sll914
3 HN mentions · mentioned in 3 months, 2023–2024
3:05 · 1.1M views · Jan 20, 2021
A GoPro-recorded flight of an RC glider setting a 548 mph dynamic soaring speed record at Parker Mountain, California, using only wind gradients.
Cited as a striking example of dynamic soaring letting unpowered gliders far exceed wind speed.
3 comments from Hacker News
> did not land, did not eat, did not drink and did not stop flapping My understanding is that these incredible distances are achievable less by "flapping" and more by leveraging small adjustments to harness the incredibly powerful forces found among and between air currents and waves as they traverse across the ocean. For example, here is an unpowered remote control glider achieving measured speeds of 548+! mph using nothing but natural energy harnessed from wind and gravity. this video [LINK]
The new hotness right now is dynamic soaring across the heliopause with a solar ion 'wing.'[0] Supposedly this can achieve 2% c , in the same way RC gliders use dynamic soaring to achieve speeds far in excess of the wind speed.[1] [0] [LINK] [1] (headphone warning) this video
You can also extract energy by moving between two fluids in relative motion. If you count that as sailing, this is the fastest sailing vessel. this video