drone proof plexiglass for aircraft

Started by Live2Learn, May 05, 2017, 07:17:33 PM

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Live2Learn

Here's a forward looking idea:  Replace the wind screen with something that will take a full on smack by an average (or larger) drone.

http://www.capitalpress.com/Profit/20170504/ag-pilots-take-precautions-as-drones-proliferate

Yesterday I wrapped up my annual 135 training and heard about drones operating (illegally) within fire TFRs.  It's easy to image someone (family member, friend, lookie loo) who decides to do the vigilante thing during a SAR or other mission - at the altitudes CAP aircraft occupy in these mission types.  SAR, DR, etc. often don't get TFRs until the final rescue or recovery op occurs.

etodd

For every drone flying there must be a million birds.  Why all this talk now? Birds will always be a greater danger than drones.
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Breathe in, breathe out, move on ..."

PHall

Drones tend to be bigger then your average sparrow, they're more on the size and weight of a crow.
And hitting a 7 pound crow with your Cessna usually leaves a mark that won't buff out.

SarDragon

Quote from: Live2Learn on May 05, 2017, 07:17:33 PM
Here's a forward looking idea:  Replace the wind screen with something that will take a full on smack by an average (or larger) drone.

http://www.capitalpress.com/Profit/20170504/ag-pilots-take-precautions-as-drones-proliferate

Yesterday I wrapped up my annual 135 training and heard about drones operating (illegally) within fire TFRs.  It's easy to image someone (family member, friend, lookie loo) who decides to do the vigilante thing during a SAR or other mission - at the altitudes CAP aircraft occupy in these mission types.  SAR, DR, etc. often don't get TFRs until the final rescue or recovery op occurs.

While not a totally reliable scientific resource, Mythbusters did some testing on GA plane windshields. They use frozen and not frozen chickens on standard windshields and found them pretty lacking. I don't recall how fast they were chucking them at the windshields, but I'm guessing about 100 mph.

Given that tidbit, I have a couple of comments. First - a drone is not the same as a bird. The mass concentration is different. There is a central mass surrounded by appendages with motors and props. A significant amount of energy is expended when the extremities of the drone are crushed, and the energy is spread out over a larger area..

Second - beefing up the windshields will likely triple their weight, and possibly affect the weight distribution of the plane. Modern GA planes already have added weight issues based on heavier new systems.

This seems like a solution in search of a problem.

Dave Bowles
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AT1, USN Retired
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jeders

Quote from: etodd on May 08, 2017, 01:10:49 AM
... Birds will always be a greater danger than drones.

I don't know that I buy that. Yes, there are more reported bird strikes than drone strikes because of shear numbers. But birds are living creatures with a desire to preserve themselves and therefore move out of the way, or at least try to, when they can. Drones, however, are inanimate objects flown by someone who will not be affected in anyway if the drone is destroyed. Anyone who is, quite frankly, stupid enough to fly a drone in an area where there are low flying aircraft is stupid enough to not try and get out of the way of the low flying aircraft.

So yes, there are more birds than drones and the law of large numbers means that there will be more total bird strikes; but I think that we may end up seeing the number of drone strikes as a percentage of drones flying being much higher.
If you are confident in you abilities and experience, whether someone else is impressed is irrelevant. - Eclipse

Cliff_Chambliss

well yes, the technology is there to build aircraft bird/drone proof or highly resistant windshields.  It can be done.  How much payload are you willing to give up?  30 years ago the Cessna 182 was a true fill the tanks, fill the seats airplane and go.  But people got bigger, pilots wanted more range (bigger fuel tanks) and more equipment, etc. and today the C-182 is fill the tanks and depending on crew weight you have a 3 or maybe even 2 seat airplane.  Now add a heavy windshield and you may have a single seat airplane.  Everything is a compromise.  seats, range, economy, equipment, etc.  To maximize anything something else must be reduced or eliminated.  So again, to get maximum bird/drone protection what are you (the pilot) willing to give up?
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Quote from: SarDragon on May 08, 2017, 06:41:45 AM
Quote from: Live2Learn on May 05, 2017, 07:17:33 PM
Here's a forward looking idea:  Replace the wind screen with something that will take a full on smack by an average (or larger) drone.

http://www.capitalpress.com/Profit/20170504/ag-pilots-take-precautions-as-drones-proliferate

Yesterday I wrapped up my annual 135 training and heard about drones operating (illegally) within fire TFRs.  It's easy to image someone (family member, friend, lookie loo) who decides to do the vigilante thing during a SAR or other mission - at the altitudes CAP aircraft occupy in these mission types.  SAR, DR, etc. often don't get TFRs until the final rescue or recovery op occurs.

While not a totally reliable scientific resource, Mythbusters did some testing on GA plane windshields. They use frozen and not frozen chickens on standard windshields and found them pretty lacking. I don't recall how fast they were chucking them at the windshields, but I'm guessing about 100 mph.

Given that tidbit, I have a couple of comments. First - a drone is not the same as a bird. The mass concentration is different. There is a central mass surrounded by appendages with motors and props. A significant amount of energy is expended when the extremities of the drone are crushed, and the energy is spread out over a larger area..

Second - beefing up the windshields will likely triple their weight, and possibly affect the weight distribution of the plane. Modern GA planes already have added weight issues based on heavier new systems.

This seems like a solution in search of a problem.

But, Dave, it's trendy and full of buzzwords so let's cut a check and wonder if they'll build it in my district....
Strup-"Belligerent....at times...."
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