The outer portions of modern helicopter main rotor blades are moving at approximately twice the velocity of that shown in the video test. In addition to any structural damage, mass or aerodynamic changes to a rotor blade almost inevitably result in out of balance forces. The possible consequences of that are obvious.
- Gray, I do so love being trolled by you..................The thread had been about damage to a rotor blade from a drone when you stated there would be a difference between what the damage would be to an R22 blade compared to a 214 blade - I postulated that at 500kts there probably wouldn't be much difference, ie that they would both be trashed, even though the Bell blades anecdotally can survive contact with small trees in clearings.
From this point you have stated that the batteries actually aren't that hard and have now introduced your camping hatchet to show that it will chop through both a tree and a battery - and this is relevant how to a rotor blade being hit by a drone????
Do you think that a rotor, R22 or 214, will be substantially damaged by impact with a drone or not?
Fareastdriver
8th Oct 2018 14:24
An aerodynamically damaged rotor blade can fly violently in different directions. Blades have demonstrated the ability to chop into the cabin or remove the tail boom. A drone strike on the outer circumference of the disc could quite easily produce one of those results.
A drone damaging a blade in such a way that it induced a severe down moment would be fatal.
GrayHorizonsHeli
24th Oct 2018 01:21
I choose a blackhawk....not substantially damaged....jury is out on an R22 at the moment.
