This is the first time I've seen this and I was blown away into the air. Seriously this has wonderful possibilities please keep experimenting and perfecting it.
I am thrilled to see more and more electric propulsion ideas. What a great time to be an inventor! Good job on getting a less expensive solution for flight. A little more power is needed, but I'm sure it'll improve.
Hi The battery pack weighs 3Kg on this prototype for testing and all up weight is 7Kg. The duration is 5 minutes. The next one in build has all up weight of thrusters and battery at 12Kg and duration of 15 minutes at full thrust and a about half an hour at cruise thrust. I've built this as a backup for use on a standard paraglider, to give a bit of extra lift or between thermals, but turns out to be a great paramotor. I'l put details on dreamscience-propulsion as we develop.
This has amazing potential for those of use that have problems with the huge weight of a paramotor, not to mention adaptable/removeable mount and regular harness, better thermalling once up, and not a chance of lines getting caught in the props. I may build one of these to replace my electric paramotor and skirt the laws here in Canada as it's certainly not going to be seen as a paramotor!
Have been assessing my old Hanglider for a similar EDF conversion. Effeciency on these motors is very low so steered me away. Seeing this relights the fire again. Congrats. Great build! Strap on the LiPo.
I live in Florida, USA...flat country...I pay 25 dollars to be towed up to 2500 feet, from there I can sometimes/usually thermal up to cloud base at 4500 feet. Keeping an extra charged battery on hand gives a two-flight day. ...I hope your thrusters can do it less expensively...Great Job !!
The thrusters are still in development, but we'll add more information at dreamscience-propulsion as we develop and test. I'm hoping to get the second prototype off the ground soon.
You probably don't need to idealize it too much. It seems that each unit has a thrust of about 50N, which is a total of 100N. As an auxiliary engine for finding thermals, or for strarting down a small hill, it is perfectly sufficient. If he used 2x propeller instead of a fan, for example 24-28 / 12, an AC motor around 2x3kW would suffice. It would have better parameters.
Very nice. I was thinking about this solution time ago, but I found (in models shop) that one turbine with a high thrust costs about 3000 Euro. I am glad to see it working
Run four, two per side and build a lightweight under pack beneath the paraglider rig should give you more than enough thrust to weight ratio for flight and increase your stability dramatically. Happy flying mate hope to see more soon.
Cool, success.... I was working on a power Hang Glider harness project with 2 Dr Mad thrust 90 mm EDF, I had about 36 # static thrust on 12s but gave up before attempting to Flat Land Launch. Radier berntsen ( E help hang glider ) convinced me to go with no less that 70# thrust, so Im setting up twin pusher 100kv turnigy outrunners 34x14 counter rotating props. Hope to test in month or so.
Maybe use a small gas engine to generate electricity for those motors to extend range. I think something like ducted fans would greatly improve safety. No more windmills on your backs to lop off hands, and get damaged by gravel, and such. Thanks for the video.
Interesting concept. They do seem to be very underpowered for this application, and look more suited to model airplanes. How much thrust do they generate ? I am not knocking you - i admire your ingenuity but they seem to be little more than hairdryers to me. Seems you would need at least 100/150 lbs of thrust to make them useful.
Basically edfs are able to provide thrust at higher speeds that the propellers won't work not even those with higher pitch. So they are efficient at high speed. Since paragliders fly at very low speed normal propellers would be much more efficient. However you still have some big advantages over the propeller setups. This setup is extremely compact and I would say safer because you don't have those big blades on your back.
I see it as JUST a launch system and perhaps a low save system for a paraglider. NOT as a paramotor. I would like it behind the harness on a pivot, so that after you get to thermal height you can swing it to a vertical position so it is in your slipstream and produced small to 0 drag. I am going to make one as these guys won't sell em and don't answer emails.
Since you guys refuse to make them for sale I am making my own. I have got a manufacture that has made thruster units to over 40kg of thrust combined. My unit will fit to a the back of a normal paraglider harness. It will be on a swivel so after getting to a height for thermalling, the unit can be swung vertical to be in the slipstream with 0 or little drag so you have proper glide. It can also be used for low saves. Also, in strong thermals or ridge lift, the thrusters can be swung back out with no power engaged, and if they spin up in the 40km/hour speed relative wind of the paramotor they will re-charge the batteries if the charge produced by the motors is greater than the remaining charge of the batteries. In a good re-usable thermal, you maybe able to spiraldown to increase speed and charge, then thermal back up. This unit will NOT be a paramotor competitor. It will be a very light launch and extended flight system for thermal paragliding. Since Dreamscience seems happy to not take this further and just dream (it has done nothing for years) I will make something of it. Anyone interested please respond here. I am making one for myself, but I am prepared to go into production commercially.
I've only used EDFs on RC models, but in both cases they use a 'thrust tube' after the EDF. This is apparently to increase thrust. Would this help here?
What happens if one motor fails? Do the lines twist if you don't kill the power in time. Are/will you be monitoring motor rpm to shut off automatically? A direct measurement of airflow/pressure might a be better for this?
still a bit under powered but nice try on the way to get motor for paraglider that not weight 30kgs, that are not dangerous with these big blades rotating at 2000 RPM behind your head !!
i agree , the cost of a new paramotor is what is keeping me away from the hobby. I am constantly racking my brain for more simple and efficient thrust system.
