On Sun, 17 Jan 2021 12:56:41 -0700, Dan Marotta wrote:

Highest I could find was the Mil Mi-8 at 30,000'. The air at 30,000' on
Earth is a lot thicker than on Mars at any altitude. So, how can it be
done with a helicopter?


'Simplicate and add lightness' (wish I knew who first said that).

Judging be the look of the Mars Helicopter that will be carried by the
Mars 2020 mission's rover, that's pretty much exactly what they did: it
has a single rotor shaft supporting a pair of contra-rotating two-blade
rotors. Its electric powwred, but with a relatively small battery and, to
keep it chanrged, a set of photocells mounted on top of the rotor mast.

https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/

Well, only 31 days until it lands on Mars and, since the plot is to fly
the chopper before the rover goes off exploring the crater it should land
in, we haven't long to wait before we see if it can fly.



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Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org