6 ms·

Cool, similar to helicopters which can also control direction indepentendent of thrust, which leads to RC helicopters being able to pull of crazy, physics-defyi

by oliwary 7mo ago

Cool, similar to helicopters which can also control direction indepentendent of thrust, which leads to RC helicopters being able to pull of crazy, physics-defying moves like here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSiwyoQldfo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSiwyoQldfo

ted_dunning 7mo ago
That is bizarre and amazing. I have never seen any kind of aircraft that resembled a dragonfly as much as that. The maneuvers are so extreme and come so fast that I would not have been able to say for certain that this wasn't just a very nasty crash in progress. But they were, in fact, completely controlled and intentional. Incredible.
dylan604 7mo ago
That's the worst lawnmower I've ever seen. It didn't even cut the grass as much as it just bothered the blades of grass. 0 out of 5 stars. What's that? It's not a mower. Oh, well then, that thing is cool as hell, but not as cool as the pilot that looks like he's just casually standing there.
- torkal 7mo ago
  This made me chuckle:)
- i_am_a_peasant 7mo ago
  is mowing grass with a helicopter an actual commononly attempted trick like a kickflip with a skateboard?
_aavaa_ 7mo ago
Thanks! I’ll keep this on hand for next time I hear that a UFO proof video comes out saying that an object can’t move the way it does on screen.
- Someone 7mo ago
  Wing area (roughly) scales by n² and mass by n³, so size matters for this kind of thing. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Being_the_Right_Size https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Being_the_Right_Size (PDF at https://www.phys.ufl.edu/courses/phy3221/spring10/HaldaneRightSize.pdf https://www.phys.ufl.edu/courses/phy3221/spring10/HaldaneRig...)
xpe 7mo ago
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swashplate_(aeronautics) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swashplate_(aeronautics)
ninalanyon 7mo ago
Thank you for that. That was the most astonishing display of precision (in any field of endeavour) that I have seen in quite some time.
Toutouxc 7mo ago
Acro RC helis are an amazing sight, but it’s not really related to the article. They’re just rotors that can reverse their thrust entirely by changing the pitch angle below zero (i.e. lower than regular helicopters can). Many prop planes use that for braking

by oliwary 7mo ago

ted_dunning 7mo ago

That is bizarre and amazing. I have never seen any kind of aircraft that resembled a dragonfly as much as that. The maneuvers are so extreme and come so fast that I would not have been able to say for certain that this wasn't just a very nasty crash in progress. But they were, in fact, completely controlled and intentional. Incredible.

dylan604 7mo ago

That's the worst lawnmower I've ever seen. It didn't even cut the grass as much as it just bothered the blades of grass. 0 out of 5 stars. What's that? It's not a mower. Oh, well then, that thing is cool as hell, but not as cool as the pilot that looks like he's just casually standing there.

torkal 7mo ago
This made me chuckle:)
i_am_a_peasant 7mo ago
is mowing grass with a helicopter an actual commononly attempted trick like a kickflip with a skateboard?

_aavaa_ 7mo ago

Thanks! I’ll keep this on hand for next time I hear that a UFO proof video comes out saying that an object can’t move the way it does on screen.

Someone 7mo ago
Wing area (roughly) scales by n² and mass by n³, so size matters for this kind of thing. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Being_the_Right_Size https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Being_the_Right_Size (PDF at https://www.phys.ufl.edu/courses/phy3221/spring10/HaldaneRightSize.pdf https://www.phys.ufl.edu/courses/phy3221/spring10/HaldaneRig...)

xpe 7mo ago

See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swashplate_(aeronautics) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swashplate_(aeronautics)

ninalanyon 7mo ago

Thank you for that. That was the most astonishing display of precision (in any field of endeavour) that I have seen in quite some time.

Toutouxc 7mo ago

Acro RC helis are an amazing sight, but it’s not really related to the article. They’re just rotors that can reverse their thrust entirely by changing the pitch angle below zero (i.e. lower than regular helicopters can). Many prop planes use that for braking