Jet-Propelled Kite
Dennis Castleman holds his latest project, a Rogallo Wing with two vectored EDF motors.
Dennis Castleman likes electric ducted fans. He’s inclined to attach them to servos, using the motor vector in lieu of an elevator.
He also likes wings.
In the past, we’ve seen him add a swiveling EDF to big wings such as the 100-inch Tricycle Bee.
When I wrote about the Tricycle Bee, I mentioned that he was inspired by my little IFO to develop something similar.
“If he proceeds,” I wrote, “I’m sure his design will end up covered in vulcanized rubber. It will feature a servo-controlled ducted fan powered by a 4S LiPo pack. It will weigh at least 5 pounds.”
Don’t count on me for predictions: Dennis has proceeded, and developed a graceful lightweight Rogallo Wing which uses two EDFS for both propulsion and spatial control.
But Dennis often surprises me. He’s a former kite flyer, so he knows how to sew and design with ripstop fabrics strung on carbon-fiber skeletons.
According to WIkipedia:
A Rogallo wing is composed of two partial conic surfaces with both cones pointing forward… The Rogallo wing is a simple and inexpensive flying wing with remarkable properties. The wing itself is neither a kite, a glider, or a powered aircraft until the wing is tethered or arranged in a configuration that glides or is powered; that is, a holding system lets the wing be a specific type of aircraft.
Rick Carmichael aims the wing into the wind.
Tuesday marked its maiden flight.
Rick Carmichael launched it with Dennis at the transmitter and for about five seconds it flew straight and true, looking like a great success.
Then Dennis tried to turn.
It stalled and went down quickly, but with little or no damage.
Afterward Dennis pored over the little airframe, trying to figure out what went wrong.
Rick thought that maybe the vectoring controls were reversed: that left was right and vice versa. But that wouldn’t explain the stall.
I suspect that Dennis will be back for another try tomorrow, and I wouldn’t bet against a perfect flight.
