Project Zero - AgustaWestland Revolutionary demonstrator revealed :)
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Project Zero - AgustaWestland Revolutionary demonstrator revealed :)
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It has been flying since two yrs and a light diesel engine is considered to feed the batteries.
I find it remarkable how AugustaWestland and everyone involved managed to keep this under cover for so long. Just like Eurocopter with their X2. Very uneuropean. I guess the main field of application will be militairy?
Heli Expo 2013
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more info today!
The original photo above struck me as caught redhanded anyway, because of the distance, guys running around it, hardly a pose
Meanwhile the PR department put together a release.
“Project Zero” All-Electric Tilt Rotor Technology Demonstrator International Collaboration | AgustaWestland
I find it remarkable how AugustaWestland and everyone involved managed to keep this under cover for so long. Just like Eurocopter with their X2. Very uneuropean. I guess the main field of application will be militairy?
The formal unveiling at the AgustaWestland press conference on the eve of Heli-Expo comes several weeks after the concept was revealed in a patent application published on 31 January.
The patent filing shows a V-tailed vehicle identified as the "Convertiplane", with a top speed in forward flight of 270kt (500km/h) and a normal cruising altitude of 24,600ft (7,500m). The patent was assigned to James Wang, the vice-president of research and development.
Such an aircraft would boast twice the cruising speed, range, ceiling and endurance compared with a conventional helicopter, AgustaWestland claimed in the patent application.
The patent filing shows a V-tailed vehicle identified as the "Convertiplane", with a top speed in forward flight of 270kt (500km/h) and a normal cruising altitude of 24,600ft (7,500m). The patent was assigned to James Wang, the vice-president of research and development.
Such an aircraft would boast twice the cruising speed, range, ceiling and endurance compared with a conventional helicopter, AgustaWestland claimed in the patent application.
----
more info today!
The original photo above struck me as caught redhanded anyway, because of the distance, guys running around it, hardly a pose
Meanwhile the PR department put together a release.
“Project Zero” All-Electric Tilt Rotor Technology Demonstrator International Collaboration | AgustaWestland
Last edited by keesje; 21st Mar 2013 at 11:40.
So....elephant in the room...
Where is the flight performance data and/or footage?
They sure seem to be patting themselves on the back for designing and building it (in 6 months or 12 months, depending on which press release you read), why not tell the world just how great actually performs?
If it first flew in mid-2011 tethered, what's it been up to the past 2 years?
*edit*
Also noticed this interesting little tidbit
Rotor System Research LLC....a consultancy (with one of the most ridiculously laughable websites I have seen in ages) consisting of none other than John Leishman, who has for years espoused a staunch anti-tiltrotor mantra (I recall a particularly contentious AHS incident a few years back). Oh the irony!
Where is the flight performance data and/or footage?
They sure seem to be patting themselves on the back for designing and building it (in 6 months or 12 months, depending on which press release you read), why not tell the world just how great actually performs?
If it first flew in mid-2011 tethered, what's it been up to the past 2 years?
*edit*
Also noticed this interesting little tidbit
The aerodynamic properties of the rotor blades were designed by AgustaWestland and Rotor Systems Research LLC of USA.
Last edited by SansAnhedral; 21st Mar 2013 at 14:22.
Looks pretty.
What's it do? (i.e., what mission/purpose is it intended to perform?)
I see it as a potentially handy vehicle for drug smuggling to places other than airfields, for one. Avoid those nosey customs inspectors, eh?
What's it do? (i.e., what mission/purpose is it intended to perform?)
I see it as a potentially handy vehicle for drug smuggling to places other than airfields, for one. Avoid those nosey customs inspectors, eh?
Last edited by Lonewolf_50; 21st Mar 2013 at 14:54.
What's it do? (i.e., what mission/purpose is it intended to perform?)
The demonstrators rotors are driven by advanced electric motors powered by rechargeable batteries; future hybrid solutions have also been investigated using a diesel engine to drive a generator. All of the aircraft control systems, flight control and landing gear actuators are electrically powered, removing the need for any hydraulic system.
Last edited by TURIN; 21st Mar 2013 at 15:04.
Thinking out of the box ... why not?
(True confession: you made me laugh).
(True confession: you made me laugh).
Last edited by Lonewolf_50; 21st Mar 2013 at 15:03.
What's it do? (i.e., what mission/purpose is it intended to perform?)
But nevertheless an interestig study! ( And prettier than the X3 )
skadi
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I hope they're not Li-Ion
What's it do?
