Un-Folding a Quadcopter to Increase Efficiency - Part 1
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Published 2023-11-24
If you take a large, efficient wing and fold it up into a box, you can turn it into a quadcopter. This sounds kind of silly, but I promise there’s some distinct benefits to controllability in hover, and efficiency in forward flight.
Patreon: www.patreon.com/NicholasRehm
How a tailsitter transition works: • Taming the Tail-Sitter: Hover to Forw...
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Peter’s mini quadrotor biplane: • Chasing the VTOL Tail-sitter Mini QBiT!
Tail-sitter VTOL designs are a hilariously simple approach to the challenges of mashing an airplane and a helicopter together. Just make a flying wing take off from its tail and pitch over 90 degrees into forward flight. But to improve the efficiency of forward flight generally means to degrade the controllability in hover, since increasing the size of your wing also increases the amount of surface area that can be blown around by the wind. For tailsitters, forward flight efficiency and hover controllability have always been in direct conflict. This design is my attempt at remedying this classic tradeoff, to see just how big of a wing we can turn into a tailsitter. Folding it up allows for motors to be placed in each corner like a quadcopter, dramatically improving control authority, while reducing the wind-facing surface area in hover. If you found this video interesting and want to follow along as we inch closer into forward flight, don’t forget to subscribe!
Intro: 00:00
Design Overview: 00:57
The Build: 03:25
First Flights: 05:15
Forward Flight Game Plan: 07:14
Transition Testing: 08:00
Conclusions: 09:56
#FoldWing #VTOL
All Comments (21)
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That moving X-ray overlay of the 3d design at 2:22 🔥
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I'd love to see this design "fully unfolded"
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The oscillations are due to the polyhedral on the wing. You're ending up in a Dutch roll situation. You might want to try unfolding further before pitching over for forward flight. Another option to consider is a Z shape instead of a U.
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So where is part two. Im wanting more
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I can already imagine the full transition looking totally majestic! Really excited to see part 2, great work 👍💕
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Any updates yet?
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Guys like you here on YouTube who are doing backyard/garage engineering give me great hope for the future. The things I see you do are amazing to me (a non engineer). I look forward to your next video and wish you great success in your future, but a guy as smart as you doesn't need luck. I am also impressed with the comments on this video too. Lot of seemingly smart helpful people out there.
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Can't wait for part 2 this is quite possibly my favorite project of yours yet. Such an amazing awesome design
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Mate, I have been a follower since the start, I fly professionally in the DCL racing league, me and the guys love how you've been furthering the hobby! Keep going!
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That’s the most StarWars thing I’ve ever seen, love it! 😮
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Wow. Good on you for being patient with the forward flight transition and taking the time to tune. Keep going!
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damn bro went balls deep with this design he forgot to post another vid
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Dude this is awesome, such a good idea and it looks like something from Star Wars. Theres so many folding ships they have. Cant wait to see this design optimized and flying well! And whatever else you think up!
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This video is so well made and I love the design. Can’t wait for the next part!
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This is such a great video Nicholas! Really cool take on this problem. Your video format and information, like that about certain aerodynamic aspects of the design, add a lot. Keep it up!
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With it being partially folded like that, it can't help but remind me a bit of Star Wars' V-19 starfighter! That aside, seems like a cool build!
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Well done. I like hearing the details of 3d printing. I never heard of lightweight PLA before, good to know. Looking forward to episode 2.
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I can't even count the amount of times I said "WOW" in astonishment! You're brilliant my good sir. It's a pleasure to watch this process👌
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Fantastic! Love this one. I've been redesigning some of my linear actuators and playing with load rating them a bit. I'm glad to see use of linear actuators in this sort of application. Very impressive use of torque and lever action over that long distance. I'm surprised (impressed) how your printed materials stood up to the forces they had to endure. Great job!!
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I have been thinking about this for years, bravo! I look forward to see how this further develops!
