Gamera II XR: Expanding the Flight Envelope of Human Powered Helicopters

The UMD Gamera II has significantly expanded the flight envelope of human powered helicopters. Gamera IIXR, a modified version of Gamera II, has performed separate flights reaching an altitude of over 2.75 meters and durations of over 60 seconds. These milestones have been achieved by systematic, incremental improvements in the aerodynamic, structural, and power transmission design of the helicopter. Improvements were developed in response to identified needs from flight test experience and were evaluated against both aerodynamic efficiency and vehicle weight. Flight testing of Gamera IID, an upgraded version of the craft with pilot controls, has demonstrated effective pitch and roll control as well as yaw stability.