A quadcopter or quadrone is a form of radio controlled aircraft with four spinning blades. The wings of the quadcopter are connected to the fuselage of the aircraft and these two components rotate in tandem, allowing the flyer to stay aloft. In some designs, the quad copter is also equipped with an autopilot.
Today’s quadcopters are designed much differently than the original machines from the past. They are built around the most common principles of airplanes-the principles of thrust and lift. However, instead of using a fan and a combustion engine, modern quadcopters use electric motors, along with a battery system, which provide the power for the propellers. In some designs, a fifth wheel is also used. The motors and propellers are located above the rear of the vehicle, either on wings or on skids. In most cases, the motors are located toward the rear of the craft, to give the pilot more control.
Each of the four rotating blades will produce a thrust in a different direction, depending on which blade is in the forward flight mode. This results in a rotation about the axis of symmetry about the horizontal component, creating a thrust in a horizontal direction. The left-hand-side of the quadcopter rotates in a clockwise direction, while the right-side rotates in a counterclockwise direction. When the craft is in flight, the propellers turn in the opposite direction of the blades.
The lift that the aircraft experiences as it moves is created by the rotor’s angular momentum. Angular momentum is the product of the force of gravity acting on an object, and its spin. As the rotor spins clockwise, it pulls the helicopter down, while its spin pushes the object upward. Thus, the rotor can cause the aircraft to rise or drop. In this way, the rotor performs a sort of momentum transfer to the lift, making the lift act in the opposite direction of the thrust, thereby decreasing the pressure on the control surfaces.
The throttle is often used as a primary control device in RC flying. The throttle works by holding the craft in one position during flight, until it is brought up to a flying altitude. (The throttle also can be used to decelerate a craft rapidly.)
Unlike most traditional helicopters, which have two types of rotors, most RC flying machines only have one rotor, with two sets of blades. Because of this, they have a slightly steeper pitch rate than most ultralights. If your quadcopter doesn’t have aileron, it will roll to the right at startup, while pitch is increasing as it flies. Similarly, if it doesn’t have a rudder, you will need to move the throttle to the right to reduce airspeed.
It should go without saying that all RC vehicles, whether they are quadcopters or Dji Phantom models, have separate controls for each of their four quadrants. This means that when people think of a quadcopter, they think of the controller and the camera feed. The reason for this is because the people who designed these aircraft wanted them to be easy to fly. However, it’s very important to remember that when you’re talking about the remote control, people think of the buttons and dials, not the switches and knobs. Even amateur radio operators should be able to operate these models. That’s why there is no “quick change” fun when it comes to controlling your quadcopter.
If your new to remote control operation, and want to get a feel for what it’s like to control an aircraft, you’ll probably find it easier to learn how to control a helicopter. You can try turning your PC board upside down and trying to fly a little model, or turn it around and look at the servos and control panels. It’s a lot easier to work with the one direction rotors, so that’s one way to go. Remember though, if you do decide to fly a helicopter, don’t forget that the rotor blades are always pointed in the same direction as the pusher bar. You need to move them to one side or the other depending on the situation.