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I’ve often wondered if smallish internal combustion engines (with variable pitch propellers presumably) could increase range at the cost of some weight. Maybe s
by le-mark 3y ago
I’ve often wondered if smallish internal combustion engines (with variable pitch propellers presumably) could increase range at the cost of some weight. Maybe someone familiar with the trade offs could comment?
- nradov 3y agoWell yes, helicopters with internal combustion engines have been working fine for a while now. But if the engine is mechanically coupled to the rotor then it will need variable pitch blades in order to maintain control. Combustion engines can't change speed as quickly as electric motors can.
- lunaticlabs 3y agoWhat you say about helicopters not being able to change speed on the rotor and requiring blade pitch is true, but at the size of helicopters, it has far less to do with the speed at which the engine can change RPMs as just pure inertia of the giant helicopter blade. I am a helicopter pilot, and I can generally adjust the speed of the engine much more rapidly than the rotor speed itself adjusts. I suspect that's a large part of the reason for the multiple rotors on this drone. If they get larger, you're no longer able to rapidly adjust the speed of it just from pure inertia.