Despite the fact too that work on the drone has stalled, people keep reading the blog. Although on the few occasions I check the stats, it appears that they most like to read about how I put things together... so let's give them something to read about.
Broadly speaking, eVTOLs are effectively just aircraft with more motors ~ none break new ground. Most of the configurations in which they appear were tried in the past using petrol or turbine engines, and it's only the fact that electrification has made it easier and (relatively) cheaper that things have begun to evolve.
For I've always viewed myself as more failed inventor than designer, and before I got into drones I worked for longer than I care to admit on watercraft and ground-effect aircraft. And I most liked stuff that did a bit of everything on land, sea and air.
I've therefore dusted off a patent spec for a flat-pack catamaran that could be built using methods pioneered among these pages. In doing so too, it appeared it could be made sufficiently light to fly at such times as it might need to... like a duck.
Let's invent then, shall we, a self-launching boat? For what I like about it over eVTOLs per se is that it's (a) safer (b) cheaper and (c) altogether simpler. And as ever I choose a moon-shot like this not so much because it is hard, but because it is easy.
Collaboration though is key and to elicit it you have to inspire. And it's the kindness of strangers, for whereas 'colleagues' will not infrequently let you down, on the internet if you build it then they will come. And if they don't, it was probably shit anyway.
So shall we press our shoulders to the wheel, my old sea dogs?
The author recently suggested that aviation was as corrupt a business as any other, but was clearly having a bad day... don't take it to heart.
