So helicopters have relatively low maximum altitudes due to limitations in low air density. Is this because the rotors are less efficient or the engines get starved of air?
If you had two theoretical helicopters, both with identical rotors, aerodynamics, weights, etc. one with a combustion engine and one with an electric engine, could the electric helicopter fly to a higher maximum altitude because it doesn’t lose power with altitude? Or will it still have limitations due to rotor efficiency or something else not related to the engine.
Theoretically we are assuming the flight time isn’t relevant and any cooling issues with the batteries and electric motors at high altitudes have been solved without changing any aerodynamics between the two helicopters.
In: Engineering
The lift provided by the rotors depends on the air they can push down. Starving the engines of air doesn’t become a problem until after the rotors have an issue with the amount of air for them to push off of.
Batteries are heavy, so an electric helicopter would struggle to fly as fast or as far as an ordinary one, but it wouldn’t gain much in terms of height.
If airnfor the fuel was the issue, more air intakes or an onbaord oxidizer would push you much further, but it’s not the issue.
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