The Gamera Project is a student design challenge inspired by the AHS Sikorsky Prize and involving students of the Clark School of Engineering and faculty advisors from the the Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center in the Clark School’s Department of Aerospace Engineering.

Team Gamera was back and flight testing their modified version of Gamera II Human Powered Helicopter at the PG Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, MD.

With new pilot and incoming UMD Freshman Henry Enerson in the cockpit, a maximum altitude test flight was attempted. Needless to say they were not quite expecting what happened next.

Henry smoothly pedaled Gamera up to just over 8 feet (2.5 meters) altitude and had a controlled descent for a flight time of about 25 seconds.

This is not an “official” record but is certainly the highest a human powered helicopter has ever reached.

Their goals are to continue flight testing to achieve a 3 meter (10 ft) altitude as part of the AHS Igor I. Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Competition (‘The Sikorsky Prize’).

More info: http://www.agrc.umd.edu/gamera/ | Gamera Information Sheet PDF

 
Here is an earlier video of them achieving a record 49.9 second flight duration.

 
And here is their teaser video.