Aircraft runs without fuel in Iranian province

This aircraft apparently has an unlimited air time, and it runs on electric turbines. The aircraft only needs petrol for take off. (Source)

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d62bb4943eea.jpg[/atsimg]

If I'm reading the above news correctly, that this Iranian aircraft has unlimited air time without fuel, then this is one step forward in the electric aviation era.

Many electric aircrafts exists, but they do not have unlimited air time, they don't travel long distances (Source). I don't know whether I'm reading the above news correctly, but unlimited air time means unlimited destinations? Right?



I checked for a new source, which states "E430 electric aircraft in 2009... The single-seat aircraft flies with lithium batteries for up to three hours with a maximum take-off weight of 1034 lb." That is the longest air time of electric aviation (I think), not quiet sure though.
(Source)

Electric Aviation is the future of Air Transport

If Iran has produced such an aircraft, which has unlimited air time, then this is a great leap towards the right direction, but if I'm reading this incorrectly, then please do correct me.

Non-the less, it is great to see a glimpse of what it would be like, one day you will be travelling in this baby to school

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/fae9bdcc7e26.jpg[/atsimg]

Looks like a nice little plane, probably very silent as well.

But:

E430 electric aircraft in 2009... The single-seat aircraft flies with lithium batteries for up to three hours with a maximum take-off weight of 1034 lb."

the three hours have been beaten by the Solarimpulse (www.solarimpulse.com...) a new solar powered (!!) Plane, which just recently did 24hrs in the air, using electricity gained from the sun during the day to fly at night.

Interesting technology nevertheless. And surprising how many new inventions come from a country which is always portraied as being a primitive stone-age country.

Unlimited air time?

Just how do the recharge the batteries? Extension cord?

So it runs on batteries, basically?

The problem with this is similar to the problem with the Prius... it turns out that the production of the batteries frequently is far worse for the environment (and possibly burns more fuel transporting components all over the world) than the combustion engine would be.

So environmentalists need not get too terribly excited just yet, I think. But it is nice to see alternative ideas being tried. It's the only way a truly better option than fossil fuels will eventually be found.

Originally posted by samkent
Unlimited air time?

Just how do the recharge the batteries? Extension cord?

Trying to figure that out myself, I'm trying to figure out if I read the news correctly or not.

Still looking in to it.

Pretty bland source to say the least...

Well I guess if this is true, they have another reason to bomb the hell out of them...

I don't know how this aircraft is supposed to work, but I just thought of something!

Electric motors are also electric generators. If the aircraft turned off it's electric motor and descended quickly, the air would spin the propeller and the electric motor would generate electricity which could be used to recharge the batteries. It's like those electric cars that charge the batteries when the car is not using power or is braking.

So every time the aircraft ascends it uses electricity. Every time it descends it generates electricity. Since electric motors are not 100% efficient you would expect to lose altitude and power over time, however, gravity and momentum would allow the aircraft to ascend small amounts without using power, so there would be times where you can actually generate electricity while ascending! That would mean the aircraft could fly INDEFINITELY!

Oh wow this just gave me an idea for a perpetual motion device! I'm going to go do some calculations now!

reply to post by gift0fpr0phecy


This is great news then. Imagine when these are made commercial, I would definitely buy one and take it to Samoa, then travel from Samoa to Fiji, from Island to Island lol..

I'm not rich yet though

reply to post by confreak

Where are you getting that this is an Iranian plane? Iran has absolutely nothing to do with this plane. They may have purchased some but they certainly had nothing to do with it's development. This is a Chinese company.
en.wikipedia.org...

It was tested in California.

Originally posted by confreak
If I'm reading the above news correctly, that this Iranian aircraft has unlimited air time without fuel, then this is one step forward in the electric aviation era.

I don't think you're reading it correctly.

When you see a claim that looks like bull, you're supposed to assume it's bull unless it's proven to you otherwise. A link to an article in the journal "Nature" would be nice, for example.

IF it had enough batteries to hold a charge overnight, and IF it was covered with enough solar cells to both operate the aircraft and fully recharge the batteries during the day, then an unlimited claim might be possible, but this would be quite an engineering feat and it will take a lot more than that article to convince me they've done such a thing, especially with no details.

Until more information is provided, I'm putting that perpetual motion machine claim right alongside this one:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c35256af7e24.png[/atsimg]I'm thinking the chances of that plane having unlimited airtime are only slightly better than the chances of that wheel turning forever from the force of gravity pulling down the balls on the right.

reply to post by CaptGizmo
Are you sure that's the same plane?

Your link doesn't say anything about "unlimited air time", like the "article" linked in the OP.

And the OP source clearly says:

Iran has developed an aircraft which only uses fuel for take off, in the other hand uses electrical turbines to move in the air.

So I'm really not understanding your post saying it's not developed by Iran when the article says it's developed by Iran.

Now if you said the article was total bull, that much I could agree with as a possibility.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


Azerbiajan News
en.trend.az...

I dont know why they couldnt put a small generator on board to charge the batteries while flying, ya it would take some fuel but not nearly as much as it would take to run the normal sized engines the planes have. I guess maybe the generator couldn't keep up 100 perecnt with the drain on the batteries "maybe" but it would extend the flying time quite a bit i would think.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


So what do you think about my last post?

Imagine an aircraft flying up, down, up, down, up, down, in a wave like fashion. Imagine every time it flew up the batteries would discharge, and every time it flew down it would recharge the batteries. So it would be a constant discharge (up), recharge (down), discharge (up), recharge (down)...

In a frictionless world this would be perpetual motion, but because there is friction there is loss of energy. I think this loss of energy can be regained by taking advantage of the gravity induced momentum. When the aircraft is in the downward phase it is recharging the batteries AND it is also gaining momentum energy. That momentum energy can help the aircraft during it's upward phase until the momentum runs out (the aircraft stalls). During the time that momentum is helping the aircraft in the upward phase the batteries are not discharging but actually recharging. That would mean there would be more charging than there is discharging...

This would be perpetual motion... The "free energy" would be from the gravity induced momentum.

In all my years of studying perpetual motion devices, I have never see or heard of the concept I just described, and it is unique as in I think it can only work with an aircraft that has a wing and a propeller connected to an electric motor / generator.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


Different planes though, but i think you should admit defeat, zephyr, Solar Impulse.
Better luck next time, maybe bigger balls?

Originally posted by confreak
Azerbiajan News
en.trend.az...

The aircraft's length is 1.5 meters

So the length of the aircraft is the same as the height of a child?

Do you still believe the story?

reply to post by Arbitrageur


I'm thinking it is talking about the width, that would make sense.

reply to post by confreak

It says the wingspan is 2 meters, only slightly larger than the height of an adult male.

I don't know what you mean by width, did you mean wingspan? A 2 meter wingspan would be somewhat proportional with a 1.5 meter length.

And I think based on those dimensions, it's safe to say the plane in the photos isn't that size.

reply to post by gift0fpr0phecy


you might want to take a look at this.