On Thursday, April 9, 2020 at 2:57:10 AM UTC-4, kinsell wrote:
On 4/9/20 12:05 AM, wrote:

To quote Dave Nadler, "How hard could it be?"

Love the quote. Actually, this would be right up my alley. I've developed a few aircraft from scratch and people pay me a lot of money to modify special mission airplanes. A multi-motor self-launcher would be pretty easy to do as a modification to an existing self-launcher; probably a 3 month project. Perhaps I'll get around to this eventually, but first I have some more pressing items on my wish list!


Wow. The GP folks are about four years late in delivering product and
you can do all this in three months!! Go for it!!!

Actually the Alice electric plane has much of the redundancy that you're
asking for. Three motors with dual inverters on each of them, a highly
segmented battery configuration that can be reconfigured almost
infinitely. At least on paper it has those things, they burned up their
prototype before getting to taxi tests.

Clearly you are a brilliant developer.
I'll describe my experience with this task.
Start with existing self launch sailplane having a fuel to noise converter. ASW-24E
Procure a group of components from existing supplier that was/is being used by a developer of self launch sailplanes. 10 week delivery.
Engineer and implement modifications to incorporate "proven" components. 10 weeks part time.
Test
Component failure (drive).
Return for warranty repair 4 weeks.
Test
Component failure (drive).
Return for warranty repair 4 weeks.
Test
Component failure (drive).
Return for warranty repair. Manufacturer say they can't repair due to my modifications. There were none. 3 weeks.
Source alternative controller used in another proven glider. 3 weeks.
Integrate, develop control and instrumentation to replace items obsoleted by controller change and get running. 6 weeks.
Test fly. Multiple sessions.
Now flying but more work to do to get full power and functionality.
So far this has taken a bit over 2 years, admittedly not full time.
If there was am identified and proven set of compatible components it might be possible for a very skilled person or group to do fast track. Given that I have seen no such group, I seriously doubt the projection is even close to realistic.
Given time this will be made to work well, but it won't be fast, or cheap.
Been there- Doing that
UH