I might try an old 2cv boxer engine, it weighs around 50kg for 35-40 hp, on a trike it seems like it should work with a 120kg wing. Though the problem is still the wing, as you can find a motor for about 500€.
Congratulations for the initiative. The evolution is closer than you think! Which model of the motor and controller used in this experiment? Thanks for sharing: D
keep going , your near there with the ideal of a practical electric motor drive , as there are far to many combustion engines in the history of this world that have caused the climate change , then we will get decent weather for flying when we change to the electric paramotor . It will be cheaper and we can leave the natural fossil fuels -it makes childs sense . Im 45 years Electrical Technician !
Wonder if it would be possible to attach a cord to a stirrup then you could have vectored thrust! Given the low power I also wonder if you could steer with the motors and avoid using the brakes?
Best ever mate. Nice application. Maybe you could 3D print some ABS rotors for some extra thrust! I am just getting into the means and methods of that black art :-) Say, how does "Council" like you flying around the park? . Sorry pal, couldn't resist. Where are the build notes regarding the motors and EDF components for your aux thrusters? Regards, C
I have asked, but they won't answer emails. I have found all the gear I need, with more powerful thrusters and am looking into making one. The only problem is working out the battery needs. It will just be a launch and low save for a paragliger, NOT a substitute for a paramotor. I remember reading (can't remember where) that the main problem they are having is the thrusters get too hot for continuous flight. But just as a launch system for 5 to 10 minutes, I think it would work OK. I will see.
Interesting. Be good for getting you up there on a calm-ish summer's day, especially if you don't want a long drive. What is the weight of the battery pack? What is the expected duration of a 40kg thrust system? It must have some effect on the performance, once thrusters stop and you're in free flight.
Hi These thrusters are based on high power ducted fans as used with large RC models. I'll ask the manufacture that built these for us if they are happy with me giving the specifications. This may be a few weeks.
Hi This prototype for testing has 25Kg thrust so just straight and level with an 80Kg pilot. The next one with 40Kg thrust or 60Kg burst thrust, i project a climb rate of 1 to 2 m/s. I'll let people know once it gets in the air.
There are some very lightweight automotive batteries out there. I'd imagine that as battery technology continues to improve this will become very feasible for longer flights.
Привет, я такое же стоить буду, уже заказал движки вот они: ru.aliexpress.com/item/Change-Sun-120mm-Ducted-Fan-12-Blades-with-EDF-5052-motor-kv500-all-set/1585886150.html
8TresT8 Привет. Классные турбинки, я видела только до 8 кг тяги. Да и цена меньше той что видела. Контролер будеш ставить один на 2 двигателя или на каждый по отдельности? Напиши марку контролеров. Ещё интересует больной вопрос акамуляторов
8TresT8 Привет! Пришли тебе моторчики? Как с тобой связаться, думаю о создании электро тяги для параплана, сейчас две схемы рассматриваю, эта более маленькая, ну и тяга здесь не ахти, но все же смотриться очень оригинально. Напиши свою почту плиз!
Привет. Пока ещё жду гдето за 2 недели будут. Моя почта omega_r@ukr.netЯ понимаю что замены мотопараплане пока не сделаеш, но хочу сделать так чтоб до 30 мин работали движки от акамуляторов. За это время можна набрать высоту до 600-800 м а там уже ловить потоки. Пока незнаю что делать с контролерами. Нехватает на всё денег. Если бы гдето найти схему,
Vlada Marchuk не уверен что 30минут на полной тяге они продержатся, это больше для поддержания высоты, не на долго, аккумы слишком сильно нагреваться будут тоже, я думаю их можно использовать при лебедочной затяжке, чтобы добрать еще 50-100 метров дополнительных но не более
actually those engines were just as deadly because they can explode and if there's a fan blade failure, it will penetrate the housing and probably into the pilot!
Need to get good German units. My unit will be behind the pilot, so any failure should be not as bad. You can also have an outer housing as an extra safety.
Nice flight!! I'm starting with paragliding, I've made kitesurf so far because my actual friends convinced me so instead of the "dangerous world of paragliders" (they had some accidents). But I'm an old RC fan. I suspect that you could have 10 to 15 minutes of flight with 5 Kgs of batteries wich could reach 45.000 mAh. Maybe I am to ambitious with the number, would you share some more? CONGRATS!
Give the bloke a chance , you may get towed to 2500ft . That means you have to go to a long strip 2500ft long , I saw him take off in 50yards . It's experimental , just like the glider you fly , it was developed by NASA and look how good they are now as you said you can float for ages . So when they better last longer you will want one then , perhaps it may be an ideal to not use battery's but a small model plane engine linked to a generator !!!!
i think this idea and tech you use is good but not enough for efficiency ,yeap it is lighter and smaller but it is not efficient in long run and how long you use to fly with this in full speed? i think you use your thruster always in a full speed.right? i'm not genius and i don't have any good resources than you are but just take my comment so that you could use it also to improve your ideas and tech,and also i think you should use much more bigger thruster than the first thruster or ducted fan that you use to show to us. and i think the battery should place it on your back because it is getting so much heat. and a quick release ejection for emergency to your battery if it accidentally get fire up or explode while on the air.
