Drone Brings Local Specialties to Scare People to Death

Chapter 28: Drone Delivers Local Specialties – Terrifying

Getting into the car, Chen Yi held his laptop and looked at the weathered, white-haired elder beside him.

"Uncle, you're not an investigator, are you? You must be a professor. May I ask your name?"

"An unknown old professor, not worth mentioning."

Sensing Chen Yi's nervousness, the elder smiled, "President Chen doesn't need to be so tense.

This time, I, an old man, just saw your Yifei's lunar drone and had some questions I wanted to understand.

I'm not here to direct your work, nor to impose any restrictions on Yifei.

On the contrary, Yifei has done a great job.

Through these few live broadcasts, you've done an excellent job of promoting the scientific spirit of our people.

You've announced to the world that our people also possess great knowledge, great learning, and great technology.

Across the ocean, there's SpaceX and Max.

We also have Yifei, and a genius like President Chen."

So much official talk, it's hard to believe you're just here to understand some issues, Chen Yi thought, no longer a naive fresh graduate. But outwardly, he pretended to be relieved.

"Professor, what questions do you have? I promise to tell you everything I know without reservation."

The professor nodded and got straight to the point, "The Yifei lunar drone you just used, it employed a rotating detonation engine, right?"

"Yes, the drone has limited fuel. Ordinary engines can hardly enter planetary orbit, let alone reach the moon.

The first time I live-streamed a sprint to space, I tried a combination of a turbofan engine and a rocket engine, along with an oxidizer. I found the specific impulse was too low to complete the moon landing.

So, I changed it to a rotating detonation engine, which has a self-pressurizing effect and a greater specific impulse."

Chen Yi explained frankly.

Aside from adjusting and upgrading the system, or if he had replaced and manufactured it himself, he hid nothing else.

"Rotating detonation engines are the main direction for the next generation of super-engines.

Many countries, including ours and those across the ocean, are still in the laboratory stage.

It's incredible that Yifei has already produced a mass-producible solution for a technology that many countries have failed to break through in their research."

Towards the end, the professor let out a deep sigh of admiration.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yi immediately made a statement.

He said this was a technology he had researched by chance.

Since the country had a need, he would organize the relevant data and send it to the professor after some time, submitting it to the nation.

Faced with Chen Yi's enthusiastic statement, the professor was stunned for a moment, then shook his head.

"There's no need to submit it.

This is technology you and Yifei developed. The country will not take the research results of individuals.

For this rotating detonation engine technology, you will be paid a patent compensation based on its value."

After speaking, the professor turned to ask Chen Yi some technical questions, including some technical formulas and principles.

It seemed he was genuinely there to seek knowledge, not for any other reason.

Chen Yi answered all these questions.

He spoke about what he knew and frankly admitted what he didn't.

Regarding the rotating detonation engine, he explained some key structural components and some technical points derived from research on the actual lunar drone.

Chen Yi even engaged in an in-depth discussion with the professor on technologies related to engine manufacturing, aircraft manufacturing, and aerodynamic layout.

This discussion and conversation lasted for over three hours.

It wasn't until a few young men with buzz cuts returned with packed dinners that the two reluctantly stopped their discussion.

"Xiao Chen, I'll send you an application when I get back. Come take classes when you have time, pursue a direct Ph.D., and help you improve your foundational knowledge.

Although you've done extensive research in rocket and aerospace, aircraft manufacturing, and aerodynamic layout, your foundation is too weak and needs significant improvement," the professor suggested to Chen Yi while eating a box lunch, not minding the simple meal.

As an academician in the field of aircraft, the professor had spent over three hours discussing and chatting with Chen Yi.

The professor discovered that Chen Yi was a true genius.

In the fields of aircraft design and manufacturing, engine manufacturing, and aerodynamic layout, he surpassed most professors.

Some technical details were unheard of and unseen, full of imaginative flair.

Yet, upon closer thought, they perfectly aligned with data and theory, and could even be slightly modified and applied to the sixth-generation fighter jet currently under development.

However, in many fundamental areas, such as aerospace fundamentals, mathematical foundations, and physics foundations, Chen Yi was lacking, possessing only the excellent level of an undergraduate student.

These fundamental deficiencies and academic imbalances would undoubtedly affect Chen Yi's future development and waste his talent.

This made some professors who valued talent feel truly unwilling to see it.

Chen Yi, who was eating, stopped and looked up.

"Uh, Professor, I only have a junior college degree, and I haven't even completed the junior college to bachelor's degree transfer.

It's been five years since graduation, isn't it a bit much to go back and pursue a direct Ph.D.?"

Chen Yi shook his head, politely declining the suggestion to return to school.

Go back to school?

What a joke.

It had been five years since he graduated, and he had been starting businesses for over four years.

He was long accustomed to the monotonous life of being a boss; how could he possibly get used to going back to school?

Moreover, returning to campus meant attending classes every day, surrounded by a crowd of classmates.

It would be difficult for him to develop any black technology without being mobbed on the spot.

"A direct Ph.D. is not an undergraduate degree."

"At that time, besides following me on some projects and learning to supplement your foundational knowledge, you would have a lot of free time."

Professor Zhang explained.

"I'll pass on that. It's been so long since graduation, I won't be used to being back in school.

I can self-study the foundational knowledge myself. Professor, you can just recommend some book lists and literature lists for me."

Chen Yi waved his hand, still choosing to refuse.

"Alright.

I'll send you a list of books and literature when I get back, and you can study and supplement it yourself."

Forcing a melon to ripen won't make it sweet.

Seeing that Chen Yi genuinely didn't want to go back to school, Professor Zhang didn't push it and asked another question.

"Your lunar drone today, how much fuel does it have left? Is it enough to change orbit and decelerate to fly to the moon?"

"Twenty-two percent. There will still be some left after reaching the moon."

"There's still so much fuel left? Can it decelerate and return?" Professor Zhang's eyes lit up.

"No, the drone wasn't designed for high-temperature friction. It would likely crash upon re-entry into the atmosphere."

Chen Yi shook his head firmly.

Returning was impossible.

He would have to wait some time, manufacture another rotating detonation engine, read the technical information, and send it to the professor.

If he let the drone return now, he wouldn't even know how to answer if asked about the engine's technical details.

"That's a shame."

Professor Zhang sounded regretful and then suggested, "Yifei's live broadcast today was sensational enough. You should stop broadcasting for the subsequent lunar flight phase.

You should know what your lunar drone could become with a few modifications.

Yifei and your security are not yet in place.

Exposing too many technical details might not only scare the other side but also be detrimental to your personal safety."

"Okay."

"In that case, I won't broadcast the subsequent lunar landing. I'll just take a few photos."

Chen Yi considered it and agreed to Professor Zhang's suggestion.

His consciousness wave had already reached 7 million, which was enough for the short term. If he didn't broadcast, he didn't broadcast.

There was no need to risk his personal safety for the sake of consciousness waves.

As for what the drone could become with modifications, Chen Yi naturally understood.

It could enter Earth orbit, and it could land on the moon.

Even after completing the lunar landing, it still had surplus fuel.

If it brought back some special local products, with one-day delivery globally and three-day delivery from the moon, it would definitely shock people to death.