In 2015, NASA tested the distributed electricity system (DEP) on a unique plane called “amazing lighting”. The plane did not exceed the stage of the initial model model, but it showed technology capabilities. Other companies are also looking for DeP.
NASA tests for electrical payment on the initial form
NASA classifies lightning light, officially known as GL-10As an exposed vtol technology demonstration. He had a carbon fiber frame, avoiding miles, and ten electric engines. NASA built ten preliminary models of the plane and conducted several test flights.
Lightning was greased a header and a landing (VTOL). It can also be transmitted to a fixed -wing plane, relying on its wing to lift. NASA wanted to have it.The best aspects of a helicopter, a helicopter, fly with great reliability, heroism, and excellent stability”
DeP Perhaps the technique of NASA, which was tested on lightning, was painted. Aircraft designers have developed this based on targets to reduce fuel consumption, improve performance, and shorten the distances and landing.
Electric motivations provide a payment of aircraft with DeP
There are multiple ways to determine the DeP, but they are The payment system in which the orientation is generated It comes from three or more electrical beings – van or fans. In many DEP designs, DOPROPs is distributed in parallel along the surface of the aerodynamic such as the plane wing.
DeP systems It may be completely electrical, as electric motors receive energy from batteries or hybrids, with electric motors receive energy from generators that operate with gas or electric turbines.
The gains and power sources are not connected directly
One of the main differences between DEP systems and traditional power plants It is that with the distributed electrical pushing, the defenses are not connected mechanically, such as the driving column, to the energy producing components of the plane. Power systems can be multiple groups of devices such as turbines, generators and fuel cells. It also requires storage devices such as batteries. The motivations can be defending or fans of different types and sizes.
Since energy sources are not directly connected to the bills, gas turbines or electric generators can rotate at different speeds of betting or fans. This feature allows both parts to work at perfect speeds. Energy transformers link energy sources to the books.
DEP systems can work as a control surface
Another feature of DeP systems It is that multiple electric motors are often placed near each other along the surfaces of the wing. The engines can then work with control surfaces and control how to aircraft maneuvers, where the payment of each engine can be adjusted independently.
Another interesting feature of the aircraft with the DEP, such as the painted lightning, is its ability to shift from the head to the horizontal flight. After taking off, pilots can close some engines and fold the defendants again, which increases their dynamic aerobic efficiency.
DeP systems are also considered to reduce operating costs. The cost reduction is partly due to the fact that small electric motors and the defendants are cheaper and easier to manufacture and replace them than the largest engines on other aircraft.
Safety from repetition from multiple engines
The presence of multiple engines also improves the safety of the plane. It provides repetition if, for example, some of them are damaged because there is no one engine responsible for keeping the plane in the air. In a system that contains 8 or 16 strokes, the plane can continue to fly if some engines fail.
NASA and many companies are developing other planes similar to a painted lightning. These include NASA N3X with 16 Dresses, EL-2 Goldfinch with 8, Midnight Arther with 12.
EL-2 Goldfinch can take off and fall at very slow speeds
Electra El-2 Goldfinch It is an ESTOL electric plane that uses distributed electricity and hybrid electric power system. On November 20, 2023, El-2 Goldfinch completed its first crew trip. It also contains an exact lifting system that uses electric motors to detonate air over the wing and paintings, which increases the elevator at slow speeds. This unique system enables Goldfinch It takes off and lands at slow speeds of up to 35 knots.
In the middle of the night, Archer contains 12 engine
Archer Aviation is developing its aircraft in the middle of the night to use urban/taxi transport. Midnight will contain 12 electric motors and six independent battery packages, each supporting a pair of engines.
Another feature of these systems is a decrease in noise. For example, Archer states that DEP aircraft have smaller rounds and reach 100 times quieter than helicopters.
Boeing and Lewis collaborated on the air taxi with DeP, not the pilot
Boeing is also working on the DeP project with WiskThe company focuses on “the movement of urban air”. Wisk develops an electric air taxi vehicle. The VTOL plane, named “Cora”, will carry two passengers. It contains 12 independent lifting fans and can perform a flat flight on only one engine.
NASA seems to have a very positive view of DEP capabilities in the future. A NASA Technical Reports Reports report on DeP It indicates it as a “sabotage” technique, comparing its capabilities to fly with the influence of jet engines.