The folks at NASA have successfully flown a 10 rotor electric prototype model plane which can take off vertically and then transition into a conventional aircraft mode for flight. Why, you may ask? Well for one thing, it’s very cool to watch, as you’ll see if you check out the video. Is it practical? Who knows? But it’s one more bit of evidence that says electric power will probably hit all forms of transportation eventually.

Greased Lightning, as the craft is known, passed the flight tests with flying (ahem) colors, lifting off vertically, then moving into conventional mode for a flight pattern around the field. If there is a value in this, it’s to show that electric aircraft are definitely becoming more sophisticated and we may even see commercial products in our lifetime. Watch the video to see what we mean.