this post was submitted on 29 Jun 2025
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Futurology

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (2 children)

It's real goofy-lookin'.

I can't imagine it's a lift-versus-speed thing. Like how human-powered aircraft have the longest and skinniest wings possible.

Was it shaped that way just to do the quadcopter thing, which they've apparently not used here? I feel like you could just extend the nose so the wings are in the middle, and have a plane that's still plane-shaped.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Reminds me a lot of a Cessna Mixmaster. No front propeller, and the horizontal tail attaches to the engine cowling rather than crossing behind the propeller.

My instinct would be to go full Rutan, build a canard. If we're going with a single engine pusher. No need for the tail booms, everything produces lift, the main problem is flaps really aren't a thing with canards, you land them clean. But, if you're going to bolt VTOL to it somehow, who cares?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

There's a thin line between "that looks kind of silly" and "it worked in Kerbal Space Program."

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

I mean, my vision is basically an electric Velocity.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

Does say that vertical takeoff is part of the plan. Probably worth an awkward looking plane if the goal is to eliminate the need for infrastructure like modern airports.