2 ms·
I have quite strong opinions about this. The only way to ensure efficient, high-load drone flight is to develop a hybrid design which uses wings to generate lif
by marvin 13y ago
I have quite strong opinions about this. The only way to ensure efficient, high-load drone flight is to develop a hybrid design which uses wings to generate lift during cruise. The efficiency lost to the rotors is massive.
So I think eventually we will see tilt-rotor designs, where wings take over once the drone is airborne but the rotor disk is pitched horizontal for takeoff and landing. This massively increases energy efficiency, and makes it possible to go a lot faster.
The reason this hasn't been done with larger airplanes (the only prominent example, V-22 Osprey, demonstrates the difficulty), is that combustion engines makes the design prohibitively complex. But with electric motors, it should be very doable.
- xtagon 13y agoThere is an RC model called the Quad Shot that sounds similar to what you're describing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK_-yTrwNtU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK_-yTrwNtU
- marvin 13y agoWow, that's with a greater degree of mechanical simplicity than I thought possible. But this is exactly what I was talking about. Now if you can somehow reduce propeller drag at high horizontal speeds and also accomodate a payload and/or a larger battery and also handle adverse wind conditions, you'd have something really nice.