What/how will we be flying in 25 years time

[David Ashby - Moderator]

.....or rather how will we be flying in 2035?

 

I wondered if I could ask forumites for a little help.

 

I'm writing an article for the RCM&E 50th anniversary issue.  I was wondering if people would like to predict ahead and suggest what will be happening in 2035?  I hope there would be some good predictions that I can use in the article (and give you a mention if you're happy to be the next Nostradamus).

 

So, as far as model flying is concerned, what do you reckon?

What new technologies will we see?

Will things be pretty much the same at the average Sunday flying patch?  

 

No pessimistic politics please, blue sky thinking........or something plain crazy?

Edited By David Ashby - RCME Administrator on 03/03/2010 16:22:44

[Mike Rolls]

At my age - wings and a harp!

Mike

[David Ashby - Moderator]

You'll still be flying though Mike

[Garry Pollard]

I shall be 99 yrs young and hope I am still flying, although what ?  I cant see there being any wires to reciever from servos and no doubt the advances that have been made in the last 25 yrs will be far outstripped in the next 25. I cant see the outline of the model changing all that much as it hasnt in the last 25, and I hope and pray that the weekend get together of like minded people will continue well after the next 25 yrs

Garry

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Paddy Fidling]

Flying from the backseat of a hovercar through FPV goggles from Hong-Kong!

[001]

For many years I have thought that the future would bring radio systems with feedback from aileron and elevator to transmitter stick, possibly with some form of stall warning built in.

And

Flexible airfoil sections with no hinged controls, a sort of wing-flexing control. And wings that adapt to the type of flying engaged in at that moment, thin section for speed, expanding to a thick section for slow speeds and forming a concave trailing edge dropping down for landing. (Flexiflap!)

And

 

Piston engines of various sizes and number of cylinders, completely constructed from ceramics and teflon with no lubrication required, propane gas fuelled, supplied in a one-shot screw-in canister, like a smaller camping gas canister or sparklet cylinder, no mess, no liquids involved.

And

 

Tiny gas turbines 20mm in diameter and affordable!

And

No bickering about the need for 'A' Certificates!

Mind you I'll be 92 if I ever make it to 2035.

 

[Erfolg]

The immediate trend is predictable, in that the flyer will have the capability to receive real time data at the transmitter in regard the model and what it is doing. Also data logged data for later evaluation will also become more extensive. This trend has started, with possibly a long way to go.

 

I expect that some of the concepts being built into low cost indoor helicopters being incorporated into the systems available for field type models. In particular I have read (in the Telegraph) about one small indoor helicopter, which has incorporated some type of gyro, which enhances the capability to turn equally well left and right. If I remember correctly without the giro, it tends to spin around its own axis, without provocation, and was reluctant to turn left. It would not surprise me to see this type of system, to both predict a stall, avoid one and aid a recovery from any stall etc also aiding turns etc. Particular applications could be scale models which otherwise could be unflyable by most people in most conditions, These types of systems would be integrated in conjunction with the on board real time telemetry. Other control axis could be appropriately equipped with systems to aid flight.

 

To make data more useful I would expect some built in feed back to the flyer or the system to enhance the experience also software for the PC to aid simple analysis

 

It is apparent that it is/will be very possible to incorporate a auto landing/retrieval system, if the pilot lost orientation etc., if required.

 

Beyond the near future, the far distant future will be controlled by politics as well as technology.

 

The trouble with prediction is that only Nostradamus and the Bible seem to have most things covered. IBM thought we would have one super computer by now all others being consigned to the junk yard. Duncan Sandys had been convinced in the 1950s that war planes of the future would need no cannons/guns and pilots would become redundant. His advisers may have been right, just about 60 years out., 

 

 

[Solid Snake]

I reckon that we will be flying FPV aircraft the size of houseflys  Nano technology will probably become available and revolutionise RC flying indoors and outside. However i think that oil will be running out and we will be back to building models of of wood, or some kind of carbon fibre/ titanium material. Should be fun though  

[Jonathan Lewzey]

there'll still be a multitude of boring .40 size only sport flyers in 2035 at your average club i'd say  although electric should have taken over by then - as many as 80% of flyers flying mostly electric?

