The concept of human-powered vertical flight was studied in great depth. Through the manipulation of preexisting theory and analytical methods, a collection of design tools was created to expediently conceptualize and then analyze virtually any rotor. The tools were then arranged as part of a complete helicopter rotor design process. The lessons learned as a result of studying this process—and the tools of which it consists—are presented in the following discussion. It is the belief of the author that by utilizing these tools, as well as the suggestions that accompany them, future engineers may someday build a human-powered helicopter capable of winning the Sikorsky Prize.
","abstract_html":"<p>The concept of human-powered vertical flight was studied in great depth. Through the manipulation of preexisting theory and analytical methods, a collection of design tools was created to expediently conceptualize and then analyze virtually any rotor. The tools were then arranged as part of a complete helicopter rotor design process. The lessons learned as a result of studying this process—and the tools of which it consists—are presented in the following discussion. It is the belief of the author that by utilizing these tools, as well as the suggestions that accompany them, future engineers may someday build a human-powered helicopter capable of winning the Sikorsky Prize.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Gradwell, Gregory Hamilton"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MS in Aerospace Engineering","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Aerospace Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Rob McDonald"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:31:11Z","subjects":["human-powered","helicopter","aerodynamics","Sikorsky Prize","QPROP","Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics","Aeronautical Vehicles","Other Aerospace Engineering","Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["10.15368/theses.2011.108"],"render_values":[{"text":"10.15368/theses.2011.108","href":"https://doi.org/10.15368/theses.2011.108","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/551","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Rob McDonald"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Gradwell, Gregory Hamilton"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2011-06-14T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Aerospace Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MS in Aerospace Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["human-powered","helicopter","aerodynamics","Sikorsky Prize","QPROP","Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics","Aeronautical Vehicles","Other Aerospace Engineering","Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/551","10.15368/theses.2011.108"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The concept of human-powered vertical flight was studied in great depth. Through the manipulation of preexisting theory and analytical methods, a collection of design tools was created to expediently conceptualize and then analyze virtually any rotor. The tools were then arranged as part of a complete helicopter rotor design process. The lessons learned as a result of studying this process—and the tools of which it consists—are presented in the following discussion. It is the belief of the author that by utilizing these tools, as well as the suggestions that accompany them, future engineers may someday build a human-powered helicopter capable of winning the Sikorsky Prize.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Designing the Human-Powered Helicopter: A New Perspective"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Rob McDonald"],"dc:creator":["Gradwell, Gregory Hamilton"],"dc:date.available":["2011-06-14T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The concept of human-powered vertical flight was studied in great depth. Through the manipulation of preexisting theory and analytical methods, a collection of design tools was created to expediently conceptualize and then analyze virtually any rotor. The tools were then arranged as part of a complete helicopter rotor design process. The lessons learned as a result of studying this process—and the tools of which it consists—are presented in the following discussion. It is the belief of the author that by utilizing these tools, as well as the suggestions that accompany them, future engineers may someday build a human-powered helicopter capable of winning the Sikorsky Prize.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/551","10.15368/theses.2011.108"],"dc:subject":["human-powered","helicopter","aerodynamics","Sikorsky Prize","QPROP","Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics","Aeronautical Vehicles","Other Aerospace Engineering","Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization"],"dc:title":["Designing the Human-Powered Helicopter: A New Perspective"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Aerospace Engineering"],"thesis:degree_name":["MS in Aerospace Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:31:11Z"}