Blackbird (wind-powered vehicle)

Blackbird traveling downwind faster than the wind, as shown by the streamers on the vehicle and the flag on the ground, pointing in opposite directions.
Blackbird with fairings to improve performance.

Blackbird is an experimental wind-powered vehicle, built in 2010 to demonstrate that it is possible for such a vehicle to go directly downwind faster than the wind (sometimes abbreviated as DDWFTTW). Blackbird employs a rotor connected to the wheels and does not have a motor, battery, or flywheel.[1] It was constructed by Rick Cavallaro and John Borton of Sportvision, sponsored by Google and Joby Energy in association with the San Jose State University aeronautics department.

In a test supervised and recognized by the North American Land Sailing Association in July 2010, Cavallaro achieved a speed of 27.7 mph (44.6 km/h) sailing directly downwind in 10 mph (16 km/h) winds: almost three times the speed of the wind.[2][3][4][5] In 2012, Blackbird also demonstrated sailing directly upwind with twice the speed of the wind.

  1. ^ "Direct Upwind and Downwind Record Attempts". www.nalsa.org. May 16, 2013. Archived from the original on 2010-08-31. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  2. ^ Rick Cavallaro (August 27, 2010). "A Long, Strange, Trip Downwind Faster Than the Wind". Wired. Retrieved 2010-09-14. - Explanation of the Blackbird workings and its physics.
  3. ^ Cort, Adam (April 5, 2010). "Running Faster than the Wind". sailmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  4. ^ Barry, Keith (June 2, 2010). "Wind Powered Car Travels Downwind Faster Than The Wind". wired.com. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  5. ^ Adam Fischer (February 28, 2011). "One Man's Quest to Outrace Wind". Wired. Retrieved 2012-07-03.