New design points a path to the 'ultimate' battery

phys.org ^ | October 29, 2015 | Provided by: University of Cambridge

[ctdonath2]

I charge my Leaf nightly. Electric bill has not appreciably changed.

[tacticalogic]

I am sorry- i meant a tiny gas or diesel motor

wiseguy :P

Sorry, couldn't resist.

http://www.osengines.com/engines-airplane/osmg0900/index.html

[tet68]

Only ten years away!

Why we’ll have Fusion power by then! /s

[gaijin]

Later

[Yo-Yo]

As an RC dabbler, I'd say you're better off just putting in bigger batteries. LiPos cannot be charged while they are in use, and must be charged through the balance port. Also the weight penalty of a gasoline motor and generator would far outweigh the weight of additional LiPos.

But the concept of a motor-generator in a quad copter is intriguing, and I'm sure it's been done before, but since it isn't commercially available, there must not be enough duration or payload to make it better than a LiPo powered quad copter.

As for just a glow powered helicopter, heck, there are literally thousands to choose from on the market already.

[Red Badger]

Cool. The battery capacity and reliability has been the technological wall.

That and spontaneous combustion..................B^)

[Red Badger]

They have a lab demonstrator. The Fusion folks don’t even have that..................

[Red Badger]

Not necessarily. Depends on how deep a discharge you get. If it’s just topping it off from your daily commute, it might not be that much burden...................

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Red Badger, a graphene topic.

[dhs12345]

Good point. Lol.

The good news: a lot more energy storage...to last longer, drive more current.
The bad news: a lot more energy storage...to “discharge” instantly through the body of a human or ignite nearby flammable materials.

[taildragger]

Here is another from Israel, Phone in 30 seconds, 5 minute recharges for an electric car. "Store-Dot", watch the Video.

http://pinoyscreencast.net/latest-news/this-new-battery-technology-will-full-charge-in-just-30-seconds/

[Mr. K]

I was wondering about using batteries similar to those found in a computer laptop? I know I have those plugged in and charging while I am using it.

Unless the load from RC motors is too great

My whole idea is to get around the limitations of the amount of time you can fly. With batteries it is minute. I want to make it so you can fly as long as you have gasoline (just like a car)

[Mr. K]

I meant minutes - not minute

[Mr. K]

I am also thinking of some electronic switching mechanism where some batteries are charged while others are in use

[Yo-Yo]

Your laptop isn’t running on battery while it is charging. The current reqirements of a quad copter in flight is such that a battery that runs your laptop for 6 hours would fly a 4 lb quad copter for fifteen minutes. Which means that the charging system that the quad copter must lift has to be big enough to deliver 10 or more amps at 11.1 volts.

With today’s technology, I don’t think the physics works out the way you want them to.