Glider Racing in the future

On Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 8:10:30 AM UTC-6, Dave Springford wrote:
Soaring of the future is here - a completely autonomous RC glider has flown a 113.4 km (70.47 mi) open distance. It has also unofficially broken the cross-country soaring out-and-return world record by flying 97.2 km (60.4 mi) declared distance over approximately 4.55 hr.

All the details are in the paper from the US Naval Research Lab that you may read he

http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA614555

I would rather we not allow soaring autopilots in the cockpits of racing sailplanes. Guess that makes me a Luddite.

On Fri, 12 Feb 2016 15:45:53 -0800, WB wrote:


I would rather we not allow soaring autopilots in the cockpits of racing
sailplanes. Guess that makes me a Luddite.

I suppose that depends on what the competition is trying to measu if
its pilot skill or the performance of a particular airframe+pilot, then
you're absolutely right.

However, if the competition is purely to pick the best glider, then
something like the scenario on Arthur C Clark's "The Wind From The Sun"
is more appropriate: the pilot handles takeoff and tow before bailing out
at the start line, leaving the autopilot to do the business.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
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