Are current aircraft designs stuck in a paradigm
that will not reach the great capabilities
that are otherwise possible?
The answer is yes. That paradigm is the design of aircraft based on wings and fuselages (and an outdated bag of tricks that is half a century old). HS-Drone is a new path in aircraft evolution using designs based on flat plate airfoil lifting bodies which can achieve efficiencies 2X to 3X the best contemporary alternatives. The technology includes:
Increasing Flight Efficiency + Increasing Area for Solar Panels + Decreasing Drag with Increasing Speed
THE IMPLICATIONS ARE HUGE!
This HS-Drone technology is the starting point of an evolutionary path that includes solar-powered aircraft capable of quality service in passenger, freight, and other applications. It is a new path that is much more than a technology and includes hybrid electric-jet engine engines and motors that are lower cost and lighter weight. See the patents.
PROTOTYPES ARE FLYING; it is a matter of choosing which applications should be the first to commercialize.
Increasing Flight Efficiency + Increasing Area for Solar Panels + Decreasing Drag with Increasing Speed
THE IMPLICATIONS ARE HUGE!
This HS-Drone technology is the starting point of an evolutionary path that includes solar-powered aircraft capable of quality service in passenger, freight, and other applications. It is a new path that is much more than a technology and includes hybrid electric-jet engine engines and motors that are lower cost and lighter weight. See the patents.
PROTOTYPES ARE FLYING; it is a matter of choosing which applications should be the first to commercialize.
High Speed VTOL (vertical takeoff/landing) Aircraft at 10X the efficiency ("10X") and half the cost of the V22 !
Let's put that in perspective:
- The USSOCOM target and typical proposed AFWERX Challenge solutions are 2X or less, with costs more than the V22 (that is because typical solutions are incremental changes on methods known for decades).
- A 4X solution would have an efficiency greater than contemporary fixed wing aircraft, and could dominate transit if capacity and costs were reasonable.
- The 10X solution of this project fully enables electrical power for all applications because: (a) 10X implicitly includes low drag which makes electrical power sufficient for high speed and (b) the high efficiency enables range from batteries (or fuel cells) sufficient for most applications (also, direct solar cell augmentation or umbilical power from a solar power station aircraft would extend range indefinitely).
Transformer Drone, a VTOL with 300% to 1000% increase in efficiency over a helicopter.
How is this possible?
How is this possible?
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SP-Drone, a 24/7 solar aircraft platform that enables 100% solar power for essentially all air transit.
How is this possible?
How is this possible?
- Poor performance of competition - The competition are using light-weight wings that are weak and slow.
- Fundamentally different approach - Aerial Towed Platforms are lifting body approaches that are robust and fast, but they must be used under very specific conditions to achieve these high performances.
- Higher Velocity - The Towed Platform's drag actually decreases with increasing velocity, which is an unusual and enabling characteristic.
Battery Weight Issues?
Demonstrated solutions to battery weight issues for aircraft include: 1) storing potential energy in altitude during the day and 2) flying during daylight. SP-Drone will operate at L:D that are 2X to 6X more efficient than contemporary 24/7 aircraft; this translates to major increases in payload capacity; and that payload can be additional power stored in batteries, hydrogen, or ammonia. SP-Drones ultra-high flight efficiency goes a long ways toward overcoming issues with battery/fuel weight.
The most challenging solutions include flights absent daylight and overnight flights. Many overnight flights (less than 12 hours of night) against at higher speeds and against Earth's rotation can be solved with the just-described battery, hydrogen, ammonia, and/or ambilical power. As a final resort, SP-drone aircraft are based on inexpensive construction methods (sheet stock glued together); and so, it is acceptable for the aircraft to spend less time operating between the hours of 12:00 and 5:00 AM. Also, a little contemporary fuel can go a long ways as stop gap for night flight. The bottom line is that proven methods provide market entry positions from which operational logistics and technical solutions will evolve.
Demonstrated solutions to battery weight issues for aircraft include: 1) storing potential energy in altitude during the day and 2) flying during daylight. SP-Drone will operate at L:D that are 2X to 6X more efficient than contemporary 24/7 aircraft; this translates to major increases in payload capacity; and that payload can be additional power stored in batteries, hydrogen, or ammonia. SP-Drones ultra-high flight efficiency goes a long ways toward overcoming issues with battery/fuel weight.
The most challenging solutions include flights absent daylight and overnight flights. Many overnight flights (less than 12 hours of night) against at higher speeds and against Earth's rotation can be solved with the just-described battery, hydrogen, ammonia, and/or ambilical power. As a final resort, SP-drone aircraft are based on inexpensive construction methods (sheet stock glued together); and so, it is acceptable for the aircraft to spend less time operating between the hours of 12:00 and 5:00 AM. Also, a little contemporary fuel can go a long ways as stop gap for night flight. The bottom line is that proven methods provide market entry positions from which operational logistics and technical solutions will evolve.
Summary of Slides
Three aircraft platform innovations have significantly advanced what is possible in air transit.
Transformer Drone is a simple approach to transition from Vertical Takeoff and Landing ("VTOL") to the best known cruising configurations, it offers a >300% increase in efficiency for VTOL aircraft.
Towed Platform technology can be used for parcel and freight transit for a >100 increase in efficiency versus jet airliners.
SP-Drone is a solar platform aircraft that uses thin Towed Platforms to achieve >500% increases in L:D versus contemporary aircraft. Applications include 24/7 solar-powered flight that sets new standards in what is possible with faster and more-robust solar aircraft.
Transformer drone technology, see Transformer.
SP-Drone is redefining what is possible in your lifetime, see SP-Drone.
Read up on the details in the patent portfolio.
Study the prototypes and proofs.
Transformer Drone is a simple approach to transition from Vertical Takeoff and Landing ("VTOL") to the best known cruising configurations, it offers a >300% increase in efficiency for VTOL aircraft.
Towed Platform technology can be used for parcel and freight transit for a >100 increase in efficiency versus jet airliners.
SP-Drone is a solar platform aircraft that uses thin Towed Platforms to achieve >500% increases in L:D versus contemporary aircraft. Applications include 24/7 solar-powered flight that sets new standards in what is possible with faster and more-robust solar aircraft.
Transformer drone technology, see Transformer.
SP-Drone is redefining what is possible in your lifetime, see SP-Drone.
Read up on the details in the patent portfolio.
Study the prototypes and proofs.
Path of Innovation
Transformer Drone, Towed Aerial Platforms, and SP-Drone are products of an innovation path that includes a starting point in the innovation and additional patent-pending products to expand the capabilities of Transformer Drone, Towed Aerial Platforms, and SP-Drone.
See Innovation Path for details on the path of innovation.
See Innovation Path for details on the path of innovation.