Help with thrust and HP needed to hover 300 pounds at 30' off the ground

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the requirements for lifting and hovering a person weighing 110 pounds and a total weight of 300 pounds at a height of 30 feet. Participants explore the necessary horsepower (HP) and thrust needed for such a project, specifically in the context of building a drone or personal aircraft.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asks how much HP is needed to lift themselves and a heavier weight, seeking specific calculations.
  • Another participant questions the safety of using a quadcopter for such a purpose, highlighting potential dangers.
  • A participant explains that the power required to hover depends on the method of lift, noting that solid supports do not require energy while aircraft do.
  • There are references to existing technologies, such as the Flyboard and Jetson aircraft, with estimates of their power requirements and thrust capabilities.
  • One participant provides a rough calculation for the power needed based on thrust and energy consumption of jet engines, suggesting a high HP requirement but also noting inefficiencies.
  • Concerns are raised about stability and control in designing a drone capable of lifting a person, emphasizing the need for a strong background in control theory and aerodynamics.
  • Another participant expresses skepticism about the feasibility of lifting 300 pounds with the suggested power levels.
  • There are warnings about the dangers and costs associated with such projects, with one participant advising against proceeding due to safety concerns.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the feasibility and safety of the project, with no consensus on the exact power requirements or the practicality of building such a drone. Concerns about safety and control are prevalent, indicating a general caution among participants.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various assumptions regarding power sources (electric vs. jet fuel) and the efficiency of different lifting technologies. There are unresolved questions about the specific calculations for horsepower and thrust needed, as well as the implications of weight distribution for stability.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals exploring personal drone design, those studying aerodynamics and control systems, or anyone considering the practicalities of lifting heavy weights with aerial vehicles.

sesefdfsd
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If i wnat to lift/hover my self up 30ft off the groud (i am 110 pounds) how much HP would i need and how much would i need to lift/hover 300 pounds. Please answer TYSM
 
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Sorry if this is in the wrong section this is my first time
 
Lift/hover with what? A quadcopter like thing? That's really dangerous.
 
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Welcome to PF.

To remain in a fixed position, there must be a force equal and opposite to your weight, that supports you. The power needed to generate that force will vary depending on how you are supported in that fixed position. Power is the rate of energy flow. Force is not power, unless something moves.

A floor or a ladder is solid, and so nothing moves, it keeps you up without requiring a supply of energy.
A helicopter or aircraft moves air to generate the force that holds you in position. That requires a continuous flow of energy.
 
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russ_watters said:
Lift/hover with what? A quadcopter like thing? That's really dangerous.
Yeah basically
 
sesefdfsd said:
Yeah basically
Much safer to get a ride on one of these personal drone aircraft...

1653248899809.png

https://www.jetsonaero.com/

 
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Here is a place that offers a $1 million dollar prize for anyone who can make that work safely.

https://goflyprize.com/
 
anorlunda said:
Here is a place that offers a $1 million dollar prize for anyone who can make that work safely.

https://goflyprize.com/
Damn 1mil USD is a lot though if even i where to make this it would cost me 5 grand (which i don't have)
 
  • #10
I appreciate the help but that definatly can't lift 300 pounds let alone 20lb
 
  • #11
sesefdfsd said:
If i want to lift/hover myself up 30 ft off the ground (i am 110 pounds) how much HP would i need and how much would i need to lift/hover 300 pounds. Please answer TYSM
Will you be electric or jet fuel powered? Frenchman Franky Zapata's Flyboard lifts ~200 lbs with 5 model jet engines. A rough back or the envelope calculation based on a 45 lb thrust engines each consuming 0.55 L/min with an energy density of 44.6 MJ/kg gives about 2500HP but probably 80% of that power is waste heat.

The Jetson machine above quotes a max power of only 88kW which is ~100HP.
 
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  • #12
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  • #14
Electric powererd, i am tryna

bob012345 said:
Will you be electric or jet fuel powered? Frenchman Franky Zapata's Flyboard lifts ~200 lbs with 5 model jet engines. A rough back or the envelope calculation based on a 45 lb thrust engines each consuming 0.55 L/min with an energy density of 44.6 MJ/kg gives about 2500HP but probably 80% of that power is waste heat.

The Jetson machine above quotes a max power of only 88kW which is ~100HP.
i am build a drone i can stand on
 
  • #15
sesefdfsd said:
I am tryn build a drone that i can stand on
sesefdfsd said:
i am tr
Please take the time to type out whole words; it will help your cause here a lot. Is "tr" = "tryn" = "trying"?

Beyond that, what is your background in feedback and control theory? If you want to design a drone to lift you in flight, you will need a strong background in control theory (plus all the other stuff like aerodynamic propulsion)...
 
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  • #16
berkeman said:
Please take the time to type out whole words; it will help your cause here a lot. Is "tr" = "tryn" = "trying"?

Beyond that, what is your background in feedback and control theory? If you want to design a drone to lift you in flight, you will need a strong background in control theory (plus all the other stuff like aerodynamic propulsion)...
sorry
 
  • #17
ye, so i made this frame out of alumins and not i need a motor that cna lift 50 pounds (i would then buy a few to support my weight of 110lb)
 
  • #18
sesefdfsd said:
ye, so i made this frame out of aluminum and now i need a motor that can lift 50 pounds (i would then buy a few to support my weight of 110lb)
 
  • #19
No worries.

BTW, do you see how the control issue gets a lot easier if the propulsion lift centers are above the center of mass of the vehicle? Kind of like controlling a helicopter is easier than the control system of a Segue or a hoverboard... :smile:
 
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  • #20
berkeman said:
No worries.
I'm worried. @sesefdfsd this is a project that is dangerous and expensive to do correctly. To do it poorly is just dangerous. In between is extremely dangerous. For liability reasons we can't help you with this project, and I strongly suggest you abandon it.
 
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