United Technologies (UTC) Aerospace Systems has won an exclusive licence from Metis Design to use a carbon nanotube (CNT) heater based technology for manufacturing aircraft ice protection systems.

Under the agreement, UTC Aerospace Systems will combine its electrothermal ice protection systems with the CNT technology to build a new a lightweight system, which will uniformly distribute heat, and improve damage tolerance and fatigue resistance.

Jointly developed by Metis Design and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US, CNT technology aims to meet the increasing demand for more durable, lightweight, damage-tolerant and low-power ice protection systems.

"This technology strengthens UTC Aerospace Systems capability to deliver the most innovative solutions for aircraft ice protection systems."

UTC Aerospace Systems engineering and technology, sensors and integrated systems vice-president Dr Mauro Atalla said: "This technology strengthens UTC Aerospace Systems capability to deliver the most innovative solutions for aircraft ice protection systems.

“CNT technology is ideally suited for our ice protection product line, and we have already seen positive customer feedback from testing conducted at our icing wind tunnel.

“Metis Design has developed this technology over several years and has demonstrated its feasibility in several projects.”

Along with Metis Design and United Technologies Research Centre in Connecticut, UTC Aerospace Systems will integrate the new ice protection systems at its facility in Uniontown, Ohio.

UTC Aerospace Systems is currently involved in the designing, manufacturing and servicing integrated systems and components for aerospace and defence industries.