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No, it's not just eliminating the pilot, although yes electric making that easier is one aspect. An electric aircraft can have multiple engines (to wit: an oct
by rstuart4133 7y ago
No, it's not just eliminating the pilot, although yes electric making that easier is one aspect.
An electric aircraft can have multiple engines (to wit: an octocopter) rather than just one a turbine that is a both high tolerance technological marvel and high maintenance. They don't need to long high speed blades whirring above to achieve VTOL, they can have small propellers in cowling's. They don't have to carry lots of highly flammable fuel that is highly likely to start a fire in suburbia ifthey become ubiquitous. With luck they will have solid state batteries. They don't need spinning wings under high stress, they can have passive wings that glide naturally. They don't need a big heavy engine to generate the power needed for takeoff, as powerful electric engines are powerful yet small, light and easily redirected without a gear train.
A lot of things change. Admittedly some are way worse for electric, like flight endurance - and so it's no coincidence we are talking about taxi's here, not long haul fights. But when it comes to taxi's most things are improvements over ICE engines we have now. Thinking it is just about the presence or absence of a pilot is simplifying things way too much.