Electronic Engines with Propellers - Work or Fail "Read Desc" ?

Question

The weight of the battery is a problem, but not the subject of this question. Would an electric engines with a battery to spin the propellers work?

The engines would cause the much needed drag, the wings would keep the lift, and the propellers running by electricity would make it move..

Is it possible?

Answer 1

I don't think you will find an electric engine capable of enough thrust to work.  Batteries are the problem, as it would take an amount that would outweigh (no pun intended) the benefit of an electric engine.

The formula for level flight is:

Thrust equals drag, lift equals weight.  When thrust exceeds drag, it accelerates.  When lift exceeds weight, you climb.  The opposite is true, as well.

Answer 2

Small aircrafts are electric, the biggest deal is to get Boeing 747s and Airbus' electric, but we'll do it one day.. The next deal is to make the electric from renewable sources. Gigantic Wind and Solar Farms.

One day, well make this electronic breakthrough a reality, for the worlds sake. ;>)

Answer 3

If I can get your terms to understandable form- Electric motors=electronic engines - with propellers work-- Yes, has been done. for practical , passenger carrying commercial use- not yet. A best example is the solar cell winged experimental recon craft tested on long flight 2005(?) . Took off from California air base , flew to Australia Woomera research station, landed by remote control, offloaded video diskettes of flight then was remote control takeoff to fly back to California air base. Battery weight was minimal, main electric power source was the solar cells in upper wing surface. Project was concerned about pilot less Aeriel surveillance in a sunny region- wonder where they were thinking of using it? Is English your second language? Terms used are not current vernacular, but fairly good.

Answer 4

Won't work. And having a hard time why there is much needed drag. Haven't you heard, drag's a bad thing.

Answer 5

Engines do not produce drag, but rather produce thrust.  Thrust overcomes drag, resulting in motion.

Electric motors so far have been for use in applications where weight was a secondary consideration, and so the technology has never been developed that would be needed to produce a high-thrust, low weight electric motor light enough and powerful enough to propel an airplane of practical size and weight.

The technology might be developed using some of the latest discoveries in superconductor technology.  It's possible in the future.  But such a motor would consume enormous amounts of electric current, and the battery required to power it would be massive and very very heavy.  That would require a breakthrough that the current science cannot foresee.

So the answer is, it is not possible now, but it is not beyond conception in the future.

As my physics prof used to say, "You can't win but you can break even, but you can only break even at absolute zero, but you can't get down to absolute zero."

So yes and no, maybe, unless otherwise.

Answer 6

I'm not sure that I understand the question. If you want to know if something can fly using batteries and electric motors, the answer is yes. People fly remote control helicopters and planes that are battery powered.

Answer 7

By stating that the weight of the battery is not the subject of the question, you have eliminated the reason why it will not work. The question technically allows only half of the answer. I guess we could run with a really long extension cord, or we could power the prop by using a turbine engine to drive a generator instead of turning the prop directly. Flight by its nature demands light weight solutions. An electric engine that uses batteries that weigh a ton may "work," but its not feasible, so what do you mean by "work?"

Answer 8

How are the engines going to cause drag?  

Why is drag "much needed"?

When lift exceeds weight maybe your descent rate is decreasing, or your climb rate is increasing.