Theoretical ornithopter question?

The Slow Hawk 4 is described as "~ 15 ounce flying weight", and specs say they supply a 30A ESC for their 7.4 volt packs. At nominal 7.4V x 30A ya got 222 watts to fly 15oz. If same power-to-weight ratio scales up yer talking about 47kW to fly 200lbs... Guess the ornithopter looks like fun but the electric powered paraglider folks are flying 200+ humans+rig around on 1/2 this power...

Lock
 
Though they are good for spotting wormsign.
 
socalfusions said:
Do you think that is how it would indeed scale?
No idea... but this one only had an 18kW motor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-qS7oN-3tA
[youtube]a-qS7oN-3tA[/youtube]

Presumably you can engineer a machine that would be a lot more efficient than an RC toy...

Lock
 
That was a pretty depressing video. Looked like a dying bird. Interesting, yes. But also demoralizing :p


I'm not sure that the comparisons are very helpful beyond an order of magnitude or half of one (generally meaning, 10kw to 60kw when we were talking about a 18kw motor). I'm sure weight will *really* matter. Jet engine might have lighter fuel, but heavier engine. Similarly, a 18Kw BLDC might have lighter motor and transmissions, but heavier batteries.
 
Looks like a really safe, stable and consistent form of flying, when are Airbus and Boeing going to get in on this sweet action?

If I were a billionaire I would make my entire staff fly everywhere by Ornithopter, and I would sit and make them endure my rants about what a pleasant form of transport it is, as we gyro slammed against the walls during takeoff, the pilot gripping the controls for dear life, him muttering prayers under his breath, the wings beating savagely at our sides, and me screaming the whole time over the whistle scream beat of our wings "How good is this? I just love ornithopters!!!!!"

EDIT: OP - I love how you have a "theoretical" ornithopter question, to be distinguished from those garden variety "real world" onithopter questions, I get so sick of hearing those. Pop culture these days is just "Ornithopter this" and "Ornithopter that", it's about the ornithopter scene these days, noone cares about the wings anymore....
 
I love how your entire rant required an edit that still ultimately contributed nothing to the topic.

Sorry mate, I really wasn't meaning to have a go or sound like I was ranting, I was just genuinely entertained by the craft - I hadn't seen them before. Sorry for going OT and/or contributing nothing. :oops:
 
Philistine said:
Looks like a really safe, stable and consistent form of flying, when are Airbus and Boeing going to get in on this sweet action?

If I were a billionaire I would make my entire staff fly everywhere by Ornithopter, and I would sit and make them endure my rants about what a pleasant form of transport it is, as we gyro slammed against the walls during takeoff, the pilot gripping the controls for dear life, him muttering prayers under his breath, the wings beating savagely at our sides, and me screaming the whole time over the whistle scream beat of our wings "How good is this? I just love ornithopters!!!!!"

EDIT: OP - I love how you have a "theoretical" ornithopter question, to be distinguished from those garden variety "real world" onithopter questions, I get so sick of hearing those. Pop culture these days is just "Ornithopter this" and "Ornithopter that", it's about the ornithopter scene these days, noone cares about the wings anymore....

LOL!!! :)

... btw ... sorry for contributing to nothing with this post really but I really started laughing when I read your post ... guess my humor really must suck! :)
 
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