[Merged] Ion drive aircraft

jimbob · 21st November 2018, 01:54 PM

Not a rocket but an ionic wind for a drone with no moving parts.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2018...-moving-parts/

Dave Rogers · 21st November 2018, 02:30 PM

Wow. I don't care if it has no practical applications for many years, that's just mind-blowingly cool.

Dave

jimbob · 21st November 2018, 02:43 PM

Pretty much my view too

Giordano · 21st November 2018, 02:46 PM

Really neat. Although if widely adapted for drones, etc. would this not generate a lot of ozone pollution?

Bikewer · 22nd November 2018, 06:42 AM

Well, baby steps, anyway:

https://www.newsweek.com/worlds-firs...n=Partnerships

Small-scale demonstration of no-moving parts aircraft..

3point14 · 22nd November 2018, 06:45 AM

You can make these with wire and tin foil, there are instructions on youtube.

Of course, those ones need external power, the clever thing here is the very light power packs.

Darat · 22nd November 2018, 06:46 AM

And scale.

Very cool, love where his inspiration came from.

3point14 · 22nd November 2018, 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

And scale.

Ah, yes, good point. I'd failed to note that - Five metres!

The Great Zaganza · 22nd November 2018, 08:13 AM

This needs to be turned into a Hoverboard ASAP!

rjh01 · 22nd November 2018, 08:18 PM

There are drone aircraft that are powered by batteries. I wonder if these will be replaced by the new type of aircraft? They will be quieter.

arthwollipot · 22nd November 2018, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by rjh01

There are drone aircraft that are powered by batteries. I wonder if these will be replaced by the new type of aircraft? They will be quieter.

I'm fairly sure that these new craft, driven as they are by pushing air across their lifting surfaces, can't hover like today's quad- and hex-copters can. Not that that's a requirement for all drones.

Skeptic Ginger · 22nd November 2018, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by jimbob

Not a rocket but an ionic wind for a drone with no moving parts.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2018...-moving-parts/

Ion drive sounds great until you see that isn't the power source, a battery creates the ions.

What am I missing?

rjh01 · 22nd November 2018, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

Ion drive sounds great until you see that isn't the power source, a battery creates the ions.

What am I missing?

I suggest you are missing nothing. The ions are generated and then accelerated backwards moving the plane forward.

jimbob · 27th November 2018, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

Ion drive sounds great until you see that isn't the power source, a battery creates the ions.

What am I missing?

As has been said before, nothing really. I should have said that it wasn't a spacecraft as ion drives are pretty mature technologies.

Armitage72 · 28th November 2018, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by 3point14

You can make these with wire and tin foil, there are instructions on youtube.

Of course, those ones need external power, the clever thing here is the very light power packs.

The Mythbusters tested one years ago, when they were investigating supposed antigravity devices found on the internet. One device floated in the air when connected to power, but didn't move when placed in a vacuum chamber, showing that it was actually ionizing the air to generate thrust.

21st November 2018, 01:54 PM	#1
jimbob Uncritical "thinker" Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: UK Posts: 20,024	Ion drive aircraft Not a rocket but an ionic wind for a drone with no moving parts. https://arstechnica.com/science/2018...-moving-parts/
	__________________ OECD healthcare spending Expenditure on healthcare http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/health-data.htm link is 2015 data (2013 Data below): UK 8.5% of GDP of which 83.3% is public expenditure - 7.1% of GDP is public spending US 16.4% of GDP of which 48.2% is public expenditure - 7.9% of GDP is public spending

21st November 2018, 02:30 PM	#2
Dave Rogers Bandaged ice that stampedes inexpensively through a scribbled morning waving necessary ankles Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cair Paravel, according to XKCD Posts: 28,497	Wow. I don't care if it has no practical applications for many years, that's just mind-blowingly cool. Dave
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21st November 2018, 02:43 PM	#3
jimbob Uncritical "thinker" Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: UK Posts: 20,024	Pretty much my view too
	__________________ OECD healthcare spending Expenditure on healthcare http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/health-data.htm link is 2015 data (2013 Data below): UK 8.5% of GDP of which 83.3% is public expenditure - 7.1% of GDP is public spending US 16.4% of GDP of which 48.2% is public expenditure - 7.9% of GDP is public spending

22nd November 2018, 06:42 AM	#5
Bikewer Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St. Louis, Mo. Posts: 12,391	Ionic wind aircraft Well, baby steps, anyway: https://www.newsweek.com/worlds-firs...n=Partnerships Small-scale demonstration of no-moving parts aircraft..

