Electric Airplanes

[bdewoody]

There is a good article on electrically powered light aircraft under development in this month's Air & Space Magazine. The key element in their future seems to be batteries. Right now they can get only about 20 min of flight time. The article states that there are batteries under development that will allow significantly longer flights. This seems like the statements made about fusion power, great long life batteries always seem to be just around the corner. And yet my cellphone will only run off it's charger about 15 minutes.

 

[andrew_t1000]

There is a good article on electrically powered light aircraft under development in this month's Air & Space Magazine. The key element in their future seems to be batteries. Right now they can get only about 20 min of flight time. The article states that there are batteries under development that will allow significantly longer flights. This seems like the statements made about fusion power, great long life batteries always seem to be just around the corner. And yet my cellphone will only run off it's charger about 15 minutes.

Man you need a new cellphone or a new battery! lol

I have 2 ASUS eee's, a 701 and a 900, I get 6 - 7 hours use out of a full charge.
If I'm using my HDTV or my GSM/GPRS/WCDMA modem it goes down a little, but not by much!
Battery technology is getting better, energy density is increasing.
Just look at the Lithium polymer batteries being used for models, especially aircraft.
I have just gotten into electric flight, I'll never give up on glow plug motors, but the new electric motor I have is nearly 1 horse power! The tiny battery pack will supply 20A, 30A surge!

 

[bdewoody]

I should clarify. My cellphone will stay on for a couple of days without a recharge but if I get a call or make one I can only talk about 15 min 30 tops before it starts beeping then goes dead.

 

[TimO_10101]

I fly electric R/C planes (anywhere from 10minute to 1hour duration) and will agree --- it's all about the amp-hours!

....and you really DO need a new cellphone! Either your battery is old and tired (most rechargeables really only last a couple of years before they start declining and its just time to replace them - another pesky fact the electric car and airplane companies don't tell yo about- or it was designed to be smaller/lighter by using a smaller battery with less capacity. Giving up an ounce of weight and then only getting 15minutes of talk time is a serious design flaw....

 

[bdewoody]

Well this is off the original topic but I've got to respond. My cellphone is a Motorola flip phone and I have now put three batteries in it. Two were OEM and the current is an aftermarket brand. It has held up the best but I still can get only about 20 min continuous talk time out of it. Curiously it has always only taken about an hour to fully charge. I just leave it plugged in at home anymore and I have a car charger too.

As far as electric airplanes is concerned the one I was referring to in Air & Space was the size of a Vari Ease and flies with a pilot on board no R/C plane here.