A quadcopter or quadroscope is a kind of small helicopter with two rotors which are operated in tandem. This enables the user to operate his quadcopter in the air, although he cannot leave his base. The term “quadcopter” came from the name of a company that manufactured these machines. The first model was introduced in the market by Richard C. Laramy in 1947.
Quadcopter can either be a fixed wing or an electric-powered one. Usually, there are two sets of rotors which are powered by four electric motors. The user can select whether to fly the machine in level flight, or in a hover mode. In some models, the rotor blades can be extended so that the user can also control the altitude and the direction of the quadcopter.
The two main rotor types are the swept and the linear. In a swept quadcopter, the rotor movement is in a curved path. The rotor will rotate in a horizontal direction only when the throttle is released. When the helicopter is moving straightly, the rotor will be pushed ahead of the propeller so that the thrust is concentrated in a particular axis. This causes the helicopter to lift more and travel faster.
On the other hand, in a linear quadcopter, the rotors are arranged in a linear manner. The axis of the helicopter remains fixed while the propeller spins in an anticlockwise direction so that the propeller does not move ahead of the rotors. The user can manipulate the direction of the helicopter in this case. The advantages of this type are that it has much better agility, better response speed, and control when compared to a swept quadcopter.
To fly a quadcopter, you need to apply a little force on the control joystick so that the elevator and flaps can act as brakes. It is essential to maintain the proper setting for your strength. If you let the strength to go beyond a certain point, the helicopter will come down because of the momentum. The tail rotor should not move when the throttle is released or else it will result in the helicopter coming down sideways. Remember to release the throttle gently so that there is minimal loss of energy.
Next, you have to focus on the pitch control system. In this system, the rotor will have two different rotors that are each controlled separately. This allows the rotor to be controlled by its pitch. Depending on the preference, the upper rotor will be higher than the one below it. When the rotor is at a high pitch, you will experience a faster speed and a stable flight. However, when the rotor is at a low pitch, you will experience more agility and better response speed.
When flying a helicopter, the speed and the response of the helicopter are directly proportional to the rotation of the propeller blades. Therefore, if you increase the number of propellers, the helicopter will increase in size and weight. Consequently, you also increase the amount of fuel consumed and the flight duration will decrease. So, if you want to fly a helicopter that can give you a longer flight time, then you need to reduce the rotor RPM (rotor RPM is the force that is produced when the rotor is spinning) and increase the prop blade pitch.
Quadcopter flight requires precise movements and quick reactions. To be able to control the movements of the quadcopter, you need to download some videos from YouTube regarding the proper techniques to fly a drone. This will help you get familiar with the controls and the software. As soon as you mastered all these things, you can now move on to building your own quadcopter and have some fun.