NASA's Greased Lightning drone hovers like a helicopter, flies like a plane
NASA has built the spork of the skies. The GL-10 or Greased Lightning is a 28kg, battery-powered drone prototype that can switch between helicopter and airplane modes, giving the aircraft the maneuverability and vertical take-off capabilities of a chopper, as well as the speed and endurance of a plane. Although the GL-10’s hover tests were reported last year, NASA says the craft has now made its first successful mid-flight transitions from helicopter to airplane-mode. “So far we have done this on five flights,” said aerospace engineer Bill Fredericks in a statement. “We were ecstatic.”
the GL-10 could be used for package delivery, mapping, and surveillance
The video above shows the carbon fiber GL-10 in action, with the craft’s 10-foot…
Source:: The Verge
