Flying cars? You know they will be really a QUAD! Just bigger.

But this is an interesting twist!

https://www.wired.com/story/karman-electric-flying-car-air-taxi-power-lines/

Not quite the same thing but I'm mulling over a quad design to be used for spraying trees, primarily web worms. It will be tethered to a ground based station that provides power and pumps the spray up to a extended boom spray nozzle mounted on the quad. No need for the quad to carry the battery, fluid tank, or pump. The extended boom will permit better penetration of the webs while keeping the quad further away from the branches. The quad will also house a FPV system for more accurate application in higher portions of the trees. This concept would make for longer flight time, more fluid capacity, a more robust pump system, less down time,... I haven't gotten past the "this would be neat" phase and need to get some hard numbers on wiring requirements, wire weight, fluid line weight, weight of the boom/nozzle, weight of necessary counter weight for the boom.

The whole idea may turn out to be a worthless pipe dream. Once the quad gets up to a height that makes it useful, the weight of the wires, plumbing, and fluid in the supported hose may make the concept impracticable.

Has anyone seen anything along these lines. I've seen the drones for broadcast spraying but I want more targeted application. I don't mind tinkering but I don't like reinventing the wheel.

Actually the FUEL CELL powered Quadcopter is the best idea I've seen for prolonging flight times. Couple that technology into a passenger carrying quad and you have a reasonable method for air transportation that doesn't leave more than a steam contrail.

I can't really image a quad flying through trees while dragging hoses lol. However if you get it to work you should post a video here please!

Flying through the trees isn't what I have in mind. Its movement would be pretty much limited to vertical with little horizontal movement. Like I said, the whole thing may turn out to be dumb. It wouldn't be the first dumb thing I've tried, nor the last.

mdm said:

the whole thing may turn out to be dumb

Click to expand...

Actually, it's not a dumb idea. It would be safer for those that actually spray trees. Operating from say inside the cab of a truck, they would be shielded from over spray. It's just a matter of developing a flying technique that would reduce the possibility of entangling with a tree. Now me, with my experience with taking down trees with my quad, I would not be a good candidate for such a procedure.

I would be the delboy with my 3 wheeler
Tricopter.

Dear Moz, what?

My Tricopter would be a banger like the 3 wheeled chariot above.

ArmyVet said:

But this is an interesting twist!

https://www.wired.com/story/karman-electric-flying-car-air-taxi-power-lines/

Click to expand...

This is an interesting concept but I doubt it will fly (00ps). The infrastructure required to support it in any meaningful way just won't happen for several reasons, cost probably being at the top of the list. A system like this would likely have very limited paths. People that want to fly don't want to be tied to the ground. The hydrogen fuel cell system, or something similar, would make a lot more sense.

On a more personal level. If the " machine " experiences a mechanical problem while in flight.
You have a high probability of ending up entangled in electrical lines. OUCH!

Electrical lines. Something pilots of every ilk are trained to avoid.

ArmyVet said:

Electrical lines. Something pilots of every ilk are trained to avoid.

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True, but I don't think these operators would be considered pilots by today's standards.

As my British brother, I sometimes fail to understand your use of English. In the USA we speak a dialect of English. We call it American. On the point of the subject, having to do with spraying trees from a quadcopter, the spray ejection nozzle would have a similar effect as a JATO Rocket Booster. It would blow the quad all over the place, spraying more than just trees, eh what?

mdm said:

True, but I don't think these operators would be considered pilots by today's standards.

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They could be merely passengers. The "machine " being remotely or autonomously controlled.

My point was simply. Avoid power lines. This technology violates that doctrine.

ArmyVet said:

They could be merely passengers. The "machine " being remotely or autonomously controlled.

My point was simply. Avoid power lines. This technology violates that doctrine.

Click to expand...

Maybe they could develop the Tesla effect; Draw power from flying near high voltage power lines. Bit dangerous, especially if you sneeze, at speed.

LoneRCRanger said:

On the point of the subject, having to do with spraying trees from a quadcopter, the spray ejection nozzle would have a similar effect as a JATO Rocket Booster. It would blow the quad all over the place, spraying more than just trees, eh what?

Click to expand...

Low pressure, direct application to problem area.

A surgically precise intervention. Good luck, you'd need to get real close I think for that type of application, not to say that it couldn't be done, as long as the pilot has a real steady hand. Maybe it could be used to pluck fruit too. That would cut down on the number of migrant workers fording the Rio Grande. Our President might like this idea.

LoneRCRanger said:

Dear Moz, what?

Click to expand...

Uh

Yup!

Oh, I get it