For 33 years, the AHS Igor I. Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Challenge has promised a $250,000 prize to the first human-powered helicopter capable of a total flight time of more than 60 seconds, reaching a height of more than three metres, and staying within a 10x10 metre box.
In April, the race was on
between two teams. Last month, the Toronto-based engineering startup
AeroVelo took the prize after its human-powered helicopter hovered for 64 seconds and reached an altitude of 3.3 metres.
In an article that appeared on Dezeen, Mike Hirschberg, the executive director of the American Helicopter Society, called the feat "an incredible accomplishment." He went on to say, "For a third of a century, the AHS Sikorsky Prize has eluded the best minds and technology available. The technological and theoretical advancements achieved in pursuit of our challenge have been astounding."
Last year, AeroVelo co-founders Todd Reichert and Cameron Robertson raised more than $34,000 via Kickstarter to build Atlas, a helicopter powered by a single person riding a bike. The team broke the record at an indoor soccer stadium in Toronto on June 13. The feat was made possible with help from "passionate" volunteers largely consisting of University of Toronto engineering students, as well as funding from academic and corporate sponsors.
Read the full story
here.
Original Source: Dezeen