NASA GL-10 Greased Lightning

GL-10 Greased Lightning
GL-10 Greased Lightning 50% Scale Prototype
Role	Hybrid UAV
National origin	United States
First flight	19 August 2014 (tethered)
Introduction	2014
Status	In development
Number built	1

The GL-10 Greased Lightning is a hybrid diesel-electric tiltwing aircraft.

The wing has eight electric motor driven propellers while the horizontal stabilizer has two. In the future full-scale version, power will be generated by two 6 kW (8 hp) diesel engines which will charge lithium ion batteries. The propellers on the leading edge of the wing provide high speed flow, and thus lift, on the wing even in low forward velocity flight allowing pitch, roll, and yaw control authority during the critical transition phase from hover to forward flight.

The VTOL capability of this new class of UAV eliminates the requirement for additional ground support equipment like launch catapults and landing catch mechanisms. In addition, the propellers are designed for a relatively low tip speed resulting in a marked reduction in noise. The aircraft is designed to complete several vertical take-off and landings during its mission with a loiter endurance of 24 hours in the forward flight mode. The GL-10 performed transitions between vertical and horizontal flight in 2015.

Data from NASA

General characteristics

Performance

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