micro-UAV-2004 Petter Muren, 2004-9-15

Passively stable helicopter

micro-UAV-2004Passively Stable Helicopter

A small electric flying sauser hanging in the air over your desk, stable and silent – 20 years ago this was a mere dream.

Helicopters are considered to be unstable and difficult to control unless they are equipped with sophisticated sensors and electronics.

A passively stable helicopter - is it possible ?

micro-UAV-2004The Proxflyer idea

The Proxflyer co-axial rotor helicopters utilize a new mechanical and aerodynamically approach to the challenge of achieving stability

The main benefits are:- Passively stable- Simple electronics without any servos- Relative simple mechanics- High efficiency, long flight times- Very easy to pilot- Very low noise level

Possible disadvantages are:- Relative slow forward speed- Not possible to operate in wind (outdoors)

micro-UAV-2004The Proxflyer principle

The rotor have a generally fixed geometry and is tiltably connected to the rotor shaft

The outer part of the rotor blades have a pitch angle that is fixed relative to the rotational plane of the rotor

The inner part of the rotor blades have a pitch angle fixed relative to a reference plane perpendicular to the rotor shaft

micro-UAV-2004The Proxflyer principle

micro-UAV-2004The Proxflyer principle

The Proxflyer Mosquito

- Rotor diameter 36 cm

- Weight 100 grams

micro-UAV-2004

Remote operation In August 2003 the Mosquito

performed what is believed to be the first ever controlled flight where the pilot operated the helicopter solely by looking at a large video conferencing screen displaying the pictures from the helicopter

Wireless Camera

This makes a great introduction to a meeting: Filming the audience while flying overhead inside a conference room.

micro-UAV-2004Toy helicopter

Because the helicopter is passively stable it is also extremely easy to fly. It is actually so easy to fly that a child without any experience from helicopters or model airplanes is capable of flying it, even the first time they try

micro-UAV-2004Proxflyer Micron

Presented in December 2003 Weight 6.9 gram Rotor diameter 128 mm 2 ch. FM radi control C.G. trimmed forward Motor 6mm, 4.5 ohm Tailmotor 4mm, 25 ohm Flight time up to 10 minutes

micro-UAV-2004Proxflyer Micron

micro-UAV-2004The Nanoflyer

Presented in September 2004 Weight 2.7 gram Rotor diameter 85 mm 2 ch. IR control C.G. trimmed forward Motor (2x) 4mm, 25 ohm Battery 20 mAh Flight time up to 1 minute

micro-UAV-2004The Nanoflyer

micro-UAV-2004Passively stable helicopter

.... It is possible !