Helicopter Video

[wolfnowl]

I think this would seem a bit freaky - especially to the pilot!

Camera shutter speed synchronized with helicopter blade frequency

Mike.

[francois]

I think this would seem a bit freaky - especially to the pilot!

Camera shutter speed synchronized with helicopter blade frequency

Mike.

With this proof of concept, helicopter manufacturers can produce helicopters without rotors and spare money and weight!

A bit different but along the same idea: Guitar strings oscillations

[bill t.]

The faux rotors are a conspiracy to cover up the use of UFO technology.

Reminds me of using the timing light on my '59 VW.  Things look like they're not moving, but it's a really bad idea to put your fingers in there.

That camera must be grabbing the entire image in the same instant, don't see any of the weird propeller-segments-from-Nowhere effects you get with iPhones etc, which also explains the apparent waves on the guitar strings...they don't actually vibrate like that!

Wonder if that heli camera had continuously variable frame rates, or the guy just got lucky.

But I think we all have to agree, cameras are so much more fun now than they used to be!

Gee, I wonder I could write a Timing Light App for smartphones?  I'm sure it's already been done.

[francois]

…Gee, I wonder I could write a Timing Light App for smartphones?  I'm sure it's already been done.

Here you go: FlyLight Free for iPhone!

[Justan]

Thanks for the link to the very interesting video. It’s remarkable that we can see the rotor speed, and I guess the motor speed, vary ever so slightly during the recording. I’d have thought that with that much mass involved that it not would change at all unless intended.

Of course I also supposed that the pilot would vary the throttle during regular flight as a maneuvering tool, but that appears to be not be the case at all.

And then there is the part about the tail rotor moving at what appears to be a slightly different rate than the primary one. Wonder how long it took to figure out the interplay between the 2 rotors, and then to get the gearing just right.