Full sized electric helicopters?

[Ronnie328]

Lithium batteries... at present still too unstable, condensation and altitude issues could be the issue of the day...

As to the caps, we have went from 5 farad to 5,000 farad in just what 7 years... so give it a few more any bets on how long before they hit the 500,000 farad mark?

So we get to 50 secs of flight?

and by 'flight,' i of course mean 'almost spinning up to speed' lol

 

[Sheldon]

So we get to 50 secs of flight?

and by 'flight,' i of course mean 'almost spinning up to speed' lol

Tech in improving, lighter more efficient electric motors, light weight cap banks, it takes time.

Once upon a time your big flat screen LCD TV would have been considered science fiction, so was your computer or tablet, it all takes time and it will happen...

That is not unless someone takes the bull by the reigns and actually gives it a go...

 

[gwellbeing]

Upcoming Electric Helicopter by French pool company

 

[gwellbeing]

The conventional electric helicopter will be based on the French Microcopter MC1

MICROCOPTER MC1 HOMEBUILD HELICOPTER FIRST FLIGHT - YouTube

 

[vickijohnk]

Post #2 had me lol. To anyone who has had a large value capacitor blow up in your face the whole idea seems nuts. John K.

 

[RayPierce]

Time and Distance

Time and Distance

Let me know when one will carry me from Aiken, SC to Wrens, Ga. and still have 30 minutes of flight time left. Recharge. Then back to Aiken with that same 30 minute reserve.
I believe it will be a long time coming and then only if we are permitted to do so.

 

[Rotor Rooter]

Let me know when one will carry me from Aiken, SC to Wrens, Ga. and still have 30 minutes of flight time left. Recharge. Then back to Aiken with that same 30 minute reserve.
I believe it will be a long time coming and then only if we are permitted to do so.

Pascal is working on the application of onboard Gensets for helicopters. This may provide for longer flight times in electrically powered helicopters.


If you want to get from Aiken, SC to Wrens, Ga. and back really fast then how about a Porsche 918 hybrid ?
608 horsepower, with two electric motors delivering an additional 279 horsepower, for a combined output of 887 horsepower.


Dave

 

[Arnie Madsen]

......................Some numbers to play with :................

From Tesla's own website :

-- complete car including batteries weighs 2900 lbs (1300 kg)

--The AC induction motor and single speed gear box create instant torque from 0 rpm. Up to 295 lbs-ft of torque and 300 horsepower are produced as the car smoothly accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 second

-- Battery range 245 miles (394 km) ... aprox 4 hours

Automotive testing site "Top Speed" reports :

-- Last time we saw the Tesla Model S on a dyno, it turned in 388 horsepower, but the folks over AutoCar wanted to see for themselves just how much power the electric Tesla Model S can deliver.

--They took the electric sedan to the folks at Surrey Rolling Road Ltd., and put the Model S to the horsepower test. The resulting 428.2 horsepower is rather impressive, considering Tesla only rates it at 416 horsepower. This also makes us wonder what the other testers did wrong to lead to the Model S pumping out drastically less power.

So we certainly have some "proven'' electric motors 200 hp to 300 hp which should lift 2000 lbs to 3000 lbs with 1/2 the weight being batteries

Sikorsky electric firefly claims 15 minutes at 90 mph
The basic 269 weighs about 1000 lbs so probably batteries weigh another 1000 lbs for a machine weight of 2000 lbs .... but no useful payload

Dead or low batteries weigh as much as charged ones so that is a drawback , whereas fuel powered helis can have more payload by carrying less fuel when required.

.

I still wish Sikorsky had given us a 10 minute demonstration

.

 

[Rotor Rooter]

Arnie, yes the power/weight ratio is the limiting aspect of electric rotorcraft.


Just some thoughts about future electric rotorcraft;

1. A very large portion of the future comercial/military rotorcraft will likely be unmanned. This means that, if the much stated ability to increase the power/weight ration by 10 to 1 comes about, then UAV rotorcraft will have flight times of 2.5 to 3.3 hours; without any significant improvements to the aerodynamics.
2. The power/weight ratio is what the first rotorcraft creators were confronted with. Perhaps today's rotorcraft aerodynamicists [and creative recreationalists] should do is rethink the way in which VTOL craft interact with their aerodynamic environment,
   Perhaps they might want to reassess that which the early creators tried; for the very same reason.
   Perhaps they should consider the reasons why the recent manned flight could likely be powered by 4 fractional gearmotors.​

P.S. Sikorsky's patent application US Patent 20090140095 for 'ELECTRIC POWERED ROTARY-WING AIRCRAFT' has had all it's claims rejected a number of time and 4 years later it is still rejected.


Dave

 

[Sheldon]

Post #2 had me lol. To anyone who has had a large value capacitor blow up in your face the whole idea seems nuts. John K.

so you shorted it.... bad juju...

 

[RayPierce]

Pascal is working on the application of onboard Gensets for helicopters. This may provide for longer flight times in electrically powered helicopters.


If you want to get from Aiken, SC to Wrens, Ga. and back really fast then how about a Porsche 918 hybrid ?
608 horsepower, with two electric motors delivering an additional 279 horsepower, for a combined output of 887 horsepower.


Dave

That's too sexy. I would have to fight off the chicks an give up on flying around in an electric helicopter.

I believe a genset would use up more energy that it could produce in keeping a helicopter aloft. In other words the genset would have to keep itself weightless to generate much of a benefit. Other wise we will be discussing perpetual motion machines.

My original comment was to satisfy a requirement for certified aircraft and pilots flying those aircraft. No matter how long you fly there had better be a 30 minute reserve left when you land.

Might as well gas her up and use a regular internal combustion engine for the moment. One day I'm sure someone will come up with energy storage device and a motor that will allow us to do that.