Tag Archives: flying machine

On the news

New version of the Volocopter from e-volo – The first Manned multirotor flight device

1 Comment

We have probably all seen the original volocopter video that totalized more than 8 million visits (!!) on youtube since it was uploaded on October 28, 2011.

Volocopter: 18-propeller electric helicopter takes flight

Volocopter from e-voloVolocopter from e-volo

Here’s the October 2011 video:

Since then, also thanks to a huge crowdfunding effort, e-volo now presents a prototype the first battery powered manned multirotor. The cockpit is reminiscent of helicopters but the flying mechanism is exquisitely multirotor based.

Here are a few pictures of the new volocopter, from the e-volo website.

The new manned volocopter from e-volo
The new manned volocopter from e-volo

 

Volocopter
Volocopter
e-volo volocopter
e-volo volocopter
It flies!
It flies!

And here are a few specs, from a KSL article:

  • Battery: 100Kg, 17.5 kilowatt-hour battery
  • Passengers: 2
  • Total weight: 300 Kg
  • Propellers: 18
  • External circular frame diameter: 10m
  • Price tag: 338.000$
  • Current flight time: 20-40 mins depending on load and wind conditions

See it in action in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzP0Zqxam7E

Edit 11/12/2013: for more details check out this updated article on EarthTechling

On the news

Lady Gaga Volantis: the first multirotor driven flying dress

Leave a comment

On November 10 2013 Lady Gaga introduced the first multirotor based flying dress at her ArtPop album release in Brooklyn, NY.

Lady Gaga Volantis - source
Lady Gaga Volantis – source

The flying machine was piloted by Gus Calderon (source), a Carlsbad resident, certified pilot by FAA and owner or ISIS copter, a firm that “combines the expertise of naval engineers and FAA-certified commercial pilots to bring you the strongest, finest quality aerial platforms available on the market“.

I’d very much like to have one of those to go to work in the morning, any chance?

Which reminds us the notorious world’s first manned multicopter flight video by Thomas Senkel of e-volo. Here’s the Volocopter V1. The flight lasted 90 glorious, long seconds:

 

Multirotors Research, On the news

New quadcopter can fly, roll and float – MUWA: Multi-Field Universal Wheel for Air-Land Vehicle with Quad Variable-Pitch Propellers

2 Comments

MUWA: Multi-Field Universal Wheel for Air-Land Vehicle with Quad Variable-Pitch Propellers. A complicated name for a new prototype quadcopter that can perform a number of functions usually not associated with multirotors, such as rolling and floating.

Here’s the rolling drone:

MUWA: Multi-Field Universal Wheel for Air-Land Vehicle with Quad Variable-Pitch Propellers
MUWA: Multi-Field Universal Wheel for Air-Land Vehicle with Quad Variable-Pitch Propellers
The MUWA quadcopter
The MUWA quadcopter

This is not for fun. It is a research project developed in a robotics lab in Tokyo University and has a number of very serious potential applications that are briefly shown in the video that we post below. Those include capturing 3D images of environments, for example closed spaces, maybe difficult to reach otherwise.

The device can of course perform also perform as a regular quadcopter. It flies nicely.

Here’s the video:

Source and further readings:

On the news

Are quadcopters and multirotors about to become obsolete? Meet the robot dragonfly

2 Comments

Quadcopters and multirotors are becoming devices affordable for anyone, to take aerial video and photographs or just to experience the adrenaline burst that comes from controlling the aerial evolutions of these flying machines.

A new generation of flying machines is at the doorstep. Meet the Dragonfly.

All images were taken from the dragonfly project web site 

dragonfly-1

Robot_Dragonfly_by_TechJect_7

Robot_Dragonfly_by_TechJect_6

 

Robot Dragonfly
Robot Dragonfly

Here are some specs from the Robot Dragonfly project web site

20121103172245-Picture7-2_copy

Please note: Hybrid flight time: 25-30 minutes. This thing can hover like a quadcopter and glide like a plane.

Silent. This is a big difference with quacopters and multirotors and opens for different fields of application.

Onboard high resolution cameras and GPS.

A game changer by all means. According to the website, we could start to see some on those on the market within a few months, possibly starting from november-december 2013, based on the fact that release of the kits to distributors is scheduled for october 2013.

Here are some dragonfly videos: