BTD10: The 835kph Sailplane and Dynamic Soaring

Title: The 835kph Sailplane and Dynamic Soaring

Speaker: Spencer Lisenby - prototype developer at DSKinetic

Abstract:
Most people wouldn't imagine that the world's fastest radio controlled airplane has no propeller, jet, or any source of propulsion on board. Dynamic Soaring is a unique method of soaring which has enabled radio controlled gliders to achieve speeds in excess of 835kph. We will explore the fundamentals and progress of dynamic soaring and examine the challenges associated with designing, building, and flying an un-powered model airplane at speeds comparable to modern passenger jets. We will also give some thought to practical applications of dynamic soaring and discuss where it could be applied in the future.

[mrmadmaxalot]

Wow, the algorithm brought me gold this time. I love finding something unexpected like this that just sucks me in. Fantastic presentation!

[EnniodBleu]

Good stuff. I was present for a similar lecture by Joe Wurts himself around 2000 when he was visiting Christchurch, NZ for a gliding competition. I remember then trying to DS with my foam flying wing in the Port Hills. Did 1 and a half turns before the wingtips clapped hands. But I was super impressed by the incredible whooshing airspeed sound of soft foam and flappy packing tape from my beatup slope glider made just before it snapped.

[williambunting]

That’s very exciting. As you were describing it i was thinking of the website “how flies the Albatross” and then you moved right into it.

[dougcronkhite]

Spencer just went 548 mph yesterday with his Transonic.

[Peter-ercd]

This man is god level not only in aerodynamics but in transmitting it. Wow!

[lohikarhu]

so this is a pretty special version of albatross flight...the performance and ruggedness of these aircraft is, well, "freakin' amazing" !

[grongrod]

Finally, a scientific and serious video about DS. Great too see. I can't believe I am posting the first comment to this. I learned a lot, great job!

[elixir]

cool!!! back in 2001 i lived out in Los Angeles. i would say i was a fairly competent slope soaring pilot. i flew foam delta wings of different densities. one day the guy that built the foam cores that i used to fly said im going to take you to a place that is legendary for slope soaring. so we went to parker mountain. parker mountain is a ridge that you get to through fire roads in acton ca. we get up there and i see this guy walking around barefoot. i make a simple mental note and carry on. since there is really no setup for a delta wing we throw out have two short flying runs to get a feel for the place. so i look the barefoot guy almost has his glider setup hes taping up the seams in the wing. composite plane much heavier hitter than i or my buddy that showed me the place. at that point my buddy had heard of ds but i hadnt. so the guy throws out his glider takes a couple turns in the front and shoots down the backside im thinking what did the idiot just do? so i watch thinking this guy is about to lose his fancy plane. i watch him make a hard bottom turn and the plane is heading back up the hill it hits the rotor and heads back down tightening up each pass. with two or three passes the glider is doing well over 100 mph. i was so blown away to what i was witnessing. of course i aint see this type of flying but this huge glider is moving and where you park is along the fire road i get behind my truck for safety. at the time i didnt know it but he kept going back and forth on the backside looking for energy and in that he made a few passes over my truck. it truly sounded like a boeing 737 just passed over my head. so after barefoot guy lands and had settled down near hit pit i went over to him and said" bro you gotta break down for me what i just witnessed" he explains to me about ds and at the end of the conversation he introduces himself as Joe Wurtz. i got to see and learn first hand from the guy who started the craze with rc aircraft

[leonardmilcin]

So this is interesting, it means you can maintain sailplane practically indefinitely as long as you can find reliable air speed gradient. You could theoretically recover whatever amount of electricity you need from a small RAM-like device and basically keep it there forever until you loose the gradient or the device parts wear down.

[eastcoastandy]

As a flying and sailing freak for decades I must say what an excellent lecture. Thanks. Well worth watching.

[ccarlsson]

WOW! I just love this presentation being an engineer and an RC model flyer since I was 12 years old.

[banzaiib]

need to get the Slow-mo Guys in contact with Spencer!!!

[TechNed]

Fascinating! About 40 years ago, I watched a couple of RC gliders flying back and forth across a windy section of a place north of Wollongong, NSW (possibly, the Bulli Pass). It surprised me, how fast they were and although it was quite gusty, maybe they were picking up extra energy by flying in and out of the moving air.

[ophello]

It's a shame this only has 500 views. This shit is awesome.

[douginorlando]

He tells the story of doing the best engineering I may have ever seen. I’m impressed

[glike]

Very impressive looking at this as an Aeronautical Engineer

[peterdvorak]

The plane speed can be easily measured with 2.4GHz or 5GHz flying beacon and ground based Doppler shift measuring receiver

[tolson]

Just found DS yesterday. WOW, just WOW.

[JulianMakes]

Absolutely fascinating talk. I had no clue about these awesome rc aircraft before this, they are incredible! I wonder if the speed difference in layers can be exploited for power generation? Brilliant talk thanks

[LuckyLAK]

Very nice presentation indeed and congrats for the record.
Marco Maceri,
Head of Flight Physics at Pilatus Aircraft and addicted glider pilot.