Weekly Whirly

This week: The Helimantis

The Helimantis has a couple of very unique qualities in the world of the copters. First and foremost it is capable of land travel. It’s eight independently powered legs and three wheels allow it to crawl slowly along the ground across all types of terrain. It’s also the only copter in the world able to land on a nearly vertical surface. The segmented hull and those eight independent legs help it to cling to rock-faces and building alike. These two features make the Helimantis ideal for land survey and scientific expeditions.

This drawing was largely inspired by the Mantis Shrimp, (not the preying mantis) from which I got the name. It’s such a cool and beautiful creature you should definitely familiarize yourself with them.

Weekly Whirly

This week: The Tall T

Like so many things before, copters and their engineering bring out some serious hobbyests, enthusiasts, and anyone with the desire to go faster and the knowhow to do it. Hot Rod copters like this one are machines that have been modified extensively by intrepid mechanics.  These copter gear-heads are usually gunning for power, speed, torque, sound, and style. Their creations pushing copter designs well beyond their original intentioned specs. Speedster copters and their drivers can often be found gathered in wide open stretches of the plains swapping tips and stories, and testing out their machines in informal races. The slogan “If you mod it you can race it.” is one you’ll hear at these sorts of congregates, that is if you can hear at all over the roar of the engines.

Weekly Whirly

This week: The Evening Star

If you ever need to get somewhere in style, copter’s like this one are the way to go. The Evening Star is one of the largest copter’s you’ll ever see drifting through the clouds. Ideal for long slow voyages this copter boasts room for over 300 passengers, and is crewed by upwards of 100. Lavished with an indoor swimming pool, a five star restaurant, dance  hall, game room, and many other amenities booking passage on The Evening Star is anything but cheap. In recent years luxury liners like this one have fallen out of favor, due to the enormous upkeep and rising fuel costs the tickets for such a journey has proven an impossible extravagance for all but the super rich. However The Evening Star is one of the few still in commission, managing to making it’s journey across the ocean thrice yearly.

Yet Another – Weekly Whirly

This Week: Cloudskimmer

The Cloudskimmer is a high flying and very popular copter. It’s capable of some of the highest altitudes of any copter, yet it’s also one of the more maneuverable copters out there. It’s used to a wide variety of purposes by the scientific community, the joy riding community, as a small passenger transports, and a courier of small freight. It’s not uncommon to see several of these copters at once darting across the skies as tiny blips far above the normal copter traffic.

A little bit of inspiration from this piece comes from the Quadrotor drone design.I saw a couple of these videos this week, I’m amazed, inspired and terrified.

Quadrotor Drones

Oh and this thing is real.

Personal Helicopter