Latest attempt at getting airborne on battery power.

[Resasi]

Not sure how long this would remain airborne. Probably quite quiet. CopterPack is an electric backpack helicopter with a self-levelling autopilot. The lightweight airframe is constructed from carbon fiber honeycomb. No details about range endurance.

The rotors are enclosed on the outside, but from the top or underneath, they are completely open and spinning at high speed. Any type of accident could put the pilot’s arms directly inside the whirling blades, adding mesh above and below the rotors could go a long way to making the system safer..

There are no complicated flight controls; the rotors move back-and-forth on a central axle. There's throttle lever for the right hand and a three-axis joystick for the left. The craft moves in the direction you tilt the joystick but if the pilot lets go, the autopilot will level the aircraft.

 

[Brian Jackson]

The yaw control is pretty impressive to watch. My major concern about the latest crop of drone-style multi-rotor craft is the inability to autorotate. I would imagine a small BRS would become standard/common when they eventually see more commercial success.

 

[Resasi]

It would certainly be a bit of a bummer to have the fans stop couple of hundred feet up.

 

[Chris Burgess]

I fell off 3 foot stilts I was strapped onto and broke a wrist in my early teens. Landed hard in a Easy Riser where my legs were the "main-gear" in my 20's, broke and ankle on that one. If it won't autorotate, might be something this old "osteoporosis" guy needs to steer clear of. Even 3 feet can really hurt

 

[Oskar]

What exactly is the advantage of one of these machines over an electric Mosquito helicopter which has a payload of 85kg, hover endurnce of 20 minutes, and most importantly can autorotate?

 

[schmoe90]

What exactly is the advantage of one of these machines over an electric Mosquito helicopter which has a payload of 85kg, hover endurnce of 20 minutes, and most importantly can autorotate?

I'm guessing it'll be a lot easier to fly. But there's a reason for that... there's a lot less to it.

 

[Oskar]

I'm guessing it'll be a lot easier to fly.

"So why do you fly one of those?"

"Because it's a lot easier to fly!"

"Hmmm..."

 

[btd1982]

I would hope price would be the difference between this and an electric mosquito. If they can make it affordable surely they would sell. If you wanted to fly just above the ground this would be ideal, any higher, perhaps not. It's certainly an exciting development, way better than any other ducted prop type machines I've seen.

 

[C. Beaty]

Better rush out and invest some money in this scheme.

 

[btd1982]

Better rush out and invest some money in this scheme.

Think I'll let someone else take that risk I'm good enough at loosing money as it is.

 

[Brian Jackson]

I'm guessing it'll be a lot easier to fly. But there's a reason for that... there's a lot less to it.

The advantage of these style craft, besides the ability to operate in confined spaces, is that it can be fly-by-wire. Stability can be handled via microprocessor. As you mentioned about its ease, I see it like instantly being able to ride a Segway versus spending months learning how to ride a unicycle.

 

[Martin W.]

To my surprise there is a successful electric VTOL
Google "BLACKFLY VTOL"
First flight 2011 (prototype)
Continued refinement to date - getting ready for production
Deep pockets financially (Larry Page of google)
Burt Rutan called it a clever design

 

[Brian Jackson]

To my surprise there is a successful electric VTOL
Google "BLACKFLY VTOL"
First flight 2011 (prototype)
Continued refinement to date - getting ready for production
Deep pockets financially (Larry Page of google)
Burt Rutan called it a clever design

That's sweet. Kind of a tilt-rotor arrangement like the Osprey.

 

[Martin W.]

That's sweet. Kind of a tilt-rotor arrangement like the Osprey.

Burt Rutan commented that it functions as a tilt rotor without actually tilting anything (extremely simple)

Props and wings are fixed and tilted 45 degrees
For vertical flight fuselage is also tilted 45 degrees (more power to front propellers)
For forward flight increase power to rear props (to level fuselage)
Then it flies like a fixed wing biplane (wings provide the lift)

Much of the effort has been focused on a very user-friendly computer system that controls power to each prop
Computer control system has triple redundancy
Each motor operates independently and has its own dual battery pack isolated from the other 8
Aircraft can fly with one motor disabled
Has thousands of hours testing time over 10 years
FAR 103 ultralight category

I have followed this closely and see no issues ... except I think the fuselage is butt-ugly and not sure if I would like 45 degree hanging angle of the pilot during vertical flight

 

[Martin W.]

 

[Vance]

As I recall I saw the Black Fly at AirVenture in 2018 and they promised to be selling them in 2019.

It appears to me they have missed their promised goal.

They had a very aggressive reliability testing program.

The spokesman had visions of training people to fly the Black Fly quickly and having unlicensed pilots flying them as an ultralight.

Top speed in level flight was claimed to be 62 miles per hour for 25 minutes for a range of 25 miles.

It appeared to me that each propeller had its own motor and battery system.

A different but similar Black Fly was outside at Air Venture 2019 and said it will be ready when it is ready and hoped to be able to sell them by the end of the year.

I may go to AirVenture this year and it will be interesting to hear their new production date if the Black Fly is there.

 

[WaspAir]

What exactly is the advantage of one of these machines over an electric Mosquito helicopter which has a payload of 85kg, hover endurnce of 20 minutes, and most importantly can autorotate?

What's the advantage of a motorcycle over a convertible (with bigger payload, range, and most importantly stays upright on slippery roads)?

 

[Kevin_Richey]

I recall Blackfly had announced cancellation of their development w/out any explanation...

From Wikipedia: "In discussing the design in person with Leng at AirVenture in July 2018, AVweb reviewer Paul Bertorelli indicated that it is "a terrific idea and I’m betting the concept itself has legs, whether Opener’s version fails to gain a market or not", but expressed concern about the lack of pricing and "cost/value relationship" marketing overreach. However he did indicate that "It’s early in their game and they have a long developmental road ahead before selling these things." Bertorelli also expressed concern that the company did not allow journalists access to look over the aircraft and would not answer any technical questions.[6]"

That last sentence I highlighted in red is telling. I was looking forward to seeing it become a flying vehicle for the masses.

 

[C. Beaty]

Electric flying machines are entirely practical; all that’s required is a long, heavy duty extension cord.
For contemplating operation on storage batteries, it would be a good idea to compare the amount of energy stored in a pound of gasoline vs a pound of storage battery and then looking at the energy requirement of a rotary wing flying machine.
Old Issac Newton with his conservation of energy laws was a real spoilsport for us fantasizers.

 

[Oskar]

Electric flying machines are entirely practical; all that’s required is a long, heavy duty extension cord.

I've flown for two hours now without an extension cord and will never go back to gas powered. For A to B flying electric is (for now at least) not an option, but for the type of flying I do nothing comes close to electric. The torque characteristics of an electric drivetrain are perfectly suited for helicopters.
I think we are at the point where RC helicopters were 20 years ago. I was flying gas powered helicopters when the first electrics made their appearance, looked at them, and said they will never take over. I was wrong, 10 years later all RC helicopters were electric.