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Old 3rd Dec 2018, 01:00
  #67 (permalink)  
abgd
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: The Wild West (UK)
Age: 45
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It may not be the daftest idea. A quick google throws up this:

Helicopter Electric Tail Rotor

Motors for model aircraft will often manage about 6-7 horsepower/Kg so if an R22 has a 120hP engine you might want a 30 horsepower motor - so 6kg for the motor and 6kg for the generator and a kilo or two for the control electronics. You would considerably simplify the gearbox and be able to do without an alternator. You might want to play with adding a small battery - large enough to transition from forward flight to the hover, then land, for added reliability and perhaps to give a little extra oomph for take off. On the back of an envelope it's feasible.

If you wanted to use fixed pitch tailrotors to reduce mechanical complexity you'd have to make them small and light in order to be responsive enough so you may wish to use several small rotors rather than one large one.

However even in electric radio controlled helicopters it's normal to link the main rotor and tail rotor mechanically and separate motors are only rarely used. The exception would be for very small models with constant pitch tail rotors where the complexity of making tiny variable pitch rotors would be prohibitive.

Last edited by abgd; 3rd Dec 2018 at 01:38.
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