New aerodynamic concept

I recall seeing variants on this theme in Popular Mechanics back in the 60's. Looks like someone finally built one. Shrug. It's also fundamentally the same technology as the old Hughes NOTAR system which has been flying since 1981.

IIRC it has two drawbacks: First, all those fans are not very efficient. Second, as the lift mechanism has no ability to either glide or autorotate an engine failure would have rather permenant consequences. A manned version would need zero-altitude ejection seats.
 
...Second, as the lift mechanism has no ability to either glide or autorotate an engine failure would have rather permenant consequences.
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That's what I thought too, but they claim to have the ability to detach the engines from the fans, and then glide, albeit with a terrible glide ratio:
http://www.fanwing.com/faq.htm#6
-harry
 
Seen that before. Me thinks that a bird strike that jammed the rotational mechanism would be very very bad.
 
I know that UAV is quite the buzz word these days but when does a R/C aircraft become a UAV?
 
GigG601XL said:
I know that UAV is quite the buzz word these days but when does a R/C aircraft become a UAV?
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probably when a government is paying the bill.

cripes theres some scale R/C stuff out there that is practically big enough to carry a person!
 
GigG601XL said:
I know that UAV is quite the buzz word these days but when does a R/C aircraft become a UAV?
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Basically when it gets an autopilot so that an operator doesn't have to concentrate on keeping wings level, holding heading, etc. Ideally, a UAV shouldn't need any operator attention from takeoff through landing.

Ron Wanttaja
 
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