FASTEST RC AIRPLANE IN THE WORLD! Transonic DP -- 545mph!!

Most folks don't realize that the fastest RC airplane is a glider with no jets or motors. Here Spencer Lisenby sets a new record speed of 545mph with the Transonic DP using a flying technique called Dynamic Soaring.

[ShindenZero]

If my math is right, this plane is pulling a roughly 36G maneuver.

[sll]

I'm flattered that you think it's fake or altered. Just confirmation that it's something extraordinary... I recommend googling Dynamic Soaring to educate yourself before making silly false claims. I even put a Wikipedia link in the description above to make it easy to start your research...

[rcketplumber]

Dynamic soaring might be possible between the belts and zones on Jupiter and Saturn, and with the mainly hydrogen-helium atmosphere, the speed of sound would be nearly 3000 mph. 2000 mph gliders, anyone? They would, of course, have to be completely autonomous, but it could be a means of exploring the gas giants without nuclear power, just a ram air turbine powered by the slipstream. Hitting ammonia rain at 900 meter/s might be catastrophic, though.

[ericcohen]

545mph....simply wow. I haven't been flying ds in many years, but I am one of the originals here in California where I was witness to the OG's on Parker Mountain. We were flying 200mph or so, and it was Joe Wurts and Bob Bowman that believed 400mph was possible. Of course our planes were nowhere near strong enough and it just got better and better from there. Once in a while I check in to see where the new record is and 545mph is amazing. Congrats on the plane, and well done! Hope those guys Joe and Bob are still doing well.

[Livlifetaistdeth]

This is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, beyond cool!

[peteredd]

Hi everybody. I fly my control line plane at 120mph. These planes are almost unbelievable. The speeds and stress that are involved make my 120mph seem like a casual stroll.Good thoughts to everyone out there and happy flying.Pete and Dee from Sacramento California USA.

[mylesjarvis]

So cool!! Flying a r/c jet at 200 is insane enough I cant imagine my eyes trying to focus on that!

[thecoconut]

Imagine owning a rc plane that goes the speed of an actual plane

[coma]

quite possibly the fastest hands to have ever picked up a radio, congrats on another record, man. I used to DS in norcal years ago when the speed record was 202mph (Craig T). How things have changed, holy cow.

[davidh]

Who would have ever believed the speed record would be set by an unpowered aircraft? This is extraordinary and amazing. Obviously the planes have to withstand extreme g-loads and I am super impressed that it's even possible to build a wing that can do it. They are talking about loads of up to I have built a few RC planes myself for tootling around in the park but this is something else! By the way I'm intrigued by the physics of the speed build-up. I don't understand how it works. And is it possible to break the sound barrier?

[paulp]

One of the most amazing things I've ever seen! Thank you for sharing :-)

[joelchump]

Weldon coordinates btw if anyone was wondering are 35.653780, -118.296260. These coordinates are beside the rock wall made for the guy with a radar gun.

[xoio]

Damn!!! That must be Mach 0.7+ !!? Here's a question, could you build a glider that has a swept wing, even lower finesse ratio, raked tailplane, all moving elevator, then really push towards Mach 1?.. Is it theoretically possible to go supersonic?

[CZorzellaYT]

AWESOME!!!! Congratulations Spencer!!!!

[TheHarberHangar]

Simply amazing....AMAZING! Congrats Spencer and team!

BTW, for anyone who likes geeking out with math...

If you add the local wind, which was gusting to 80mph, and calculate actual airspeed, you get this:

545 mph ground speed + 80 mph wind gust = 625 mph!

At 5, 000ft MSL (the rough altitude of the pass where he was flying), the speed of sound is approx. 750mph. 625/750 = 0.83

Mach 0.83 !!!

Yeah; you're definitely dealing with transonic drag rise there, buddy! :D

[jeffreyburley]

How can you follow that plane as the pilot? In the video, I could just barely see it as you did your bottom turn and climb, let alone follow it through the next turn and descent. This was the most fantastic thing I have seen in the modeling kingdom. And I thought the FMS V900 for a prop and that 464 mph fully jet-propelled red rocket with wings were fast.

[Ricom]

Right on Spencer, congratulates to you and the Kinetic engineers who made this possible. The RC-turbine boys must have saw the light at the end of the tunnel go ....dim! :)

[RallyRat]

How much power is this magnificent machine harvesting from the wind to go 550mph while pulling 100g?

[davidlee]

I wonder the distance if you drop that plane from a high Alt balloon, I wonder the distance and speed.

[kzitomikkun]

Its about ~877 km/h
And its only a glider good job guys