22nd November 2018, 06:45 AM	#6
3point14 Pi Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 16,855	You can make these with wire and tin foil, there are instructions on youtube. Of course, those ones need external power, the clever thing here is the very light power packs.
3point14 Pi Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 16,855	__________________ Up the River!

21st November 2018, 02:46 PM	#4
Giordano Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 15,248	Really neat. Although if widely adapted for drones, etc. would this not generate a lot of ozone pollution?

22nd November 2018, 06:46 AM	#7
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 84,770	And scale. Very cool, love where his inspiration came from.
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22nd November 2018, 07:09 AM	#8
3point14 Pi Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 16,855	Originally Posted by Darat And scale. Ah, yes, good point. I'd failed to note that - Five metres!
3point14 Pi Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 16,855	__________________ Up the River!

22nd November 2018, 08:13 AM	#9
The Great Zaganza Maledictorian Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 6,828	This needs to be turned into a Hoverboard ASAP!
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22nd November 2018, 08:18 PM	#10
rjh01 Gentleman of leisure Tagger Join Date: May 2005 Location: Flying around in the sky Posts: 24,319	There are drone aircraft that are powered by batteries. I wonder if these will be replaced by the new type of aircraft? They will be quieter.
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22nd November 2018, 08:29 PM	#11
arthwollipot Observer of Phenomena Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Location, Location Posts: 60,378	Originally Posted by rjh01 There are drone aircraft that are powered by batteries. I wonder if these will be replaced by the new type of aircraft? They will be quieter. I'm fairly sure that these new craft, driven as they are by pushing air across their lifting surfaces, can't hover like today's quad- and hex-copters can. Not that that's a requirement for all drones.

22nd November 2018, 10:30 PM	#12
Skeptic Ginger Nasty Woman Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 71,580	Originally Posted by jimbob Not a rocket but an ionic wind for a drone with no moving parts. https://arstechnica.com/science/2018...-moving-parts/ Ion drive sounds great until you see that isn't the power source, a battery creates the ions. What am I missing?
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22nd November 2018, 11:10 PM	#13
rjh01 Gentleman of leisure Tagger Join Date: May 2005 Location: Flying around in the sky Posts: 24,319	Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger Ion drive sounds great until you see that isn't the power source, a battery creates the ions. What am I missing? I suggest you are missing nothing. The ions are generated and then accelerated backwards moving the plane forward.
	__________________ This signature is for rent.

27th November 2018, 04:30 PM	#14
jimbob Uncritical "thinker" Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: UK Posts: 20,024	Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger Ion drive sounds great until you see that isn't the power source, a battery creates the ions. What am I missing? As has been said before, nothing really. I should have said that it wasn't a spacecraft as ion drives are pretty mature technologies.
	__________________ OECD healthcare spending Expenditure on healthcare http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/health-data.htm link is 2015 data (2013 Data below): UK 8.5% of GDP of which 83.3% is public expenditure - 7.1% of GDP is public spending US 16.4% of GDP of which 48.2% is public expenditure - 7.9% of GDP is public spending

28th November 2018, 01:10 PM	#15
Armitage72 Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 2,531	Originally Posted by 3point14 You can make these with wire and tin foil, there are instructions on youtube. Of course, those ones need external power, the clever thing here is the very light power packs. The Mythbusters tested one years ago, when they were investigating supposed antigravity devices found on the internet. One device floated in the air when connected to power, but didn't move when placed in a vacuum chamber, showing that it was actually ionizing the air to generate thrust.