DLR Smartfish

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) Smartfish is a two seated experimental aircraft designed by Konrad Schafroth which uses a lifting body configuration.

Unlike most aircraft, the Smartfish is modeled after the Tuna species of fish. This makes the plane fly steadily without error-prone slats, spoilers or flaps. The projected range of the aircraft is 8000 km at about Mach 0.9. There are few working model exemplars of the Smartfish.

A fuel cell-powered model has been built in collaboration with German Aerospace Center (DLR) and, according to the factory, flew in April 2007.

A proposal for a hybrid airship based on the Smartfish's geometry has also been published.[1]

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Similar bionic vehicles

See also

References

  1. ^ Frey, P.J.; Seifert, J. (2008). "Promising Lifting Body Configuration for Hybrid Airship Application". 7th International Airship Convention 2008. Friedrichshafen, Germany: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt. 

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