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There are also unpowered rotating wings. Maybe it is possible to combine a "normal" quadrirotor (for vertical takeoff and hovering) with a rotating wing aircra

by jaclaz 6y ago

There are also unpowered rotating wings. Maybe it is possible to combine a "normal" quadrirotor (for vertical takeoff and hovering) with a rotating wing aircraft, the autogyro: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogyro https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogyro to save a lot of energy when traveling horizontally. There is actually this thing here that is already a sort of cross-breed between a helicopter and an autogyro: https://airialrobotics.com/ https://airialrobotics.com/ https://airialrobotics.com/gt20-gyrotrak/ https://airialrobotics.com/gt20-gyrotrak/

matheusmoreira 6y ago
That's really cool! I've read about the use of autorotation but only in the case of emergencies. I had no idea there were entire aircraft based around the concept. Since the rotary wings are unpowered, the autogyro loses many of the properties that make the helicopter so valuable. It requires forward motion in order to move air through the unpowered rotary wings and maintain lift. Looks like they have propellers providing forward thrust just like fixed wing aircraft. The article also states that they're not capable of vertical take off and landing. They need a runway to accelerate just like fixed wing aircraft.
- jaclaz 6y ago
  Yep, but you can still power (when needed) the rotating wing and un-power it when it is not needed (forward travel), that is the "breakthrough" (if it works) of the mentioned GT20: >Helicopter mode for hovering and slow forward flight any time >Gyrocopter mode for fixed wing fast flight and long distance See also gyrocopters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a882megKhVM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a882megKhVM Now, in scale for drones, it may also be possible to have an always unpowered rotor (rotating wing) AND 4 (or 5/6[1]) more conventional small rotors for vertical take off/landing and hovering. [1] just thinking aloud, but it would probably be simpler to have four horizontal small rotors, like a "common" drone and an additional one or two vertical to provide trust forward like a traditional airplane or autogyro.

by jaclaz 6y ago

matheusmoreira 6y ago

That's really cool! I've read about the use of autorotation but only in the case of emergencies. I had no idea there were entire aircraft based around the concept. Since the rotary wings are unpowered, the autogyro loses many of the properties that make the helicopter so valuable. It requires forward motion in order to move air through the unpowered rotary wings and maintain lift. Looks like they have propellers providing forward thrust just like fixed wing aircraft. The article also states that they're not capable of vertical take off and landing. They need a runway to accelerate just like fixed wing aircraft.

jaclaz 6y ago
Yep, but you can still power (when needed) the rotating wing and un-power it when it is not needed (forward travel), that is the "breakthrough" (if it works) of the mentioned GT20: >Helicopter mode for hovering and slow forward flight any time >Gyrocopter mode for fixed wing fast flight and long distance See also gyrocopters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a882megKhVM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a882megKhVM Now, in scale for drones, it may also be possible to have an always unpowered rotor (rotating wing) AND 4 (or 5/6[1]) more conventional small rotors for vertical take off/landing and hovering. [1] just thinking aloud, but it would probably be simpler to have four horizontal small rotors, like a "common" drone and an additional one or two vertical to provide trust forward like a traditional airplane or autogyro.