Human-Powered Helicopter


(Video Link)


Students at the University of Maryland build a functional helicopter that is powered only by human exertion:

The X-shaped helicopter, called Gamera, has 42-foot diameter rotors at each end of 60-foot long crossbars. A pilot's module is suspended from the middle, where Wexler, a biology student, sat and pedaled with feet and hands. Pilot included, the contraption weighs just over 200 pounds.


Judy Wexler pedaled hard enough to lift the craft (just barely) off the ground for four seconds. Skip ahead to three minutes into the video to see the flight.

Link via Walyou

Comments (9)

Newest 5
Newest 5 Comments

Lol, Every one of the guys working it checked out her butt as she prepared to get in, and did anyone notice the epicbeard dude lying in the background looking all like gandalf?
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Ray, du hast recht! Notice that the blades are next to the floor, below the center of gravity. This is an unstable design and was likely done to maximize the ground effect.
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Cool, but I don't think you can consider it flight unless it leaves ground effect. The Spruce Goose had the same limitation on its only (attempted) flight.
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"but drivers can also take two seconds to look and make sure they're not about to door a cyclist before getting out of their car."

Or you know, cyclists could actually drive IN CONTROL instead of just going hell bent full out and then blaming everyone else but themselves for the accidents.
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"cyclists could actually drive IN CONTROL..."

Yup. It's amazing how many bicyclists get run down on straight, flat roads on sunny days by drivers who "didn't see them" while eating, texting, yelling at the kids in the backseat, fiddling with the radio, etc.
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Cyclists should wear the bright/florescent clothing when riding ( I do ), and use a rearview mirror, AND ride defensively. I don't trust the cars to be careful.

I see cyclists riding down the edge of very busy roads, no bright clothing, no mirror...they are crazy.
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We're talking about a god damn bicycle people, not trying to legislate a super rail. For crying out loud just ride and be careful. Be responsible. There is too much fear being sold around this place.
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i agree that cyclists need to pay attention and be defensive. i also agree that we should wear highly visible clothing. and there certainly are some cyclists who ride like jerks that give the majority of us a bad name.

but we're talking specifically about bike lanes here, which are usually between the parking lane and moving traffic. while cyclists need to try to be aware of people in parked cars (since they may open their door), in most jurisdictions it's the legal obligation of the occupants of the parked car to check and make sure they're not about to open the door on a cyclist. the cyclist is riding in a lane that they are allowed to be riding in and thus have the "right of way" in this situation, so to speak. people need to understand that a cyclist riding at even "slow" speeds of 10 or 20mph have been killed after being doored (yes, even when wearing a helmet. a helmet is a safety measure, but it's definitely not a guarantee and doesn't protect the rider from neck, back or other potentially life-threatening injuries. just like having airbags in a car is no guarantee that you'll survive a crash).

and as much as jerkus cyclists anger a lot of people (including other cyclists), it still doesn't give anyone in a car the right to cause them seriously bodily injury. unlike a metal-enclosed car, the only "protective buffer" cyclists have is our skin and everyone knows skin makes pretty crappy padding.
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People tend to steer where they focus their eyes. Giving drivers a focal point, particularly a flashing one, in the lane that the cyclist is in? I'll pass.
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