Engineering360: "Video: MIT Develops a Solid-State Plane Powered by Ionic Wind"

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Seems steady enough in the still air of a gym, but how much of a cross-wind could it resist?

How much electrostatic discharge from a lightning strike in an electrical storm could it withstand?

5-pounds of weight over a 5-foot wingspan sounds interesting all by itself, though maybe a little flimsy...

I am not sure how this would work in condeensing conditions or rain.

Bottom line will be efficiency: How much thrust power do you get for a watt of electrical power? If that can even come close to the efficiency of an ICE or turbine, then they have something.

Electrical power generation could be accomplished using 30 yo LFTR salt reactor feeding electric turbofans and ionic tech.

Please see US Patent 10,119,527 and flight videos on Google.

How much energy did the bungee cord impart when launched? Could it take off on its own? Looks like most impetus for flight came from the bungee.

Propulsion systems for aircraft without takeoff assistance (e.g. a catapult) are all sized for the takeoff and climb power condition. The power requirement for this phase of flight is nearly always much greater than at cruise, meaning the engines have to be big enough to get you airborne but then at cruise they're not working flat out.

What the team have done here is sized their propulsion system for cruise (making it lighter), just to prove they can stay afloat. They have then used a catapult to get airborne.

Cheaters using a catapult

A good point, but they were outside in the prevailing wind at Kitty Hawk.

Surprisingly, the MIT ion propelled glider was NOT "the first ion propelled aircraft of any kind to carry its power supply," as Barrett claims in his paper and video. The real first such device to carry its power supply is called the "Self Contained Ion Propelled Aircraft." It is protected by US Patent 10,119,527, that has been in effect since 2014. It has a far higher power to weight ratio and efficiency level, than the MIT glider. You will find more than adequate substantiation for these facts online. www.electronairllc.org