Phil1111 901 #1 March 17, 2016 http://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/articles/2016/01/ehang-184-autonomous-aerial-vehicle.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #2 March 17, 2016 Phil1111 http://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/articles/2016/01/ehang-184-autonomous-aerial-vehicle.html Looks like it'll have the glide ratio of a brick when SHTF (Only marginally worse than a Piper Arrow )"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoink 321 #3 March 17, 2016 Looks like a great way to dice pedestrians though! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #4 March 17, 2016 Phil1111http://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/articles/2016/01/ehang-184-autonomous-aerial-vehicle.html One problem would be altitude - your signal strength goes down significantly as you go up.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GD64 1 #5 March 17, 2016 Looks like a modern version of the old Gyro-Copter. An infamous skydiver lost power on his "Gyro" and auto rotated in like a rock. Broke his back in multiple locations, got healed, and went on to make thousands of jumps. But no more Gyro captaining. Looks like SPORT DEATH to me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bessie 0 #6 March 18, 2016 Quote: "has a load capacity of 220 pounds" Heck, that won't even get me and my groceries home. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #7 March 18, 2016 I don't think those fixed pitch, direct drive, drone type vehicles have the ability to autorotate. Do any experts out there know for sure? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,339 #8 March 18, 2016 JohnMitchellI don't think those fixed pitch, direct drive, drone type vehicles have the ability to autorotate. Do any experts out there know for sure? Not an expert, but no. If there's no collective pitch control, then auto rotating simply isn't going to happen. As was noted, any mechanical failure is going to be disastrous. And I question the reality of this thing. While quad rotor units are very popular in the miniature world, that sort of stuff doesn't really scale up. Weight increases as a cube function. The power needed to operate that "little thing" is going to be pretty significant. And motors to generate that sort of power aren't going to be light, adding to the weight question. I have my doubts that the power system (batteries, motors, controls, wires, rotors) can be done at 100kg. And that doesn't include the rest of the thing. Electric model helis are pretty popular (I got into them a little bit a few years ago). The battery tech and motor tech was pretty advanced, and has probably advanced even more. But it was really 'cutting edge', maybe a bit beyond. Batteries were pretty powerful, with charge & discharge rates far beyond what you'd see in consumer stuff (phones, laptops, ect). But the "price" for that was that they were very volatile, with fire being a very real danger. And even the "big" ones were still not very big. Maybe 6 foot diameter rotors. Look at the size (area) of the main rotor on even a "little" helicopter (full scale). Then look at the area on this thing. I have real doubts that it can actually lift a person off the ground."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 901 #9 March 19, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G4Qduvn5og Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,380 #10 March 19, 2016 Phil1111 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G4Qduvn5og "Not a helicopter"?From Merriam-Webster: helicopter: an aircraft whose lift is derived from the aerodynamic forces acting on one or more powered rotors turning about substantially vertical axes"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,339 #11 March 19, 2016 There's about 10 seconds of flight footage. I'm not sure if it's a full scale version. I don't see anyone inside. The windows in the one in the air are heavily tinted, the windows in the one on stage are clear. The way the thing "bobbles" in flight makes me wonder how big it really is. I have my doubts. Show me unedited footage of someone getting in and taking off, where I can see them inside the thing in flight and I will admit I'm wrong (I certainly could be). But I don't see anything convincing in that video."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,380 #12 March 19, 2016 Prior art: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moller_M400_Skycar "There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
