Discovery.com looks at the University of Maryland’s human-powered helicopter.
The concept of a human-powered helicopter dates back to Leonardo Da Vinci. A team of University of Maryland Students has made it a reality, breaking a flight duration record.
Called the Gamera II, the helicopter has four rotor blades, and is 105 feet across but only weighs about 71 pounds. It’s powered by the pilot, who controls the flight via a system of cables. Yesterday the craft managed a flight of 50 seconds, far surpassing the last record of 11.4 seconds set last year by the Gamera I, the first version. (The Wright brothers first flights were about 12 seconds, so this group of students has done at least as well).
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