NASA is working on a drone that has both properties of a helicopter as a plane. For example, the from a helikopterachtige zweefmodus switch to airplane mode. And that is exactly what NASA recently successfully demonstrated.
The drone is called Greased Lightning, but sometimes also the designation of the GL-10 is used. According to NASA, the device is still in development, but there have been recent successes where the company happily tells: in a test flight, had the helicopter-plane-combination switch of a zweefmodus to a conventional flight mode. That is not easy due to the aerodynamics. So the chances are that the unit when switching from the air.
NASA has created a video of a recent test flight. In this is to see how Greased Lightning switches from helicopter to airplane mode. The wings switch their vertically positioned propellers to a horizontal mode, and that without down a deposit. After a short flight in the area toggles Greased Lightning back to helicopter mode and lands safely. Therefore, the test be considered successful.
There are a total of the drone twelve prototypes built. Not with all the models did so well as in the movie. Some are according to NASA lost a ‘hard landing’, which is probably euphemistic for a crash. The current model weighs 24,9 kg and has a wingspan of slightly more than 3 meters. Eight of the engines are on the wing, while the rear portion of the two engines.
Next week, NASA’s Greased Lightning on the large public display during a drone conference in the Us city of Atlanta. Then follow tests to determine the aerodynamic efficiency of the model.