Aerovelo's Human-Powered Helicopter Wins $250,000 Sikorsky Prize

First time accepted submitter oritonic1 writes "Since 1980, several teams have tried (and failed) to build a human-powered helicopter that could win the elusive $250,000 Sikorsky prize. But a Canadian start-up, Aerovelo, has finally taken the crown with Atlas, a human-powered craft that managed to stay at least 10 feet in the air, for 60 seconds, within a 30'x30' area."

Great example of why prizes exist

[Covalent]

Human-powered flight is unlikely to ever be a real player (look how hard he has to pedal just to stay 10 feet off the ground for a minute!)

However, the engineering and material science that was used to make this possible could easily translate into lighter helicopters, electric vehicles, drones, you name it.

Just as flying solo across the Atlantic wasn't really something anybody did much after Lindbergh, neither will anybody do much human helicoptering (?) But the fact that it can be done will help humanity long term. Well done!

Re:Ground effect

[lxs]

Who cares? It's human powered. It hovered. The thing looks like it's escaped from a Laudanum dream. Give the cyclist a stovepipe hat and a suit and reclaim steampunk from the dorks that think gluing a couple of gears on a USB stick is something to be proud of.

Now go back to plane spotting and leave us alone with this awesome contraption.