M Dot micro turbines
 

Has anyone got any info on the small turbine shown here

http://www.m-dot.com/page8.html

I know where there is an airframe waiting for 8 of these!

I have emailed M-Dot but received no reply

RE: M Dot micro turbines
 

500MD,

Only one of those tiny tubines was made, I believe. M-Dot has no plans to commercialize it, and probably couldn't if they wanted to as it was done for DARPA. As far as I know, they have no plans to enter the hobby market with any turbines.

Paul

RE: M Dot micro turbines
 

Paul,

do u know them personaly ?

RE: M Dot micro turbines
 

Actually, the web page says that it was done under an SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) program which is intended to actually pay for the development of a commercial product. Whether or not that commercial product would ever be sold to non-military sources is another matter, but my guess is that if worked, they wouldn't have any real problems with selling it from a threat standpoint. Small jets are so fuel inefficient that their range makes them pretty useless as WMD's. They might not want it exported though to keep the technology from being exploited.

Bob

RE: M Dot micro turbines
 

Strykaas,

I spoke with Bryan Seegers, the founder of M-Dot, at length for the article on microtubines that I did for RCU. Bryan was the first person in the US to design and build a home-made microturbine flown in an R/C model aircraft. He started M-Dot to commercialize his engine, but seems to have been ahead of his time. His company moved in other directions, but continues to do work in microturbine technology. For his part, Bryan did a fantastic write-up for me of his activities after our phone conversation.

Paul