Engineering challenges of urban wingsuit

  • Thread starter whig4life
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Engineering
In summary: What are your thoughts on this?What are your thoughts on this?In summary, it would be very difficult to design and construct an urban wing-suit that could meet the military standards that are required.
  • #1
whig4life
14
0
What would be the engineering challenges of designing/constructing an urban wing-suit?

To clarify, I am talking about a wing-suit that can allow a user to jump off a house or of mid-large sized building in a city (or suburb) and glide down safely (lets use military standards as our bare minimum here -- it counts if they get to the ground rather quickly so long as they aren't getting severely injured).

For the attachments, imagine you are trying to turn one into the other...https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/58704 becomes https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/58705
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
  • #2
What you are asking isn't possible.
 
  • #3
I loved Rocky the Flying Squirrel too, but I eventually grew up to realize that I couldn't be him.

By the bye, you do realize that you can't land in a wingsuit, right? You need a parachute.
 
  • #4
Why is it not possible? The purpose is to mentally work out what the engineering challenges would be, not to build one on a message board.

Also, at low altitude you can land.
 
  • #5
The issue is called "wing loading". The smaller the wings, the more lift per unit area they have to produce to keep you from crashing. The more lift needed per unit area, the faster you have to be moving to produce that lift. So that wingsuit might be able to level-off for a couple of seconds, but it will still be moving at probably 50 mph when it does. Too fast to land without killing the pilot in most landings.
 
  • #6
Whig4life, Without the complete project details members are at a disadvantage and often begin to guess or speculate on the questioner's intentions. To obtain the maximum utility from a forum like Physics Forums it is useful to give as much information as possible.

Are you sure the proposed use of the "wing suit" project is possible? What analysis have you done? How can you know "at low altitude you can land"?

What specific "Military Standards" did you refer to?

Neither of the two links in your opening post functioned when I tried them. How can one "imagine turning one into another" with nothing?
 
  • #7
Bobbywhy said:
Neither of the two links in your opening post functioned when I tried them. How can one "imagine turning one into another" with nothing?

Yeah, they both gave me blank grey pages as well.
 
  • #8
whig4life said:
What would be the engineering challenges of designing/constructing an urban wing-suit?

To clarify, I am talking about a wing-suit that can allow a user to jump off a house or of mid-large sized building in a city (or suburb) and glide down safely (lets use military standards as our bare minimum here -- it counts if they get to the ground rather quickly so long as they aren't getting severely injured).

For the attachments, imagine you are trying to turn one into the other...https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/58704 becomes https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/58705

Wingsuits have come a long way in the last few years, but are pretty optimized now. And you land with an aerobatic parachute. Exactly what are you trying to do beyond the state of the art in wingsuits?
 
  • #9
  • #10
  • #11
mheslep said:
Dangerous, but it has been done, last year for the first time.

Well, that's okay if you want to lug around a couple of thousand cubic metres of cardboard boxes, but it seems to me that such a thing somewhat detracts from the freedom factor of just gliding off of a building. It would make more sense to carry an on-board air bag, but even that wouldn't be any better than a 'chute.
 

1. What are the main challenges of designing an urban wingsuit?

The main challenges of designing an urban wingsuit include creating a suit that is both aerodynamic and durable enough to withstand the high speeds and impact forces of urban environments. Additionally, the suit must be able to provide enough lift and control for the wearer to navigate through tight spaces and buildings.

2. How do engineers address the safety concerns of urban wingsuit flying?

Engineers address safety concerns by conducting extensive testing and research to ensure the wingsuit is structurally sound and can withstand high impact forces. They also incorporate safety features such as airbags and emergency parachutes to protect the wearer in case of a malfunction or emergency.

3. What materials are used in the construction of an urban wingsuit?

Typically, urban wingsuits are constructed using lightweight, high-strength materials such as nylon, Kevlar, and carbon fiber. These materials provide the necessary strength and durability while also being flexible enough to allow for a range of motion for the wearer.

4. How does aerodynamics play a role in the design of an urban wingsuit?

Aerodynamics is a crucial factor in the design of an urban wingsuit as it determines the suit's ability to generate lift and control. Engineers use advanced computer simulations and wind tunnel testing to optimize the shape and structure of the wingsuit for maximum aerodynamic performance.

5. Are there any environmental concerns associated with urban wingsuit flying?

Yes, there are several environmental concerns associated with urban wingsuit flying. The high speeds and proximity to buildings can cause noise pollution and disturbance to wildlife. Additionally, there is a risk of damaging buildings or other structures if the wingsuit malfunctions or the pilot loses control.

Similar threads

Challenge Math Challenge - December 2018
    • Math Proof Training and Practice
2
Replies
67
Views
10K
Challenge Math Challenge - May 2019
    • Math Proof Training and Practice
2
Replies
48
Views
8K
Why is the U-2 nicknamed the Dragon Lady?
    • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
7K
Mathematica This Week's Finds in Mathematical Physics (Week 267)
    • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
1
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top