A team of NASA researchers has devised an unmanned aircraft that uses an electric propulsion system to take off like a helicopter and fly like a conventional airplane.
For this, the prototype, called Greased Lightning or GL-10, uses ten rotors , whose operation has been successfully tested at the Langley Research Center of this space agency, in Hampton, Virginia.
Aerospace engineer Bill Fredericks, who has been involved in its development, believes that this remotely operated vehicle could be used to survey crops , accurately transport small loads or map terrain. The device could also serve as a model for a larger version, adapted for use by between one and four crew members.
At the moment, the GL-10, of which twelve versions have been built, is in the testing phase. The latter has a carbon fiber structure, has a wingspan of about 3 meters and weighs almost 25 kilos.
According to Fredericks, the biggest challenge has been getting the aircraft to remain stable and continue to move smoothly while transitioning from vertical to horizontal flight.
However, this expert believes that the Greased Lightning can be up to four times more efficient than a helicopter from an aerodynamic point of view , an aspect in which he already works.
