As electricity flows across the country on massive high tension, high voltage power lines there are electrical fields generated around the wires by impedance. My thought is to use aircraft shaped like the deathglider from Stargate with it's half moon curved wings that would allow them to be conductive collectors as they pass through the fields that would power an electric motor propulsion system.
Yes, it would use energy and no this is not some "free energy" system. Basically, I'm looking to make use of an already existing backbone of energy delivery. This system of course, is a bit dangerous as wind currents may push the aircraft into the towers.
Another way to do this would be an airship with a flatter set of lighter weight collectors that hang low enough that a side force would not push the craft or collector into the towers/lines. With a long thin body you could use a larger quantity of power with an equal amount of area exposed to side forces. This could also allow for slower speeds as aerodynamic lift wouldn't necessary.
Edit:
Ok so new addition. I've been looking into ground effect vehicles and ground effect dirigibles. With the larger length of a blimp you can use ground effect with properly designed wings that would allow you to remain in ground effect up to a few hundred feet high, which is within the standard height range (50-150ft) of an american electrical tower. Ground effect allows you to have a smaller than necessary lifting gas balloons but still get the lift necessary to travel great distances with larger weights.
No comments:
Post a Comment