See Darth Vader's shuttle in reality: it flies 22 hours non-stop

Aura Aerospace has reimagined advanced air mobility with a new and different approach.

When folded, the five-seater Ranger looks likethe shuttle of Darth Vader, the villain from the Star Wars movies. According to the company's presentation, it will fly longer than any conventional airliner using a vertical takeoff and landing system.

To do this, Aura Aerospace engineers offeruse a coaxial octacopter system with eight 178 cm two-blade propellers. After the shuttle is lifted into the air, the wing expands to its full width of 23 meters, a pair of turbofan jet engines are turned on, which provide thrust for propulsion.

Ranger Aura Aerospace

In cruise flight and at fullsupported by the wings, the propellers slow to a complete stop and line up, and the small pontoons extend to cover them for minimal resistance. With the propellers retracted, the Ranger can reach speeds of 820 km/h (Mach 0.66). This is slightly slower than most airliners as it flies in denser air at altitudes between 3,050m and 9,150m.

Ranger Aura Aerospace

According to representatives of Aura Aerospace, iffully refuel the Ranger with sustainable jet fuel, it is capable of flying 18,000 km or 22 hours without landing. For reference, a typical Airbus A380 flies a maximum of about 14,800 km if there are passengers on board.

If the fuel supply runs out, then, as the engineers assure, it will still slide and can land or take off from any convenient runway.

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Cover: Hi-tech collage, 10212 Imperial Shuttle New LEGO Andrew Becraft and Ranger Aura Aerospace