 

Hopefully more growth in aerobatics and more development in VPP (variable pitch propellers)  and consequently 4D flying.

 

I think indoor flying will see most progression in the next 25 years through miniturisation. Smaller and lighter radio and power systems have already taken the indoor world by storm.

 

 

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Brian Cooper]

Radios will have voice activated programming, plus, "control feedback" to the sticks so we can feel the effort required from the servos (flight loads).

 

There will be telemetry as standard to indicate height, speed, temperature, fuel state and distance from the Tx.

Failsafes will be programmed via GPS to return (and land) a model to its take-off point.

 

Electric flight will have died out in favour of hydrogen powered engines.

[Phil 9]

there will be a large following for vintage models such as the multiplex easy star and foam EDF jets

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

Good evening "Enterprise"!

I think that will be not happened drastic technological progress,mostly because of the inability of harmonization of  techical capacity at the global level.In fact I still living on East

part of Europe,and here things will be slower to develop,so that the scale "Spitfire",2.4 ghz TX and i.c. engine will always be hardly reaching target.....LOL...Mr.Ashby I wish you long and good life  your  Joe

[Dusty]

Flying fullsize remote controled comercially or if not for money fullsize scale models; ie like Cessna 150 or Piper Cub scale......

[James40]

I think there could be big advances in the controllers, gone will be the square box with two sticks, the new controller will have accelerometers built in and can be worn as a type of glove, just simple hand movements to control the aircraft.

[James40]

FPV with telemetry feedback should be available within 10 years so may be common by then. Battery technology could have moved on to much lighter and powerful cells, even flexible cells that could be incorporated into the structure of the airframe. I think IC will be almost extinct by then, fuel will be too high a premium to use.

[Bruce Richards]

Direct neural feedback so to the pilot it looks and feels as if you are sitting in the model flying it. Sort of super FPV. By waring a helmet with electrodes in to syimulate portion of the brain you get a fully imersive experience.

[paul (dig-it-up)]

anybody seen the film 2012 ummm . say no more

[Pete B]

Having been an avid 'Beano' reader in the dim and distant past, I shall no doubt be able to get my General Jumbo wrist controller at last!

 

Pete (age 11 3/4)

[Dusty]

The 5th element?

[TonyS]

I have a feeling that with the advent of new materials we'll be seeing fabric that changes shape with electric currents replacing hinged control surfaces.

It will also mean that the wing sections will be able to change to suit the flying speed etc

 

If you think that this is far-fetched you should see BMW's concept car - the body is made of a fabric changes shape to reveal the lights for example......BMW shape-shifting concept car

 

I also think that the two joystick controller type boxes will go out in favour of something less mechanical.

 

Obviously we'll have loads of time to enjoy flying because battery technology will mean 100's of hours from a charge and we'll all be unemployed as a result of the banking collapse of 2030....  

[001]

Will we ever have a model capable of Mach 1 ? I think so, power will not be a problem, (if it is powered!), the capability to track it and control it at the diffferent flight regimes will be available by then. BUT finding a site to fly it will be a problem.

 

[flytilbroke]

Agree this part with Brian Cooper >

 

There will be telemetry as standard to indicate height, speed, temperature, fuel state and distance from the Tx.

Failsafes will be programmed via GPS to return (and land) a model to its take-off point.

 

Electric Powered models will be the mainstream, with IC, in most of the current UK, limited and allowed only in specific areas or Public shows.

 

I don't agree FPV will be almost universal. We can do that from our livingrooms on Simulator Programs already

 

Commercial airflight will not be as common due to Fuel scarcity allied to pollution issues. It will be fully controlled in flight by computer.

 

I shall be to old to care.

Edited By flytilbroke on 03/03/2010 22:35:34

[TonyS]

Crikey Richard...Mach 1!!!!

 

I can barely fly my Easystar - goodness knows how far the plane will be away by the time I've sorted my sticks out at that speed. The other problem is eyesight and reactions. I'll be 70 by then - woe betide anyone standing anywhere near the landing strip...