Errymath: GL-10

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<img alt="Photo from nasa.gov" height="359" src="http://img.rt.com/files/news/3e/5c/90/00/usa-electric-plane-nasa.si.jpg" style="float: none; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="" width="640" /> 
Photo from nasa.gov. Greased Lightning GL-10 
 
<img alt="Engineers David North (L) and Bill Fredericks (R) carry the Greased Lightning before one of its flight tests (NASA Langley / David C. Bowman)" src="http://rt.com/files/news/3e/5c/90/00/23.jpg" style="float: none; margin: 0px; width: 690px;" /> 
Engineers
 David North (L) and Bill Fredericks (R) carry the Greased Lightning 
before one of its flight tests (NASA Langley / David C. Bowman) 
 
 
US researchers have successfully tested a brand-new, battery-powered,
 ten-engine, remotely piloted aircraft that is able to take off like a 
helicopter and fly like an airplane.

A prototype of the Greased Lightning GL-10 with a ten-foot
 wingspan (3.05 meters), developed by NASA researchers, has been
 recently tested at Fort A.P. Hill military base in Virginia, not
 far from Langley Research Center in Hampton.

The GL-10, which is currently being designed and tested, was
 first envisioned as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), with a
 20-foot wingspan (6.1 meters). But the scientists decided to
 start with smaller versions and various prototypes.

"We have a couple of options that this concept could be good
 for," said Bill Fredericks, an aerospace engineer, in a
 <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/langley/ten-engine-electric-plane-completes-successful-flight-test" target="_blank">statement</a>.

"It could be used for small package delivery or vertical
 takeoff and landing, long endurance surveillance for agriculture,
 mapping and other applications. A scaled up version – much larger
 than what we are testing now – would make also a great one to
 four person size personal air vehicle."

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The recently tested prototype, sporting ten electric motors on
 its wings and tail, weighs 62 pounds (28.1 kilograms). Following
 the hover tests, its ability to change from helicopter-styled,
 vertical flight to forward "wing-borne" flight was
 examined.

"We built 12 prototypes, starting with simple five-pound (2.3
 kilograms) foam models and then 25-pound (11.3 kilograms), highly
 modified fiberglass hobby airplane kits all leading up to the
 55-pound (24.9 kilograms), high quality, carbon fiber GL-10 built
 in our model shop by expert technicians," said aerospace
 engineer David North.

"Each prototype helped us answer technical questions while
 keeping costs down. We did lose some of the early prototypes to
 'hard landings' as we learned how to configure the flight control
 system. But we discovered something from each loss and were able
 to keep moving forward."

Zack Johns, the GL-10's primary pilot, said the aircraft has a
 significant advantage in that it resembles a three-engine plane
 in terms of control.

"All four engines on the left wing are given the same
 command," said Johns. "The four engines on the right
 wing also work in concert. Then the two on the tail receive the
 same command."

Another major advantage is the lack of noise produced by the
 plane. "It's pretty quiet," said Fredericks. "The
 current prototype is quieter than a neighbor mowing the lawn with
 a gas-powered motor."

The GL-10 is to be presented at the Association for Unmanned
 Vehicles Systems International 2015 conference that will take
 place in Atlanta this week.
 
 
 
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NASA tests 10-engine electric aircraft

Photo from nasa.gov. Greased Lightning GL-10 Engineers David North (L) and Bill Fredericks (R) carry the Greased Lightning before o...

Errymath

NASA tests 10-engine electric aircraft

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