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Old 03-22-2018, 05:05 PM   #29 (permalink)
redpoint5
Human Environmentalist
 
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,390

Acura TSX - '06 Acura TSX
90 day: 24.19 mpg (US)

Lafawnda - '01 Honda CBR600 F4i
90 day: 47.32 mpg (US)

Big Yeller - '98 Dodge Ram 2500 base
90 day: 21.82 mpg (US)

Prius Plug-in - '12 Toyota Prius Plug-in
90 day: 57.64 mpg (US)

Mazda CX-5 - '17 Mazda CX-5 Touring
90 day: 26.68 mpg (US)

Chevy ZR-2 - '03 Chevrolet S10 ZR2
90 day: 17.14 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by freebeard View Post
Aha! So, no room for improvement there.

You're constrained by the legal line-of-sight requirement. Attack the maximum orbit speed.

For the acoustic problem, look to the 'black helicopters'. A solid center disk and odd shaped tips. Are you 3D printing your own propellers yet since they're expendable?
I may stretch the legal requirements, but I fly over farm fields and technically, light reflecting from the drone reaches my eye. My controls don't work if I don't have line of sight.

The props are somewhat proprietary considering the twist locking mechanism, and I have gone through 8 of 'em so far. They only set me back about $2ea when shipped from China. I order spares ahead of needing the replacements.

My flight that ended up in ditching 0.8 miles from home lasted 30 minutes. If I fly 30 MPH, I should be able to cover 15 miles in half an hour, or 7.5 in 15 minutes.

I can't see getting less than 20 minutes of flight time regardless of how hard I fly, so maybe I can cover 8 miles roundtrip on a charge given a 30 MPH speed.
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