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Gas+electric hybrid multi-copters ...

Posted by Armen Poghosov on October 31, 2013 at 1:00pm

Hi All,

We have recently discovered a way to build hybrid gas/electric-powered multi-copters and would like to share it with you.

The main advantages are:

1) Heavy lift - due to gas engine power

2) Long endurance - due to high gas fuel power density

3) Safety - power source redundancy for safe landing

For the full description of the idea please have a look at: http://www.gas-copter.com/Description

We are also looking for partners to help us with prototyping and commercializing the idea.

You comments in the blog are welcome ...

Best Regards,

The gas-copter.com team

endurance, gas, multicopter, quadcopter

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Comments

mquintilian October 31, 2013 at 4:37pm

Most hobby IC engines put out much less power than there rated for. Anyone who has compared nitro and electric rc cars will know this. Electric RC cars have waaayyyy more power than there nitro equivalents (size, weight), longer run times (compared to a single tank of gas) and are lighter weight.
Federico Boldori October 31, 2013 at 4:25pm

i know, but as you said, no spec has been published.

Or the idea was so brilliant that the guy sell it to some big corporate or was totally garbage :)
Shawn Thorvilson October 31, 2013 at 4:04pm

Been done Federico, saw one on youtube. Didn't have any specs or explanation though.
Shawn Thorvilson October 31, 2013 at 4:03pm

Then the question I need to ask is will the higher energy density of the fuel used going to be enough to cover the losses and extra weight of the system...may not be feasible.
Federico Boldori October 31, 2013 at 4:01pm

My idea is: quad electric style, big counter rotating prop on the COG at the center powered by a nitro engine. Big central propellers provide the major of the lift, the 4 motor had to mantain the copter stabilized.
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Dwgsparky October 31, 2013 at 3:59pm

Good luck but you cannot beat the physics. The generator will only output the same power you put into it less the losses. An 80amp 12volt generator is a big machine and heavy
Shawn Thorvilson October 31, 2013 at 3:00pm

I'm not an engineer but I would think you're going to lose a lot of efficiency through all of those gearboxes. This is definitely a novel idea and I hope it works better than I imagine.

One of the things I'm aspiring to do is build my own IC/electric hybrid. But I want to keep it simple and drive an electric motor with a small IC hobby motor. Same way a diesel/electric train works. I always love a challenge.
Alex Zarenin October 31, 2013 at 2:34pm

I tend to agree with kolin - using gas motor/electric generator combination to provide energy would be a (relatively) simple approach, which would allow to use the already well-developed electric multicopter solutions. Basically motor/generator combination would replace the battery :)

If the model would be equipped with the backup battery, it could be used as well to provide energy to start the gas motor or re-start it if it stalled in flight as well as to safely land the model if the main power source failed.

The problem with the gas engine would be the "usual suspects" - the noise and the danger from combustible fuel.
Gary McCray October 31, 2013 at 2:12pm

This is a really clever system concept.

I am concerned that frictional power loss in the differentials and gearing and internal resistance in the motors could negatively impact overall efficiency.

And, it does seem that over all hover lift and altitude would be dependent on fine engine throttle control.

But it is a lot simpler than the concepts I have seen that use variable pitch rotors.

And it is a pure engine design unlike the Coaxial gas central lift with electric roll / pitch / yaw inducing surrounding rotors.

In any case I look forward to seeing how this works out.
kolin October 31, 2013 at 2:09pm

How about "classic" electric multicopter with added engine/generator with backup battery? Like big diesel-electric trains. Redundancy would be done in power management unit, not mechanics/software. I am sure you considered this, I want to know why not this aproach?