Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Dave W
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1841698
This isn't the only off-world rotorcraft that NASA are looking at. Dragonfly is an octocopter UAS scheduled to fly on Saturn's moon Titan from 2034 (launching in 2026). NASA flew an earthbound development vehicle 3 years ago.



Dragonfly will, to a degree, have the opposite issue to Ingenuity in that the atmosphere on Titan is denser than that of Earth (~1.45 atmospheres) - although the delta is not so dramatic as on Mars.
akg1486, Iceman liked this
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By Josh
#1841714
Dragonfly is such an utterly amazing mission in all respects.

I think one of their big concerns is how the hydrocarbon rich atmosphere is going to interact with rotor bearings and the like and potentially clog them up.
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By akg1486
#1841816
Miscellaneous wrote:I really can't help but to compare NASA's achievements on another planet with the efforts of the CAA within our shores. :(

At least there's no need for controlled airspace or traffic separation on Mars. Yet. But perhaps the CAA and EASA can be proactive in introducing those concepts on the red planet? :D
By Crash one
#1841827
Doesn’t 1% of Earth air density amount to a density altitude of about 90,000 ft?
Just that I heard someone talking about three times the height of the Alps.
By Crash one
#1841829
akg1486 wrote:
Miscellaneous wrote:I really can't help but to compare NASA's achievements on another planet with the efforts of the CAA within our shores. :(

At least there's no need for controlled airspace or traffic separation on Mars. Yet. But perhaps the CAA and EASA can be proactive in introducing those concepts on the red planet? :D


Just keep a lookout for little green men with cameras and FR24!
By Mike Tango
#1841867
akg1486 wrote:At least there's no need for controlled airspace or traffic separation on Mars. Yet. But perhaps the CAA and EASA can be proactive in introducing those concepts on the red planet? :D


You can probably lay odds on that if Ingenuity is equipped with a SkyEcho, the next rotorcraft to be sent up there will be equipped with a PilotAware...
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By Josh
#1841993
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This thread from the AIAA has some really good info on the design and aerodynamics. The beer fund doesn’t stretch to $25 just to read a paper I will understand parts of but the full link to the paper is there for the proper rotorheads.
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By Rob L
#1841997
Josh wrote:..AIAA.. <snip>


[Off-topic] I spent many months researching and copying AIAA microfiche documents at Farnborough in the very early eighties when I was in education for my Degree.

I've probably still got those thousands of copies in my loft; if I looked at them one day, I would say that they served me no useful purpose at all.

[/Off-topic]
By Mike Tango
#1842060
Ingenuity is due to make flight two today, getting airborne around 10.30am UK time this morning for a fifty second flight involving some manoeuvring, then the data hopefully being received back at 2.21pm this afternoon UK time.
Miscellaneous liked this
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