IT'LL NEVER FLY, ORVILLE:

From the Wright brothers' historic flight in 1903 to the development of supersonic aircraft, the history of aviation has been driven by technology and ambition.

Now, as the 21st century progresses, the sector continues to show its appetite for innovation and radical design.

Last September, for instance, a hydrogen fuel-cell plane capable of carrying passengers took to the skies over England for its maiden flight.

The same month also saw Airbus release details of three hydrogen-fueled concept planes, with the European aerospace giant claiming they could enter service by the year 2035.

More recently, United Airlines announced it had signed a commercial agreement to purchase aircraft from a firm called Boom Supersonic.

In a statement, United said the Overture aircraft -- which is yet to be built -- was set to be "optimized to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel."

All of the above are linked by a focus on technologies designed to reduce aviation's environmental footprint.

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