A step-by-step guide to building a lifter, a small triangular ionocraft made from balsa wood, aluminum foil and thin wire, powered by a high-voltage supply. It also shows high-voltage safety practices.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN recommends it as a clear explanation of how lifters and ion wind propulsion work, mostly in threads about exotic propulsion and flying saucers.
I realize I'm going to sound absolutely bonkers, but I definitely read an article in Wired about devices which used very large amounts of electricity to hover feet in the air. They were triangularly shaped, built in garages, used aluminium somehow, and could hover in the air. I really wish I could find a link to that Wired article... Edit: Found it! link Edit2: Doing some research (it's coming back to me now), it runs off of ionic wind, which is apparently a well understood phenomena. I'm guessing this was/is being thoroughly researched, and any outcomes have apparently not been fruitful (yet?). I realize I sound bonkers, but come on, this is pretty cool, even if nothing of value has resulted. link Guy explains it pretty well: this video
Cites itKMagMar 2018
“it's certainly possible to generate thrust by ionizing air at atmospheric pressure and zero relative velocity”
Thrust possible by ionizing air at atmospheric pressure
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The gas collecting portion of this design wouldn't work well, but it's certainly possible to generate thrust by ionizing air at atmospheric pressure and zero relative velocity. See link and this video
Cites itanonymousiamJun 2022
“Many did not understand that they depend on atmosphere to operate.”
Lifters depend on atmosphere to operate
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These were popular decades ago, and were the focus of many an argument over the basis in theory of how they worked. Many did not understand that they depend on atmosphere to operate. this video
