Maximum multi-rotor plane are about as aerodynamic as a brick. Except all its motors are turning and the keep watch over electronics are doing their factor, maximum UAVs are briefly destined to change into UGVs, and typically in impressive model. However by way of switching up issues a little, it’s imaginable to make a multi-rotor drone that assists in keeping on flying even with out two-thirds of its motors operating.
We’ve been retaining a detailed eye on [Nick Rehm]’s cool spinning drone mission, which principally eschews a inflexible airframe for a collection of 3 airfoils joined to a central hub. The collective pitch of the blades can also be managed by means of a servo within the hub, and the entire thing can also be made to rotate and supply elevate because of the thrust of tip-mounted motors and props. We’ve noticed [Nick] set up to get this contraption airborne, and soaring is lovely simple. The video under covers the next move: getting pitch, roll, and yaw keep watch over over the spinning blades of doom.
The issue isn’t trivial. First off, [Nick] needed to come to a decision what the entrance of a spinning plane even approach. During the suave makes use of of LED strips fixed to the airfoils and a few POV magic, he used to be in a position to visually point out a reference axis. From there he used to be in a position to get a hold of a scheme to change the facility to every motor because it strikes relative to the reference axis, modulating it in both a sine or cosine serve as to succeed in roll and pitch keep watch over. This principally imitates the cyclic pitch keep watch over of a vintage helicopter — a type of digital swashplate.
The result of all this are spectacular, if a little terrifying. [Nick] obviously has keep watch over of the plane despite the fact that it’s spinning at 250 RPM, however even cooler is the bit the place he kills first one then two motors. It struggles, however it’s nonetheless controllable sufficient for a bumpy however protected touchdown.
