters | Aviation International News

Bell Embraces Virtual Reality to Design Helicopters

Bell is using augmented and virtual reality, computer gaming technology, to develop new aircraft.

Bell is developing the Nexus eVTOL aircraft for urban air mobility applications including the Uber Elevate air taxi network. (Photo: Curt Epstein)

By Mark Huber • Contributor

August 3, 2020

Bell turned heads when it revealed its FCX-001 concept helicopter mockup at the 2017 Heli Expo show. Now, more than three years later, two Bell insiders revealed not only how the company used augmented and virtual reality (VR and AR) to create that concept, but how the company is using these technologies today, along with staple technologies of computer gaming, to slash prototyping times for new products including the Nexus eVTOL urban air taxi model.

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