Supersonic RC-Plane does is possible?

[Pawelk198604]

Like RC Mig-29 that can goes supersonic?  

[TheDestroyer111]

Space rockets are basically supersonic rc drones 

This is a target drone converted F-16 (the QF-16), I do not know if it ever flew supersonic operationally but it definitely can still do that:

If you mean amateur aircraft without rocket propulsion, the fastest speed according to Guinness World Records is still corresponding to the end-of-ww2/superprop speeds:

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-remote-controlled-jet-powered-model-aircraft-(rc)

Edited April 14, 2018 by TheDestroyer111

[magnemoe]

This would be an drone not an RC plane simply as it will move one km in less than 3 seconds. 
You can not control it from ground, at minimum you need flight data and position feedback and an good radio 
I would probably go for an Jet style craft with an solid fuel booster to kick you above sound speed.
Note that its legal issues here as this is an missile. 

[StarStreak2109]

As an operator of hobby rc planes you are legally required to maintain visual contact with aircraft at all times. At least that is the case in Germany. That pretty much precludes supersonic planes. Aside from the other legal ramifications...
Technically I believe it to be quite feasible, depending on the scale...

 

[sevenperforce]

19 hours ago, TheDestroyer111 said:

Space rockets are basically supersonic rc drones 

This is a target drone converted F-16 (the QF-16), I do not know if it ever flew supersonic operationally but it definitely can still do that:

If you mean amateur aircraft without rocket propulsion, the fastest speed according to Guinness World Records is still corresponding to the end-of-ww2/superprop speeds:

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-remote-controlled-jet-powered-model-aircraft-(rc)

So Mach 0.55 or so.

[XB-70A]

I guess it will also be subject to a special clearance from the local administration managing the air transport, the authorities, and the ATC zone. Today, in most of the World's countries, supersonic flights are forbidden over inhabited sectors (the range from can vary), natural reserves, and some others, even at high altitude. Excepted some military flights (interceptions, exercises), you always need to drop a request with a justification.

Edited April 15, 2018 by XB-70A

[wumpus]

7 hours ago, StarStreak2109 said:

As an operator of hobby rc planes you are legally required to maintain visual contact with aircraft at all times. At least that is the case in Germany. That pretty much precludes supersonic planes. Aside from the other legal ramifications...
Technically I believe it to be quite feasible, depending on the scale...

A mountain launch during dawn/dusk plus lights should give nearly unlimited visibility (especially near Denver: Denver is basically the westernmost bit of prairie before the Rockies.  Visibility is basically limited only by how much air you can peer through (you might want to try going a bit north or south to avoid too much air/light pollution).  Of course, you would have to be careful about elevation issues.

18 hours ago, magnemoe said:

I would probably go for an Jet style craft with an solid fuel booster to kick you above sound speed.
Note that its legal issues here as this is an missile. 

In practice it would likely be more like a missile (depends on thrust) than an aircraft (depends on lift).  The scaling factors would require far more thrust than crewed supersonic aircraft that you end up building a missile engine.  I also suspect that non-turbine engines would work well as compression fans for said jet (especially at supersonic speeds), making supersonic thrust that much harder.  Can you build a supersonic compressor without scaling up your RPM to turbine speeds?  Wouldn't the same issues that plague low-power turbines also be a problem?

[Zeiss Ikon]

There was a rather long period of time (20-30 years, as I recall) where the absolute RC speed record was held by a succession of gliders.  Yes, you read that right: unpowered craft were the fastest RC airplanes from the 1980s until the last few years when RC turbojets started to gain ground (pulse jets, flown on RC craft since just after WWII, just couldn't do it for various reasons).

The highest record I recall for RC, done with a technique called "dynamic soaring" (flying a tilted circular path through a wind shear, using the velocity differential to harvest energy from the wind; frequently done above sloping ground so the general rise of the air could maintain altitude without giving up speed), was close to 200 m/s (i.e. above 0.5 Mach), with no engine aboard.

Hobby RC hasn't, as far as I'm aware, gotten above about 0.6 Mach, largely due to limitations on power sources (afterburning jets are just now becoming practical), legal restrictions (as noted, in the US as well, the operator must maintain visual contact with the model), and more legal restrictions (an FAA waiver would surely be required for a horizontal supersonic attempt on RC, just as it is for a crewed supersonic flight over land).  I think it's safe to say that Mach 1 is out of reach for dynamic soaring, due to the high drag of the transsonic regime.  It may or may not be possible to get there with modern turbojets because of limitations on thrust vs. diameter.

[EnderKid2]

I would assume that it would end up looking more like a rocket than a plane.

[DAL59]

15 hours ago, StarStreak2109 said:

As an operator of hobby rc planes you are legally required to maintain visual contact with aircraft at all times.

What if you launched it from a boat in international waters?

On 4/14/2018 at 2:59 PM, Pawelk198604 said:

Like RC Mig-29 that can goes supersonic?  

Isn't that just a rocket?

[KG3]

10 hours ago, Zeiss Ikon said:

There was a rather long period of time (20-30 years, as I recall) where the absolute RC speed record was held by a succession of gliders.  Yes, you read that right: unpowered craft were the fastest RC airplanes from the 1980s until the last few years when RC turbojets started to gain ground (pulse jets, flown on RC craft since just after WWII, just couldn't do it for various reasons).

The highest record I recall for RC, done with a technique called "dynamic soaring" (flying a tilted circular path through a wind shear, using the velocity differential to harvest energy from the wind; frequently done above sloping ground so the general rise of the air could maintain altitude without giving up speed), was close to 200 m/s (i.e. above 0.5 Mach), with no engine aboard.

 

Ok, in this video they claim 505 mph from a hand held radar for a glider.   Very cool!

 

[Zeiss Ikon]

Nice.  Depending on conditions (elevation/barometer, temperature) that could be Mach 0.6 or a bit above.  Still pretty danged fast for no engine aboard.

[p1t1o]

On 4/14/2018 at 7:59 PM, Pawelk198604 said:

Like RC Mig-29 that can goes supersonic?  

No its not really possible, it takes too much energy and would be too difficult to fly safely.