EDF Tricopter

Techno

Sunny Day Park Flyer
Earlier I was explaining how a multi-rotor works to a buddy of mine when I had a side thought. If you have a tricopter which has a servo-driven yaw axis, and uses the thrust to operate pitch and roll; you should theoretically, replace the propellers with Electric-Ducted-Fans and be able to achieve the same abilities of a regular tricopter.
I just thought it would be cool to use EDFs instead. The idea could use some polishing and critiques are appreciated.
 

Mustang7302

Senior Member
Novel idea, but I dont imagine it being efficient on power consumption. The applications I've seen EDFs used need high cell count batteries and have high amp rating ESCs. I don't imagine a EDF setup that could produce enough thrust for < 15 amps per motor.
 

Tritium

Amateur Extra Class K5TWM
It has been done but the power curve on edf's has a lag that is not conducive to best multi performance.

Thurmond
 

tramsgar

Senior Member
Agreed. Cool (not novel tho) idea, I've had it too, but the response time of EDFs is too low. Yaw would of course be ok but not the other two axis. Maybe if you used collective pitch EDFs or apertures on fixed-speed EDFs? =) Invent and amaze us!