Quote:
Originally Posted by BigElCat
The DHS has a quad copter drone the size of a mini van. It looks like the 'landing craft' things in the old Star Trek TV series. Lots of people have seen it.
5' diameter blades spinning 40,000 rpm. Current consumer technology couldn't lift a payload that size, except it's own battery pack.
(talk to yourself on the internet much).
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Rotor blades can't go 40,000 rpm. They loose thrust efficiency as the they go supersonic. They would also make continuous sonic booms that would incapacitate unprotected persons in a wide area. Of course, I suppose that's the main goal, eh? Here's wikipedia on an early experiment with a supersonic propeller aircraft. Note that the propeller was supersonic, but the plane wasn't....
Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech