6 ms·
Sooo, when will they realize a helicopter is more efficient?
by bserge 5y ago
Sooo, when will they realize a helicopter is more efficient?
- qayxc 5y agoNever, because it isn't. The problems with helicopters are the need for a pilot (cost, risk) and the significantly higher cost (both purchase and upkeep).
- mkl 5y agoI get that they're mechanically more complicated, but why is a pilot necessary?
- foota 5y agoI believe helicopters are less stable than multirotor vehicles, so a pilot is more necessary.
- TeMPOraL 5y agoComputers are better than humans at dynamic stabilization, so this would be an argument for not having a pilot.
- numpad0 5y agoHelicopters are much more stable. Multis has zero static stability. Just look at how they tumble out of sky when controls die.
- baybal2 5y agoYes, helicopters can be made statically stable through mechanical ways only.
- MichaelZuo 5y agoMost modern helicopters have electronic-hydraulic control systems.
- zokier 5y agoAutonomous helicopters are a thing https://www.theverge.com/transportation/2019/3/5/18250996/sikorsky-autonomous-helicopter-flying-taxi-lockheed https://www.theverge.com/transportation/2019/3/5/18250996/si... https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/17/21024988/skyryse-autonomous-helicopter-technology-video-demo https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/17/21024988/skyryse-autonom...
- cinntaile 5y agoIt could be that there are other factors that are more important than energy efficiency. Maybe they are more stable or more precise, which could be a requirement for having autonomous cargo handling?
- fuoqi 5y agoMulticopters are mechanically simpler than helicopters and thus can be cheaper. Assuming that power system is electric, they are easier to control. Because of the rotor redundancy they can continue flight even after losing several engines/blades, while losing engine on helicopter requires to perform autorotation landing, which is far from trivial. Also smaller blade size results in lower noise levels, which is important in urban settings. If we are talking about efficiency at longer distances with VTOL capability, then convertiplanes are more efficient than helicopters.
- zokier 5y agoEcomax helicopter is about the same size (10m rotor dia), is targeting similar flight time (40+20mins) and payload (600lbs). So not obvious how much the difference between single vs multi rotor is significant here. https://www.forbes.com/sites/erictegler/2020/09/30/this-may-be-what-real-electric-urban-air-mobility-looks-like-at-first-its-both-familiar-and-a-little-weird/?sh=64cd935c4ccd https://www.forbes.com/sites/erictegler/2020/09/30/this-may-...
- baybal2 5y agoThis one will not fall out of the sky like a brick if the electrical failure will occur I myself researched how to detect quadcopter failure, and land them in a less catastrophic way. The easiest way to survive a single motor failure, is to spiral your way down at full motor torque, but it will not save you from an electrical failure in the main DC-DC — where they most often occur.
- wongarsu 5y agoI would assume you can make reasonable design changes to fix those cases though? To survive motor failures more gracefully add more props. With a hexacopter you should be able to switch to four props if one fails. Or use one of those designs with for pairs of counterrotating props.
- heyflyguy 5y agoI was about ot make this comment. Multirotors do not seem to auto-rotate.
- Robotbeat 5y agoPretty sure a total electrical failure will preclude a successful autorotation failure on a swashplate-based drone as well as you still need to power the actuators (and the avionics). So redundancy (including in the DC bus) is just as valid of an option as autorotation is… more so as you could continue powered flight and means you can survive blade failure, etc.
- 5y ago