If we are talking passenger or transport stuff, gravity powered (in exchange with aerostatic powered - if you can use that term, as buyoancy also is gravity induced) planes should be the future if we take cuttingthe emissions of current stuff seriously, sustained flight with none or a minimum of fuel:
http://www.gizmag.com/go/3060/
Tech bkgnd by Hunt´s:
http://www.fuellessflight.com/techno/tech.htm
Advantages:
Quote:
The major advantages of the gravityplane are: - does not require fuel, which accounts for over eighty percent (80%) of the operating cost of conventional air travel; and,
- does not have to lift the weight of fuel during take-off or flight; and,
- makes energy instead of using energy via harnessing gravity by use of the wind turbine; and,
- has the capability to take-off and landing vertically, which is a significant advantage over conventional airplanes; and
- can deliver people and products directly to the destination; and,
- does not necessarily need an airport; and,
- has very heavy lifting capabilities on the order of a ship when built to very large size; and,
- is safer because there is no fuel to explode and burn; and,
- is safer because it can gain neutral buoyancy at any time and float in the air, which can prevent a crash landing; and,
- is safer because of use of a dual-aerostatic-lift system that will include the use of vacuum-lift and the use of a lifting gas as a safety feature; and,
- is safer because it is less likely to encounter terrorist activities because there is no fuel to make it a flying bomb; and,
- is environmentally friendly because there are no greenhouse gas emissions; and,
- is environmentally friendly because there is not harm the ozone layer; and,
- is environmentally friendly because there is no noise pollution; and,
- potentially can fly within the stratosphere where the air is thinner so there is less resistance.
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Vid at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPbu5UeW4uk
For current military futuristic projects (that may well be fake) see:
The Machete (SM-27S COIN aircraft) - will we ever see her?
Rattler