Greased Lightning (GL-10)

Specifications:

Aircraft type

Uncrewed subscale hybrid-electric VTOL technology demonstrator

Piloting

Remote piloting

Capacity

No passengers but there was a small payload area where the cockpit of the aircraft would have been located

Cruise speed, estimated

70 mph (113 km/h)

Range

Unknown

Cruise altitude

Unknown

Empty weight

46 lb (21 kg)

Maximum payload weight

16 lb (7 kg)

Maximum takeoff weight

62 lb (28 kg)

Propellers

10 propellers (Aeronaut CAM Carbon 16x8”)

Electric motors

10 electric motors (Scorpion SII-4020-360KV)

Power source

Batteries and two diesel engines (Launchpoint Technologies Genset)

Fuselage

Carbon fiber composite with a front SpaceAge Controls Alpha/Beta Pitot Tube

Windows

No windows

Wings

1 main high swept back tilt-wing (10-foot wingspan or 3.05 meters)

Tail

1 rear tilt-horizontal stabilizer with dihedral angle with 3 vertical stabilizers

Landing gear

Retractable landing skids

Safety features

Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) means having multiple propellers (or electric ducted fans) and multiple electric motors on an aircraft so if one or more propellers (or electric ducted fans) or some electric motors fail, the other working propellers (or electric ducted fans) and electric motors can safely land the aircraft. DEP provides safety through redundancy for passengers or cargo. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy. Having multiple redundant systems on any aircraft decreases having any single point of failure.