An unprecedented experiment to 'switch from hover flight to lift-based flight' of an electric airplane in flight was a great success
Lilium Achieves Main Wing Transition --Lilium
https://lilium.com/newsroom-detail/technology-demonstrator-main-wing-transition
Lilium is a company that is developing electric airplanes to provide an airplane version of 'a service that calls a taxi to a specified point with an application' like Uber. The aircraft developed by Lilium is characterized by being able to take off and land vertically without the need for a runway, and was successfully tested for the first time in 2017.
Lilium Jet, an electric airplane capable of vertical takeoff and landing like a helicopter, succeeded in the first flight test and may dramatically change urban traffic --GIGAZINE
The electric airplane developed by Lilium has already succeeded in flight experiments, but the flight experiments so far have been based on hover flight using the force of injecting air. The development team of Lilium created a new experimental aircraft 'Phoenix 2' and conducted an experiment to switch from hover flight to 'fly using lift' similar to a general airplane during flight.
Lilium Jet Demonstrator Achieves First Main Wing Transition For All-Electric Aircraft --YouTube
'Phoenix 2' brought to the experimental site.
Take off vertically from the experimental site.
Gradually increase the altitude ...
In a normal aircraft, the angle of the part corresponding to the flap is changed to accelerate forward. The wings are fitted with straps to visualize the air flow.
It also makes a gentle turn. The speed is maintained at about 122km / h. Up to this point, we are flying by hover.
And adjust the angle of the flap ...
We have succeeded in switching to flight using lift. During the hover flight, the air flow was disturbed and the strings were fluttering, but in the flight using lift, the air flow calmed down and the movement of the strings stopped perfectly.
'Phoenix 2' keeps the flight with lift for a few seconds.
Then, I changed the tilt of the flap again and switched to hover flight.
After that, 'Phoenix 2' slows down and returns to the experimental site ...
I sprayed air with the flaps pointing straight down and landed slowly.
According to Lilium, this flight experiment worked according to the aerodynamic model derived by the development team. Lilium plans to continue flight experiments and expand the flight range of electric airplanes.
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