The Paul B. MacCready Lecture: Doing More with Much Less

22 Apr 2017
10:05 - 10:50

The Paul B. MacCready Lecture: Doing More with Much Less

Doing More with Much Less: Human Flight on the Power of a Cordless Drill

On June 13th, 2013, AeroVelo’s Atlas Human-Powered Helicopter captured the 33-year-outstanding AHS Sikorsky Prize. Created in 1980 and thought by many to be impossible, the prize required an HPH to fly for 60 seconds and achieve 3m in height, while remaining controlled within a 10m by 10m box.

Cameron will chronicle the journey leading to this historic achievement, and the process behind the creation of Atlas. This will include the Snowbird Human-Powered Ornithopter, which in 2010 became the first successful human-powered flapping wing aircraft.  The evolving aircraft design strategies involved in developing these unique vehicles have included Multi-Disciplinary Optimization, high-performance composite structures, as well as many creative and innovative solutions to engineering challenges.

Cameron will conclude with a discussion of future human-powered projects, including AeroVelo’s current focus on high-speed human-powered land vehicles. In the quest for the World human-powered land speed record, these vehicles will potentially set the stage for the next phase of individual transportation technology.