Gamera Human-Powered Helicopter Flies, Clark School

University of Maryland’s “Gamera” Takes Flight, Achieves World Record with Female Pilot Aboard

A team of more than 50 students at the University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering has succeeded in flying their human-powered helicopter, Gamera.

Pilot Judy Wexler, a 24-year-old biology graduate student at UM, pedaled furiously, taking the craft several inches into the air for about 4 seconds, setting a world record for human-powered helicopter flight with a female pilot.

The National Aeronautical Association (NAA) must still review the video, which should happen by Friday morning, before they will announce the official results.

An official statement from Clark School Dean Darryll Pines will be coming later this evening or tomorrow morning, along with pictures and video.

Kristan Maynard, a judge from the NAA, announced that the flight looked successful, but that official verification will require viewing the video, which will likely occur by tomorrow morning. At that time, high-definition video also will be made available on our web site. Until then, low-definition video will become available as soon as possible this evening.

For updates, additional statements, photos and video, please refer to the online version of this release: http://www.eng.umd.edu/html/media/release.php?id=106.

View video of the record-setting attempt here: http://lecture.umd.edu/detsmediasite/Viewer/?peid=8b6b78bc1ce04bfc953027cd5a3ef4de1d