Lightning Rod R/C plane – Another excellent bad idea!
Anyone that lives in Florida and is in to the remote control hobby knows that the weather doesn’t always cooperate. This makes it incredibly challenging when trying to schedule a nice afternoon at the park with many different folks. We understand that not everyone loves the rain, and we also understand what happens to electronics that aren’t properly water-proofed. Out of this mix-up of ideas, as well as seeing an airplane get struck by lightning on its way into final at SRQ-Intl; the idea is born. Can we?, should we?, will it be a safe experiment?, how controllable are the variables?, can lightning travel through the plane without damaging it?, can controlling the plane with that much plasma nearby be possible?, how do we make this real?…
So let’s begin to analyze the variables.
Can we? – Yep, I see this as a good opportunity to use a good insulator such as some water-proof foamboard.
Should we? – I think so given that the following things are possible. Safety, good data logging.
Will it be a safe experiment? – this is one is a difficult one to address as currently I don’t know enough data on this topic. This will be my next line of research.
How controllable are the variables? – heh, some how I feel like the words lightning and controllable don’t go in the same sentence together.
Can lightning travel through the plane without damaging it? – here is another great question. I do not personally believe that lightning can travel through an airborne R/C plane without causing damage to it.
Can the plane be controlled with so much plasma around? – One of the biggest limitations in non-military grade technologies is the inability to perform adequately during high charge or plasma environments.
How do we make this real? – first things first…. We make a plane, we integrate the cheapest possible waterproofed electronics, and once we incorporate auto-pilot/waypoint navigation we have it fly right into a healthy storm. I think photography will be key…. maybe “insulated” photography.
In this series “Lightning Rod Plane” we will explore a bit of these questions and see what is possible and discuss!
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- ESTES Universal Astrocam HD Rocket Camera & Holder
- Phase 1 of the launch system.
- Typhon 6S Exploded View
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- AllSkyPi, and what it does
- ESTES Universal Astrocam HD Rocket Camera & Holder
- Phase 1 of the launch system.
- Typhon 6S Exploded View
- Typhon 3S Exploded View
- AllSkyPi, and what it does
- ESTES Universal Astrocam HD Rocket Camera & Holder
- Phase 1 of the launch system.
- Typhon 6S Exploded View
- Typhon 3S Exploded View
- AllSkyPi, and what it does
- ESTES Universal Astrocam HD Rocket Camera & Holder
- Phase 1 of the launch system.
- Typhon 6S Exploded View
- Typhon 3S Exploded View
- AllSkyPi, and what it does