ElectraFlyer electric ultralight microlight trike

www.electraflyer.com
Randy flew the ElectraFlyer at Sun-n-Fun this year. From takeoff to landing the flight in the video was 9 minutes on
medium duty batteries and could have
lasted an hour and a half.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• electric
• battery
• trike
• hang
• glider
• ultralight
• green
• microlight
• sun-n-fun

[FlyMeAirplane]

18 hp is 13608 watts. Think of a 12 volt battery supplying 1134 amps. This is WAY more power than even a huge solar cell can produce. You could use the solar cell to charge the battery for a day so you could fly for 5 minutes...

[jvcbigcam]

the battery supplies 72volts and the trike will fly about an hour and a half. it doesn't require very much power to cruise.

john.

[EasternMerchant]

we need something equivalent to a Rotax 914 turbocharged engine!

Then I be interest in purchase for engine!

[jvcbigcam]

Randy is building a 2 place motor glider with a 50hp electric motor, if you check his electraflyer website you can get more information.

[geoffart]

i wonder if its poss to use flexi solar panel material to cover the rather large wingspan and give the battery longer range? its always sunny above the clouds.

[jvcbigcam]

there are solar powered electric aircraft that fly at the upper edges of the atmosphere.

as far as i know they can stay up there until they wear out. the cost and whatever weight they added would be the only problem.

this trike is within the weight limits set by FAR 103.

john.

[MPaulHolmes]

What motor is that? Brushless DC? What controller? This is just amazing!

[EasternMerchant]

he did all that flying with only 18 hp????

[JUKIO01]

i think the 2 stroke engine is more efficient, but i do love electric motors more.

[NormanSolarSurfer]

Wright comment, Solar films like the unmanned airctraft can add the extra charge for the batterys improving long ranges which increase the demand of recreational sport use, in a tropical country like Venezuela with sun all year long a demostration could star a bright and sunny era for this Sun Electric Fly

[geoffart]

The most efficient would be the rigid heavy type - the ones they used on that massive UAV craft that flies really high - yes. But you can get thin flexi-type ones now that could easily be moulded around a surface to follow contours. Would be interesting to see what power could be delivered to a power pack if entire wing surface were coated. Thats quite an area. Might not be enough to power it alone, but wonder if it could significantly increase range.