Human-powered flight - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Baraka_Guru · 09-22-2010, 08:37 AM

A University of Toronto graduate student recently broke a flight record using a human-powered ornithopter.

U of T student makes history with human-powered "flapping-wing" plane - thestar.com

I know some of you will say "big deal" or "they used a car to get him up there" or whatever, but I think this is really cool. I like the idea of breaking new ground in such technological endeavours. Watch the video here:
http://vimeo.com/15168317

More details here:
http://vimeo.com/15168011

Other footage here:
Human-Powered Ornithopter on Vimeo

What do you think?

I think this is really cool. It seems all so steampunky or something. I could imagine people launching these units from airships!

braisler · 09-22-2010, 09:09 AM

Very cool indeed. I can't help but wonder if a rear propeller design wouldn't work better. I guess he was going for something quite novel. And the effect is pretty cool to watch. The idea of flapping and imitating the motion of a bird.

Baraka_Guru · 09-22-2010, 09:45 AM

Well, the idea was to go with an ornithopter, which is a device that specifically uses flapping wings.

When I was a kid, I had one in the shape of a bird. You wound it up, threw it like a paper airplane, and watched it go like no paper airplane could.

This sort of thing really captures the imagination.

sweet release · 09-22-2010, 12:19 PM

this is cool .

thanks for sharing it with us

Leto · 09-22-2010, 12:38 PM

I'm trying to see how much of it was gliding/forward momentum versus actual flying. He seemed to go quite a distance.

Really cool.

Jinn · 09-22-2010, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leto

I'm trying to see how much of it was gliding/forward momentum versus actual flying. He seemed to go quite a distance.

Really cool.

They included those details:

Quote:

Todd Reichert, a PhD candidate at the university’s Institute of Aerospace Studies, piloted the wing-flapping aircraft, sustaining both altitude and airspeed for 19.3 seconds and covering a distance of 145 metres at an average speed of 25.6 kilometres per hour.

The reason they included this is that powered flight is the ability to maintain both airspeed and altitude. Gliders cannot maintain both; they can maintain altitude at the cost of airspeed, or airspeed at the cost of altitude. They fly for so long by using thermals to gain altitude, but the climb causes a lost of airspeed. All things fall, and there is no way for a plane to maintain an altitude without trading back and forth with airspeed.

Because he travelled for 19.3 seconds while maintaining altitude and airspeed, he 'flew' for 19.3 seconds, regardless of initial momentum or glide that got him to that airspeed or that altitude.

Fremen · 09-22-2010, 04:43 PM

Cool find, Baraka. Thanks. I followed the wiki link on ornithopters, then the link to the Wow Wee toy website. I now know what the nieces and nephews are getting for Christmas.

Also, Dune is becoming real! Shweet!

Leto · 09-22-2010, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jinn

They included those details:

The reason they included this is that powered flight is the ability to maintain both airspeed and altitude. Gliders cannot maintain both; they can maintain altitude at the cost of airspeed, or airspeed at the cost of altitude. They fly for so long by using thermals to gain altitude, but the climb causes a lost of airspeed. All things fall, and there is no way for a plane to maintain an altitude without trading back and forth with airspeed.

Because he travelled for 19.3 seconds while maintaining altitude and airspeed, he 'flew' for 19.3 seconds, regardless of initial momentum or glide that got him to that airspeed or that altitude.

Ahhh... Thanks Jinn (I obviously don't have an iron pinkie ring!)

that makes sense.

Baraka_Guru · 09-22-2010, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fremen

I followed the wiki link on ornithopters, then the link to the Wow Wee toy website. I now know what the nieces and nephews are getting for Christmas.

Am I the only one who thinks of this first when reading ornithopters?

Leto · 09-23-2010, 02:15 AM

not sure. Here's what I immediately thought of:

Hektore · 09-23-2010, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baraka_Guru

Am I the only one who thinks of this first when reading ornithopters?

I've not seen that card before, but caption is awesome; and probably true.

09-22-2010, 08:37 AM	#1 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	Human-powered flight A University of Toronto graduate student recently broke a flight record using a human-powered ornithopter. U of T student makes history with human-powered "flapping-wing" plane - thestar.com I know some of you will say "big deal" or "they used a car to get him up there" or whatever, but I think this is really cool. I like the idea of breaking new ground in such technological endeavours. Watch the video here: http://vimeo.com/15168317 More details here: http://vimeo.com/15168011 Other footage here: Human-Powered Ornithopter on Vimeo What do you think? I think this is really cool. It seems all so steampunky or something. I could imagine people launching these units from airships! __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot Last edited by Baraka_Guru; 09-22-2010 at 08:40 AM..

09-22-2010, 09:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
braisler Addict Location: Midway, KY	Very cool indeed. I can't help but wonder if a rear propeller design wouldn't work better. I guess he was going for something quite novel. And the effect is pretty cool to watch. The idea of flapping and imitating the motion of a bird. __________________ --- You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother. - Albert Einstein ---

09-22-2010, 09:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	Well, the idea was to go with an ornithopter, which is a device that specifically uses flapping wings. When I was a kid, I had one in the shape of a bird. You wound it up, threw it like a paper airplane, and watched it go like no paper airplane could. This sort of thing really captures the imagination. __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

09-22-2010, 12:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
sweet release Crazy Location: in a constant state of depression	this is cool . thanks for sharing it with us __________________ These Stories don't mean anything if you've got no-one to tell them to. I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you, it's hard to find release and people can be so cold.

09-22-2010, 12:38 PM	#5 (permalink)
Leto Junkie Location: The Danforth	I'm trying to see how much of it was gliding/forward momentum versus actual flying. He seemed to go quite a distance. Really cool. __________________ You said you didn't give a fuck about hockey And I never saw someone say that before You held my hand and we walked home the long way You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr http://dune.wikia.com/wiki/Leto_Atreides_I

09-22-2010, 04:43 PM	#7 (permalink)
Fremen With a mustache, the cool factor would be too much Location: left side of my couch, East Texas	Cool find, Baraka. Thanks. I followed the wiki link on ornithopters, then the link to the Wow Wee toy website. I now know what the nieces and nephews are getting for Christmas. Also, Dune is becoming real! Shweet! __________________ Google

09-23-2010, 02:15 AM	#10 (permalink)
Leto Junkie Location: The Danforth	not sure. Here's what I immediately thought of: __________________ You said you didn't give a fuck about hockey And I never saw someone say that before You held my hand and we walked home the long way You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr http://dune.wikia.com/wiki/Leto_Atreides_I