Gamera's July 13, 2011 Flight

Hi-res video of the July 13 flight attempt of the Clark School's Gamera human-powered helicopter, which lasted 12.4 seconds, pending National Aeronautic Association judging.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Gamera
• University of Maryland
• College Park
• Clark School
• human-powered helicopter
• rotorcraft

[Tedwardo]

did it realy leave the ground?

[NigelLoller]

fill the wings with helium...its bound to help!

[APhamx7]

is it me, or is it spinning the wrong way..

[blazterreck]

she looks like she wants to harm the camera

[notsuretwo]

First thing i would recommend is one of those skinny marathon runners from Ethiopia. You will probably need a larger building as well.

[EvansRowan123]

@ludenscallida No, hovercraft need less power than helicopters because they have this thing called a skirt that maintains a cushion of air and stops the energy from being wasted.

It's pretty much the most basic physics possible that the force involved in hovering is only a little less than the force involved in flying, for it to be less than half your definition of "real flight" would have to involve accelerating at more than a g, which is silly.

[ludenscallida]

Sadly not. Hovering near the ground only requires a fraction of the energy that real flight needs. This is why one man hovercrafts have a 10hp engine providing lift whereas one man helicopters like the GEN H-4 still can't really climb with 60hp.

[brandonbush1]

@lordforbes What? That doesn't make any sense.The vehicle hovered for 11 seconds with the current takeoff weight, half of which was the weight of the vehicle. If the vehicle weighed nothing, then you'd have the same power with half of the weight. It would easily fly longer and higher.

[brandonbush1]

@stinkystu1 To prevent wind interference. Any slight gust would throw it out of balance.

[Sceonn]

IT FLEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zestydude87]

thats the strangest kitchen ive ever seen.