E-Volo

[KBayDog]

The e-volo Multicopter made its maiden voyage recently.

Pretty neat concept - a 16-blade electric rotorcraft in which movement about all three axes is controlled by varying the each rotor rpm independently, vice varying blade pitch. In theory, the same maneuverability afforded by a helicopter, but with fewer moving parts and less maintenance requirements.

(Too bad the pilot didn't wear a Sikorsky-esque fedora for his test flight...it would have made up for the video's terrible sound track.)

 

[yak52driver]

That was kind of cool, I give the pilot credit for flying that and not swapping ends during the process. Great find.

 

[helolumpy]

Listening to the music, all I could think of was; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHZR9SA5pOg

 

[KBayDog]

Yeah, it was a terrible video for a neat product. Too much "dramatic" buildup with cheesy Eurotrash music to watch the Flight of the Yoga Ball.

Hopefully something will come from this demo, though - with some development, it has potential for cost-effective, maintenance-friendly, practical application.

 

[Brett327]

In the first part, all it was missing was Don Lafontaine telling us about how "In a world... One man... One workout ball... And one set of unnecessarily confusing wire bundles... Will risk it all... Etc."

Brett

 

[Flugelman]

Wonder what an auto would be like from say 100 ft in that thing???

 

[KBayDog]

In the first part, all it was missing was Don Lafontaine telling us about how "In a world..."

R.I.P.

Fortunately, Pablo Francisco is keeping his awesomeness alive: