Fly like an eagle...

[rms]

[GreyGeek]

For a few moments I was stunned, believing that for the first time HUMAN POWERED flight from take off to landing was possible.

Then, on closer examination, I noticed that there was no mechanical connection between the man's arms and the wings. He was obviously flapping his arms, but in another video of the first flight, in which he failed to take off, one could hear the motors.

Their YouTube Account has the other 13 videos, which explain the whole design, implementation and final flight.

Each wing is powered by a 2KW high torque motor, which powered by two 5 amp-hour Li Ion batteries. There are four batteries delivering 20 amp-hours of juice. Assuming 3.7 Volts, and 2KW output, each motor would draw 540 Amps. With two batteries supplying 10 Amp-hours, they could sustain 2KW output for about 60 to 65 seconds, which is about the duration of the flight, IF flapping was at full power. With the arms outstretched and not flapping the wings are merely gliding. Without power he has no choice but to descend to the ground. Just before he made contact with the ground he dropped his legs and rotated his arms, which converted forward speed into lift, arresting his decent just as his feet touched the ground. All in all, a very good landing.

So, this was NOT an example of human powered flight.

He could have designed the system so that he didn't have to flap his arms and get so exhausted. A software program could have controlled the flapping and he could have used his smartphone to control banking and attitude, which is what he was doing when he wasn't flapping his arms.

I would put this flight example on par with the jet powered human flyer, who controls the pitch, yaw and roll via weight distribution by body movements. His wing pack provides lift from the thrust supplied by the jet pack.

[rms]

So, this was NOT an example of human powered flight.

Of course not. One would have to have muscles of an eagle to do it. It looks good though. 8)
It is interesting what the engineer used to build the wings.

[woodsmoke]

Hi
I saw that yestiddy.

Great analysis GG.

The believers will believe what they want to believe and the lack of precision in terminology and the use of "impactful" terminology by the media will feed it.

This is somewhat analagous to commentary about "hang gliders". People using them are still described by the media and the "believers" that they are "flying". They are not flying they are merely falling in a somewhat more controlled manner than using a parachute.

The simple demonstration of this is that they don't get on a ladder or the garage roof and jump off and fly for an extended period, they have to jump from a cliff. And a powered hang glider is still in a "delayed" fall if it uses something like a Rogallo. If it actually has a cambered wing then it flies like a plane which then can be considered to be "true flight". The difference then being in terms of liscencing and duration of the flight.

There will probably be students in my physical science class at the college who will breathlessly tell me about this and actually that will be a good thing, since we have not done aerodynamic flight yet, to discuss the situation.

If the fellow had said something like "assisted human flight" he would not have received nearly as much play on the net.

Again, great analysis GG and rms thanks for posting the video.

woodsmoke

[GreyGeek]

Well, even though my "analysis" may be physically correct, given the data released, it appears that the video is a hoax.

"Smeets", actually Floris Kaayk, a professionally trained CGI artist, just admitted it on Dutch TV.

Here is a URL of some of his work, where he uses an Acer Aspire One (10") connected to a 21" LCD, to do his work. It taken two years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plW7Vw7t7xE


Here is an example of his amazing work as a college student in 2007:

[woodsmoke]

lol
woodsmoke

[SteveRiley]

s / YouTube / YHauxTube /

(YHaux: mashup of "you," "faux," and "hoax.")

[woodsmoke]

lol
woodsmoke

[rms]

Some day soon we won't be able to spot a fake.

[GreyGeek]

Some day soon we won't be able to spot a fake.

It's almost to that point now.

I was thinking about how "Smeet" could have avoiding the error he left behind. Turn off the camera while he is standing there, getting ready to run. Have him move himself and the wings out of the field of view. Turn the camera on for about two minutes. With a video editor begin with the last frame and pick the image of him and his wings. In a video editor/maker create a series of frames showing the wing in various positions after moving a short distance. File in the frames with morphing software which takes matching points on the first and last frames and fills in frames in between with images in various positions. Run at regular speedc the movement would be fluid. I believe that you can do this with BLender already, but I am not sure.

s / YouTube / YHauxTube /

(YHaux: mashup of "you," "faux," and "hoax.")

Google posted an article that stated that every minute 48 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube. A typical mp3 requires about 1Mb/min. That's about 2.88 GB/min, or about 4.1TB/day !!!

Unfortunately, probably about 3.9TB of that is worthless trash, as your mashup suggests.

[rms]

I was thinking about how "Smeet" could have avoiding the error he left behind. Turn off the camera while he is standing there, getting ready to run. Have him move himself and the wings out of the field of view. Turn the camera on for about two minutes. With a video editor begin with the last frame and pick the image of him and his wings. In a video editor/maker create a series of frames showing the wing in various positions after moving a short distance. File in the frames with morphing software which takes matching points on the first and last frames and fills in frames in between with images in various positions. Run at regular speedc the movement would be fluid. I believe that you can do this with BLender already, but I am not sure.

Please GG, don't give "Smeet" any ideas for April Fools Day.

[GreyGeek]

Who? Me? :twisted: