The world's largest aircraft breaks cover in Silicon Valley | TechCrunch
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As dawn breaks over Silicon Valley, the world is getting its first look at Pathfinder 1, a prototype electric airship that its maker LTA Research hopes
  • Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.worldEnglish
    10·
    2 years ago

    For everyone saying it has no market… some googling finds it is intended for slow cargo delivery to places that have no existing infrastructure. Also this is a prototype, so the bigger ones will have a much larger capacity. They also say it is for disaster relief, similarly to places with no infra, or where that infrastructure has been destroyed like in an earthquake or what not.

  • Aceticon@lemmy.worldEnglish
    82·
    2 years ago

    I do believe those are traditionally called airships rather than aircraft or is the renaming of lighter-than-air dirigibles to “aircraft” yet another example of Silicon Valley Marketing spinning yet-another-reinventing-of-the-wheel as innovation.

  • TheLurker@lemmy.worldEnglish
    21·
    2 years ago

    Wow another revolutionary invention coming out of silicon valley.

    What a brilliant visionary Sergey Brin is.

  • NaibofTabr@infosec.pubEnglish
    0·
    2 years ago

    Twelve electric motors powered by diesel generators and batteries enable vertical take-off and landing. They can propel the Pathfinder 1 at up to 65 knots (75 mph), although its initial flights will be at much lower speeds.

    Who the hell wants a 2-day ride to London?

    Archer apparently got the math on that right too, in 2010. New York to London is about 3500 miles, which would take about 47 hours at the top speed of 75 mph.

    I can’t believe they actually got enough money to build this thing. It’s like a vaporware project that somehow made it.

    The market for this must be literally dozens of people.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      0·
      2 years ago

      Honestly? I would love to take a 2-day trip to London on an airship. That sounds like a great adventure. You’re not on a ship, so you don’t get seasick, and you’re not on a plane, so there’s plenty of room to move around.