The Helicopter Blimp has a 7 foot horizontal high speed foam rotor that counter rotates against a gas bag mounted slow speed rotor. The aircraft sports a large claw to grab and carry objects. Tilting the claw and its servo/battery mass controls forward motion while a tail rotor steers.

The image at right shows the first monent of flight, under radio control, at Robofest 3, after a last minute rush to strip weight and add a bigger gas bag.

Rebuilt and optimized, this blimp will appear, with many others, at the opening of Austin's new airport in 1999.

This by David Santos with assistance from George Parks, Quintin Guinn, and Tim Sheridan.

Other cool aircraft include the biped ornithopter, flying spheres, recent microblimp work, and the Winged Humanoid.

Thanks for flying PolyCosmos. Join us again.

Comment to santos@88net.net