[ExI] hoverbikes

Tue Nov 13 19:20:33 UTC 2018

From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of William Flynn Wallace
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2018 10:54 AM
To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Subject: Re: [ExI] hoverbikes

>…Spike, not funny, but I can see a guy hitting the wrong button…

The attitude control is automated.  Humans aren’t fast enough and flawless enough for that task.

>…or a glitch in the software or something…

A software error?  Impossible!  heh

>…two jets suddenly go amok and turn the thing downside up and the guy gets a quick trip to the ground…

That is not the only reason these things are limited to ground use.  It takes a lot more power to fly than to hover.

The original version of this had ducted fans, but I see this version has whirling blades right out there clawing at the wind (and anything else available which needs chopping off (hey cool, flying hedge trimmer!))

>…Do you know how these are powered? 

Lithium battery, standard electric motor.  Scaled up version of a quad rotor.

>…Would you get on one?  bill w 

Get on one, ja.  Actually lift off… I would need to think long and hard, then think not.  If I ever got drunk and decided to try it, I would make damn sure I was in a biiiiig open field, nothing anywhere to hit.  

The thing that would spook me is the obvious challenges if the control system did get confused and you saw you were going to crash.  Ducted fans add weight but there is a reason to go that route.  OK then, four choices, which blade would you choose to whack your damn head off?  

spike

On Tue, Nov 13, 2018 at 10:59 AM <spike at rainier66.com <mailto:spike at rainier66.com> > wrote:

Subject: [ExI] hoverbikes

Dubai is going to put these vehicles on the streets for police to use. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/11/12/hoverbikes-tested-dubai-police-deployment/1974826002/

bill 

Bill there are some things the article fails to mention but are important.

With these hoverbikes, their service ceiling is about 3 to 5 meters above the ground usually and can only hold and altitude above about a meter for a minute or two.  This might be enough for the constables to use for some purposes, but unfortunately we still can’t carry enough power to fly with them, even assuming we work out the control problems.  Control gets waaaay harder to do once you get higher than a coupla meters off the ground.

spike

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