Joby S2 Tilt VTOL Multirotor Aircraft Project

[hesham]

Hi,

http://article.wn.com/view/2015/12/02/AmSurg_Announces_Pricing_of_Offering_of_5500000_Shares_of_Co/

 

[Bgray]

Reliability would seem to be an issue, but OTH, electric motors are very reliable.

 

[Abraham Gubler]

Reliability would seem to be an issue, but OTH, electric motors are very reliable.

An engine fails and you still have 92% of potential thrust. The problem would be an excess proportion of weight going into propulsion lift (ie motors/batteries/tilting mechanisms/rotors) thanks to many small individual units rather than a few larger - and therefore more efficient - units. Electrically powered aircraft are great for miniature sizings that don't have to carry much of a payload (or any) or a lasting energy source for endurance. Aircraft that need to carry people and things more substantial than a camera from places that are far enough apart to need speeds over 100-200 kph and no traffic problems tend to need a lot more of the gross weight dedicated to payload and energy.

 

[ouroboros]

Joby is effectively milking NASA for funds to develop the S2 via their work on LEAPtech/SCEPTOR, as the latter will work out the power systems and folding props and overall structure for forward flight. Getting to S2 means adding the tiltrotor gear to the LEAPtech wing and working through the problems of transitional flight.