The Bell solar powered helicopter
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 53
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From: UK
The Bell solar powered helicopter
Does anyone have any technical information on Bell's new solar powered helicopter. Nick Lappos - you appear to be the world's leading expert on everything technical, what do you think?
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,796
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From: 1 Dunghill Mansions, Putney
Is it anything like the solar-powered Chinook...? 
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,012
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From: USA
Palma,
As the reigning expert on very little lately (finding my car keys is an achievement!) I can't pick up that mantle, but I can profess no knowledge of a Bell solar helo. In model scale, one has a chance, but the power demands our rotor makes are a real issue for solar storage or energy production.
I'd be really intrigued with any practical solar helicopter solution, frankly.
As the reigning expert on very little lately (finding my car keys is an achievement!) I can't pick up that mantle, but I can profess no knowledge of a Bell solar helo. In model scale, one has a chance, but the power demands our rotor makes are a real issue for solar storage or energy production.
I'd be really intrigued with any practical solar helicopter solution, frankly.
Joined: Aug 2009
Aviation Qualifications: Military
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From: Texas
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,796
Likes: 1
From: 1 Dunghill Mansions, Putney
Don't know about Bell, but the UMD Gamera team responsible for flying the world's first human-powered helicopter in 2011 is now also claiming to have achieved the first flight of a manned solar-powered helicopter:
University of Maryland achieves first flight of a solar-powered, piloted helicopter
I/C
University of Maryland achieves first flight of a solar-powered, piloted helicopter
I/C
