Firefly is an electricity powered helicopter developed by Sikorsky

Electric power has never appealed much to the folks who build helicopters, until now. This has probably been so due to the weight issues the batteries involved have been facing, taken that they’re too heavy to enable a safe flight. Well, things are changing, and helicopters of the future could be as green as a leaf, with electric power. Sikorsky has proved that the helicopter, following a stringent set of designs since the last 50 years, can also use electricity. The Firefly as they choose to call it, is based on a S-300C trainer, with the 190-hp 4 cylinder gas engine ripped out to make way for an electric motor coupled with lithium-ion batteries.

Now don’t go dreaming about flying in one of these in the near future. The battery lasts just 15 minutes, which is indeed really low. The helicopter probably wouldn’t travel a few feet in that. But then again, this is the start to a revolution in the aviation world.


[Dvice]