The Mach Initiative, a team of University of Bath graduates, has flown the Kingfisher Mk2, the first 3D-printed RC aircraft powered by a jet turbine. The maiden flight used a Jetcat P60 engine, producing 63 N·m of thrust and reaching 205 mph, but the team says this engine is only for proving the concept.
The record-breaking aircraft, called Kingchaser, is 20% larger and weighs 9 kg. It is mostly printed from PETG, with a PPS-CF engine housing wrapped in carbon fiber and reinforced with aluminum and steel. Titanium exhaust sheets and aluminum tape protect the print from heat. Carbon fiber rods replace the aluminum skeleton to save weight.
The Kingchaser is designed to hit 614 mph (Mach 0.8) using a 150 N·m jet engine, which would beat the current Guinness record held by German pilot Neils Herbrich for nine years. The team has not announced a date for the attempt. They also developed a smaller prototype, Kinglet, using an electric ducted fan to iterate quickly.