The US military has just invested in the development of a futuristic adav. The Guardian HoverJet is a vertical take-off stealth aircraft capable of exceeding 700 km/h and landing on water.
You will also be interested
[EN VIDÉO] Kézako: how to make an airplane fly? Around the world, about one plane takes off every second. A century after its beginnings, aviation has become one of the safest means of transport. Like a bird, an airplane flies because it has wings, which generate a force called lift. The University of Lille 1, with the Kézako program, explains this principle to us in this short didactic video.
US Air Force takes a close interest in aircraft vertical take-off and landing (adav) and seeks to equip itself with a model with high speed. To this end, it has just granted financing to the company Valkyrie Systems Aerospace for the development of its Guardian HoverJet.
In order to meet the requirements of the military, the firm did not content itself with creating a electric adav classic. The device will combine two sources ofenergy. The take-off and landing part will indeed be electric, with four propellers directly integrated into its wings. For propulsion, however, the aircraft switches to two conventional gasoline engines, Pratt & Whitney 545c models.
A stealthy and amphibious device
The machine weighs 1,905 kilos empty. Add gasoline, a possible pilot and up to 907 kilos of cargo, and it can reach a total weight of 5,443 kilos. The Guardian HoverJet is capable of sustaining a cruising speed of 547 km/h, and reaching peaks of 724 km/h. Its tank is sufficient to ensure an autonomy of 15 hours up to 12,192 meters above sea level.
The Guardian Hoverjet is not only distinguished by its vertical takeoff. The manufacturer indicates that it is capable of landing on water and ice, and that it has an amphibious mode of operation. It would also be stealth and equipped with many sensors to detect threats and mines, and would work in almost any weather condition. However, it is currently impossible to know where Valkyrie Systems Aerospace is in the development of its aircraft, since the firm has not yet presented a prototype.
Interested in what you just read?