I welcome the technology and the idea of having such vehicles available. With sufficient control reliability and electronic navigation systems they could be quite useful as commercially operated for-hire transportation using licensed pilots just as we do today with private fixed wing planes and helicopters.
But to make them easily available to untrained operators or pilot-free automated craft would present problems.
failure may result in craft striking occupied property located on the ground
kidnapping would become a breeze
there are no parking places in the sky
mid-air electrical failure turns the flying craft into a rock with no gliding or autorotation remedies. (perhaps they all need to have automatic parachutes…but that increases the weight)
Before the SR 71 was the Lockheed A 12. They resemble each other, but the later was lighter, faster and flew higher. Used in Vietnam for strategic reconnaissance it had one close call with a SAM missal. Its true capabilities and missions are still secret. Great tutorial.
Another great concept aircraft that never went into production.
The Good News is there’s still ongoiing work on upgrading the remaining F-15’s and 16’s instead of shelving them all to be replaced with the much more expensive F-22’s and 35’s.
In any serious conflict we need the best stealth tech we can for covert and first strike capability but those platforms could still play a vital role in the air dominance equation for decades to come with a few upgrades.
Ground Effect is the name given to the positive influence on the lifting characteristics of the horizontal surfaces of an aircraft wing when it is close to the ground. This effect is a consequence of the distortion of the airflow below such surfaces attributable to the proximity of the ground. It applies to both fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
Various jet and rocket packs have been in development for more than 70 years.
The problem is fuel/power/lifting capacity. We tested some military personal lifting prototypes in the eighties/early nineties but kept running up against the same problems plaguing development back into the forties and fifties.
These new electric/electronic micro turbofans may finally “Get it done”.
