Electric Airplanes and Drones: A History

Description

Attempts at electric powered flight date to well before the 19th century. Battery weight and low energy output made it impractical until the 1990s, when the advent of lightweight materials, more efficient solar power, improved engines and the Li-Po (lithium polymer) battery opened the skies to a wide variety of electric aircraft. The author describes the diverse designs of modern electric flying machines—from tiny insect-styled drones to stratospheric airships—and explores developing trends, including flying cars and passenger airliners. Cover......Page 1 Acknowledgments......Page 7 Table of Contents......Page 8 Foreword by Ivo Boscarol......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 One. Origins......Page 14 Two. If It Flies, It Must Be Electric!......Page 44 Three. Electricity Goes to War......Page 57 Four. The Aeromodelers......Page 73 Five. “Here Comes the Sun”......Page 83 Six. The Lithium Advantage......Page 114 Seven. “H” is for Hybrid, Hydrogen, Helium......Page 138 Eight. Towards Commercialization......Page 149 Nine. UAVs (Generation Gas)......Page 180 Ten. UAVs (aka Drones) Go Electric......Page 191 Eleven. Dronomania!......Page 220 Twelve. Flying Cars......Page 240 Thirteen. Into the Future......Page 252 Appendix A. The Birth of Drone Racing......Page 276 Appendix B. The Adventure of Solar Impulse......Page 279 Appendix C. Speed and Altitude Records......Page 291 Appendix D. Timeline of Notable Electric Aircraft Flights......Page 300 Chapter Notes......Page 302 Bibliography......Page 308 Index......Page 310