alexf Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Swisscopter’s Dragonfly is a small helicopter that has rocket engines on the ends of its rotors blades to propel them: The copter makes use of tiny hydrogen-peroxide-powered rocket motors on the tips of the blades, which replaces the traditional engine-powered rotor. Large fuel tanks surrounding the pilot allow the Dragonfly to travel at up to 40 mph for 50 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griphos Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Man! I don't think I want to be in the same zip code as that thing when it's flying. I'm no engineer, and I don't even play one on TV, and I think the people who think these things up are incredible, but that thing looked like it was trying to shake itself apart there for a while. Wouldn't any small discrepancy in the thrust of each of those little rockets at the end of the rotors lead to some pretty strange dynamics in the rotor? And wouldn't there pretty much have to be discrepancies? Like I said, I don't know. Gotta admire the gumption of that guy, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evoras Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 Looks like a good way to commit suicide to me!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heiko Glatthorn Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 It's... loud. The other guy had his fingers in his ears, no ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennyson Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 He's a member of the Temporary Pilot's Association. It's an annual registration, but most only pay for a year. Always looking for new members!!!!! Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warren Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 That damn thing is more scarey than my ex Mother In Law. Good find, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan2 Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 AT LAST ! - quiet , pollution free transport that can go anywhere - as long as its not more than 33 miles away . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 Reminds me of all the comments that were made when ultralights first were being developed. Look how far they have come in a short time. Other than the fact that rotary wing A/C are a completely different flying experience and require adequate training to master it will be interesting to see where this design goes from here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CathyH Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 IF they could quiet the thing down, I could see applications for the SAS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradHosking Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 I do enjoy the swiss and their incredible imaginations. Without people like this around, too many nanny states would exist! However I have to make an adjustment to the endurance of this unit. Endurance = 50min @ 40MPH Theoretical Endurance = 1sec @ 1000MPH in multiple directions.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arismac Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 I could see applications for the SAS Me too Cathy, like sell them to the enemy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CathyH Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 AL Qaida, they could commit suicide and only blow themselves up "well, you see, Allah, Osama asked me to test this thing....." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Schofield Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Fascinating. I love seeing someone with a pioneering spirit. When was the last time we saw a new method of propulsion? While it's easy to have a laugh (and lets face it, I did too...) it's people like this guy who invented the horseless carriage 125 yesrs ago and powered flight over 100 years ago. Apart from rockets to the moon, not much has happened in the last 50 years. Good on him! I'd be interested to see how viable it is though, both technically and financially. Is there an problem with mixture or other effects at higher altitudes? Is hydrogen peroxide economically viable as a fuel source? Can this thing be increased in size to make it a viable form of transport/weaponary/whatever? I'd love to see them answer "yes" to all these questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradHosking Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Fascinating. I love seeing someone with a pioneering spirit. When was the last time we saw a new method of propulsion? While it's easy to have a laugh (and lets face it, I did too...) it's people like this guy who invented the horseless carriage 125 yesrs ago and powered flight over 100 years ago. Apart from rockets to the moon, not much has happened in the last 50 years. Good on him! I'd be interested to see how viable it is though, both technically and financially. Is there an problem with mixture or other effects at higher altitudes? Is hydrogen peroxide economically viable as a fuel source? Can this thing be increased in size to make it a viable form of transport/weaponary/whatever? I'd love to see them answer "yes" to all these questions. It is viable with one of those points.... if it was to strategically hit the ground, technically that is called a BOMB...and therefore this could be classed indeed as a weapon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex 450 Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Nice idea, but in reality, its dangerous, its expensive, its loud, its a gas guzzler. Just my 2cents Cheers Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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