[clueless123]

Agree with the big benefits for training, specially if you can swap batteries like you do with industrial drones.

Other niche area where there would be a great benefit:

Remote regions like the amazon jungle where a regular trip between villages (no roads what-so-ever) takes hours or days on small powered canoes vs 15 minutes when flying. Electric seaplanes would not only deliver basic modern services (Medical, Police, Business, etc) to these areas but it could do it without the need of shipping expensive fuel from far away.. Solar chargers would take care of that. ( maintenance would be easier too.. )

My small attempt at the technology :) https://youtu.be/zAwpi7VPQTk

[clueless123]

And one more niche area.. Electric engines do not care about low oxygen, going up and down from coastal areas to high altitude Andes is economically achievable. Going from a place like Lima to Jauja in Peru can take 12 hours on a road, but barely 45 minutes by plane.

An early attempt with a Pipistrel sinus motorglider * going back down to the coast requires very little engine time :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOB8yzieYcs

[lifeisstillgood]

That's fantastic

Some silly questions if you don't mind.

1. Up thread people talked about electric ultralights as held back by FAA. Presumably your flights are in different t jurisdiction (Lima etc). Are there enough "pro" jurisdictions to compensate for the FAA "anti"

2. Your propeller (mounted behind you) seems to regularly cut out. Is that a planned thing to save energy? just a series of push then glide?

3. What is needed to go from this to something like regular service ? What is missing from this aircraft ?

[clueless123]

1. This in Peru, far away from FAA's reach ;) 2. No,It must be a camera sync issue.. I was giving it just enough power to keep altitude 3. This was done just for fun.. To prove it could be done, if you wish. The engine (cheap chineese model) crapped out within 10 hours.. Sometime I'll put a newer/better and use it as a sustainer for when thermals are not available

[ZeroGravitas]

I think there's a startup (either YCombinator funded or at least they post here) looking to do this with electric blimps carrying freight containers taking products to ports.