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Electric motors and propellers

finky45
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finky45

finky45

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Hello, I'm new so I apologize beforehand if I am breaking some rule by posting this or if this idea has already been posted. I'm a big fan of KSP and eagerly awaiting Beta Than Ever. I found and article/video which I found very interesting and immediately thought of KSP: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/03/solar-impulse-swiss-plane-uae-150309032941002.html. I wish KSP would add more parts, especially electric servo motors and engines/motors with propellers. This would allow a plane to effectively have infinite fuel with solar power and batteries. It could fly on Duna landing and collecting data forever, something which can only be done with Xenon engines currently but still need a refuel. Also with the extended travel times an autopilot feature would be very nice.

I'm sure there are some mods out there that add this and more - currently I'm using Infernal robotics but it's extremely buggy and I know I will have to toss my crafts after the update. I would like something more official with better support. I know the game is still in Alpha, but there's a whole part of aerospace that the game doesn't touch, like being able to build propeller driven crafts. It just seems natural to add parts that expand into that area and I hope the devs allocate time for this.

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Starwhip

Starwhip

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Well, technically, 0.90.0 IS "Beta Than Ever", the first update of the Beta phase. The next release will be KSP 1.0, which is EXITING! :D

Anyhow, electric propellers is on my list of wants as well, for all the reasons you listed above. We've got five bodies in the whole Kerbol system with an atmosphere, and only two have atmospheres that jet engines work in. It would be great if we could fly in the others too, without using insane amounts of rocket fuel or fiddling with low-thrust ion gliders. :)

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Nemrav

Nemrav

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Once again I will inform that....

Helicopter Rotors are in the KSP devs' archives..... They prototyped them before the release of 0.18 ...

There's two that we know of, an old version that was part of a 1m fuselage.

And a newer more polished and even textured version, that got into unity that would have been radially mounted..

Look up chad Jenkins' youtube account, he has them there... (chad was a former KSP dev)

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Wahgineer

Wahgineer

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Once again I will inform that....

Helicopter Rotors are in the KSP devs' archives..... They prototyped them before the release of 0.18 ...

There's two that we know of, an old version that was part of a 1m fuselage.

And a newer more polished and even textured version, that got into unity that would have been radially mounted..

Look up chad Jenkins' youtube account, he has them there... (chad was a former KSP dev)

maybe in 1.1, they can drag out those old assets and use them to make electric props and helicopter rotors.

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Valley

Valley

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I also want electric motors and propellers (but for different reasons - I suck at flying but would like to design sun-powered paddle boats for long term exploration of planets with oceans).

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Francois424

Francois424

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Please make it so.

I've been wanting to make solar planes/drones/flying science lab eversince 0.23.

The idea of solar wings (ie: static wings with full of solar panels, or something you could coat existing wings with) really is awesone too as it gives a solution for putting 50+ small solar panels everywhere on your vehicls.

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ArcFurnace

ArcFurnace

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I agree that electric propellers would be nice. Would either need a workaround or an adjustment to the stock engine module, though- the current version requires an ISP value and at least one propellant that has mass (ElectricCharge does not), which is why you have things like the Firespitter electric propellers generating "FSCoolant" from ElectricCharge and then using that inside the engine module.

Squad being in control of the game's code, they are in the best position of anyone to make this workable without using such a workaround.

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Wjolcz

Wjolcz

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A prop electro engine is something I came here to suggest. It would be just one part with a tweakable to set it to push/pull prop.

Because I like drones.

Edited by Veeltch
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Capt Snuggler

Capt Snuggler

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A prop electro engine is something I came here to suggest. It would be just one part with a tweakable to set it to push/pull prop.

Because I like drones.

in addition to push/pull it would be cool to have idle or generate option you could use it to keep probes awake while descending or aerobreaking.

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Wjolcz

Wjolcz

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in addition to push/pull it would be cool to have idle or generate option you could use it to keep probes awake while descending or aerobreaking.

And be it foldable! For easy transport in fairings and cargo bays.

E: Imagine how awesome it would be to have one of those small one-man copters standing next to your base on Duna! Or deploying it from your SSTO on Laythe while its drilling for fuel on the surface beneath you :o I need dis plz gib nao

Edited by Veeltch
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hazard-ish

hazard-ish

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I would love to see something like this added to the stock game in the future - even if it is not a priority for version 1.0.

What I have in mind is something very much like the electric propeller from the KAX mod which produces roughly 7kN of thrust. Ultimately, the idea of electric propellers is no different to rover wheels -both are powered by an electric motor and require electric charge as the only resource.

I am not supportive of the idea of them being fold-able, but other than that this has my support :)

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Renegrade

Renegrade

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I support electric propellers...but especially:

in addition to push/pull it would be cool to have idle or generate option you could use it to keep probes awake while descending or aerobreaking.

^ this neat idea

And be it foldable! For easy transport in fairings and cargo bays.

^ and this neat idea. That should also reduce drag if you go into a gliding mode or somesuch...

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Major999

Major999

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Electric propellers and blimps. Both exist, and blimps have been used for space exploration before (one of the soviet venus proves). I don't see why it would be so hard, and it would add so much to the game.

Imagine being able to fly indefinitely over the surface of another planet, and having to balance blimp parts, the spool up and down of propellers, and the enormous solar array all at once. It would really add to the game. To balance the blimp parts, make them really heat sensitive, or make them have to gain mass to be heat proof, making eve blimps hard but still doable, and duna blimps huge but lightweight. Propellers should suck up electricity faster than a couple of gigantors can generate it.

I fully support the idea of electric propellers.

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