Aircraft Must Fly 10 Feet In The Air And Hover 60 Seconds

OK, so it's not exactly the X-Prize, but still it is a significant amount of money. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. has increased the prize in the Igor I. Sikorsky Human-Powered Helicopter Competition more than ten-fold. Sikorsky previously had originally pledged $20,000 in prize money for whomever could win the competition by achieving the engineering feat of building the first human-powered helicopter, but has just raised the prize pledge to a quarter-million dollars.
 
 The competition, created by the American Helicopter Society International, challenges engineers to develop a human-powered helicopter that can reach an altitude of at least 10 feet during a hover lasting 60 seconds. No one has accomplished this feat yet. The official world record is held by Professor Akira Naito of Nihon University in Japan, with an altitude of 0.2 meters and flight duration of 19.46 seconds.  Sikorsky Aircraft informed AHS International at its annual forum in May that the company would increase its pledged contribution, which AHS would award to the competition winner.

Human Powered Helicopter Concept

"Igor Sikorsky, founder of Sikorsky Aircraft, believed that individuals provide the spark that moves mankind ahead. This competition continues his legacy by inspiring ingenuity in the next generation of engineers who will design our industry's future," said Mark Miller, Vice President of Research and Engineering at Sikorsky Aircraft.  "Our company is built on innovation. We believe strongly in the power of challenge."

FMI: www.sikorsky.com