alternative to aviation fuels
What’s different about the X-57 is that the wings are completely redesigned with propellers positioned to optimise air flow around them. When a propeller is not needed, its blades can be folded back to reduce drag. Some aircraft even use “vectored thrust” by allowing the motors and propellers to rotate, which gives the option of vertical takeoff and landing. These aircraft might more resemble
But that will be an important challenge for electric aircraft developers to overcome. Lithium batteries are pretty much the best we’ve got so far, but they are still heavy. Lithium metal is also hazardous as itThere are advantages with using batteries. Their weight stays constant throughout the flight, meaning they don’t need to be stored in the wings as aviation fuel traditionally has been.