Picking propeller size for any plane, but primarily VTOLs, it’s a tradeoff concerning sizing and RPM. You can both transfer a significant quantity of air slowly or a smaller volume of air speedily. Smaller and fast tend to be the most simple for several apps, but if you are contemplating outdoors the box like [amazingdiyprojects], you can construct a substantial propeller and make it fly at just 1 revolution for every 2nd. (Movie, embedded below the crack.)
1 of the issues of significant propellers is their significant torque demands. To get all over this, [amazingdiyprojects] drives the 5m diameter propeller from the recommendations utilizing electrical motors with propellers. The blades are easy welded aluminum frames lined with warmth-shrunk packing tape, braced with wires for stiffness.
The flight controller, with its have battery, is prevented from spinning with the blades by counteracting the spin of a modest DC motor. Each and every blade is geared up with a servo-driven control surface area, which can give roll and pitch command by modifying deflection primarily based on the blade’s radial placement.
[amazingdiyprojects] command setup is extremely creative but relatively imprecise. Rather of hoping to write a custom manage plan, he configured the previous KK2.15HC flight controller for a hexacopter. Every single regulate servo’s PWM signal routes through a commutator disc with six sectors, one particular for every single motor of the digital hexacopter. This suggests just about every of the servos switches among 6 unique PWM channels all through its rotation. To compensate for lag when switching between channels, [amazingdiyprojects] experienced to tune the offset of the commutator disc otherwise it would veer off in the wrong route. After a 2nd take a look at flight session to tune the flight controller configurations, control authority improved, whilst it is however very docile in terms of response.
[amazingdiyprojects] is no stranger to huge VTOL plane, possessing built and flown in his individual manned drones, driven by each inside combustion and electrical motors. This latest craft is incredibly identical to [Nicholas Rehm]’s spinning tricoper, and could be ready to choose benefit of the manage plan.
