Engineers David North (L) and Bill Fredericks (R) carry the Greased Lightning before one of its flight tests. (NASA Langley/David C. Bowman)
Want to know what it’s like to pilot NASA’s remote-controlled plane dubbed Greased Lightning or GL-10?
Then, you have to check out this 360-degree video. It offers a birds-eye view from the pilot’s seat that shows the drone taking off, soaring over the countryside and then landing again.
The GL-10 prototype takes off in hover mode like a helicopter. (NASA Langley/David C. Bowman)
Related: NASA’s ‘Greased Lightning’ drone merges helicopter and plane technology
Developed at NASA's Langley Research Center, Greased Lightning is currently in the design and testing phase. The battery powered drone has a 10-foot wingspan, eight electric motors on the wings, two electric motors on the tail and weighs a maximum of 62 pounds at takeoff.
Greased Lightning has successfully transitioned from hovering like a helicopter to plane-style wing-borne flight during tests.
Much quieter than a traditional aircraft, NASA engineers say that Greased Lightning makes even less noise than a neighbor mowing their lawn with a gas-powered motor.
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