NASA's new airplane lands like a Helicopter and fly like an Aircraft!

Have you ever wondered of a battery powered plane that can land and take-off like a helicopter and fly like an aircraft? NASA has successfully come up with a similar kind of aircraft, which can efficiently act like an aircraft aforementioned. This GL-10 proto-type or nicknamed as ‘Greased Lightening’ have been successfully flight tested by NASA and have transitioned from Hover to wing-borne flight during the period of several flight tests.

The body of the aircraft is made with a very precise build-up structure having a 3.05 meters wingspan, eight electric motors on the wings, and two electric motors on the tail end and weighs maximum of 28.1 kilogrammes at the time of take-off. A total of 12 prototypes were made, starting with a simple foam models weighing about 2.3 kilogrammes and the remaining models were highly modified fiberglass hobby airplane weighing about 24.9 kilogrammes. Then, the two models are summed up to finally build up a high quality, carbon fiber GL-10 model weighing a total of 24.9 kilogrammes.

GL-10 prototype is currently in the scheming and testing phase. Though the preliminary thought was to develop a 6.1 meters wingspan aircraft powered by hybrid diesel engines or electric engines, but instead the team started with the minor versions for testing, build by rapid prototyping. These prototype can be a great success and NASA is continuing their work on the advancing these concept which can be four times more aerodynamically efficient in cruise than a helicopter.

The aircraft’s pilot has revealed that flying this ten engine prototype has its ups and downs, but it really flies like a three engine plane from a control prospective. There are many advantages of these aircraft, starting from adaptable take-off and landing ability to its ‘lack of noise’ technology. NASA told that the engine is pretty quiet; even quieter than a neighbor mowing the lawn with a gas-powered motor.

A few more tests are still left and once fully designed; the aircraft can be use for transporting small package deliveries or vertical take-off and landing, mapping large areas for long endurance surveillance and various other applications. It can furthermore be utilized in a much large scale, where it can be used in a one to four person size personal air vehicle.

/Anuttam/