Carrying a significant load seems challlenging, I guess it mainly is a technology demonstrator.
If it is agile & can do 500 km/ hr & land on very small places, maybe defense, e.g escorting bigger helicopters. No doubt too expensive for wide commercial use.
I can imagine it being very quiet hovering (electric, ducted fans) and very noisy in forward flight (wing wake hitting the fans), like those fancy Piaggio's..
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Interestingly, if this machine indeed can fly 500 km/hr, the world helicopter speed record held by the X2 would be broken by an electrical powered machine.. remarkable.. or would it be in a different class?
Dear oh dear....Sikorsky spin wins again. The X2 is neither the worlds fastest helicopter ( see Bell compound Huey) nor does it hold the official speed record (see Westland Lynx G-LYNX).
The X2 is neither the worlds fastest helicopter ( see Bell compound Huey) nor does it hold the official speed record (see Westland Lynx G-LYNX).
Interestingly, if this machine indeed can fly 500 km/hr, the world helicopter speed record held by the X2 would be broken by an electrical powered machine.. remarkable.. or would it be in a different class?
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....Carrying a significant load seems challlenging, I guess it mainly is a technology demonstrator.....
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PPRuNe deserves the patents
AgustaWestland is applying for 3 US Patents on this craft. Application Nbrs; 20130026303, 20130026304, 20130026305.
Claims in these applications have been previously, and publicly, discussed on this Rotorhead forum.
This is a 'compressed' version of one claim.
"rotor .. being operable as .. an electrical power generator for re-charging said storage device ... by .. the action of a wind current.
Said .. rotor .. in a direction facing the wind current, when .. on ground and said storage device .. needs to be re-charged."
Some knowledgeable people on PPRuNe had a very, very serious discussion about this recharging concept in this 2006 thread.
Dave
Claims in these applications have been previously, and publicly, discussed on this Rotorhead forum.
___________________________
This is a 'compressed' version of one claim.
"rotor .. being operable as .. an electrical power generator for re-charging said storage device ... by .. the action of a wind current.
Said .. rotor .. in a direction facing the wind current, when .. on ground and said storage device .. needs to be re-charged."
Some knowledgeable people on PPRuNe had a very, very serious discussion about this recharging concept in this 2006 thread.
Dave
Last edited by Dave_Jackson; 6th Apr 2013 at 19:29. Reason: Yes
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AHS vertiflite article
https://vtol.org/vertiflite/project-zero/index.html#/2/
Hmmm, interesting - I especially like the bit about it using a diesel engine genset to power the fan motors! Does anyone know whether ORAL based the powertrain on the Wilsch WAM140 or the Austro AE300?
Looks to me like they are using the fan to pull air past the wings, so expect reasonable performance at low speeds with at least hover capability (disk loading will still be high). Those fans will be able to reduce rpm in cruise to make for very efficient pusher propellors without too many limitations imposed by tip speed. I wonder what cruise/dash speed they are aiming for?
Of course the real question is how well does it cope with engine failure (electric motors and batteries can go wrong too - see 787 experience). Those small lift fans will make for very high autorotation descent rates, and there is still going to be that velocity region where it is neither a helicopter nor an aeroplane.
Actually, the thing that does excit me is that the engineers have successfully flown an aircraft that has no mechanical transmission or swash plate. This technology is likely to find it's way into all sorts of other VTOL projects if it proves itself to be at least as reliable as other fly-by-wire technologies.
Mart
Hmmm, interesting - I especially like the bit about it using a diesel engine genset to power the fan motors! Does anyone know whether ORAL based the powertrain on the Wilsch WAM140 or the Austro AE300?
Looks to me like they are using the fan to pull air past the wings, so expect reasonable performance at low speeds with at least hover capability (disk loading will still be high). Those fans will be able to reduce rpm in cruise to make for very efficient pusher propellors without too many limitations imposed by tip speed. I wonder what cruise/dash speed they are aiming for?
Of course the real question is how well does it cope with engine failure (electric motors and batteries can go wrong too - see 787 experience). Those small lift fans will make for very high autorotation descent rates, and there is still going to be that velocity region where it is neither a helicopter nor an aeroplane.
Actually, the thing that does excit me is that the engineers have successfully flown an aircraft that has no mechanical transmission or swash plate. This technology is likely to find it's way into all sorts of other VTOL projects if it proves itself to be at least as reliable as other fly-by-wire technologies.
Mart
Last edited by Graviman; 26th Jun 2013 at 17:37.