I am currently working on a hovering car powered by 7 DC fans. There will be 2 on the bottom to provide a lift, and one of the back to provide a forward thrust. The other four are going to be placed on the body, one in each corner, to provide a method of steering. For example, as the top right fan and bottom left fan are turned on, the car will be turned left.

I want to control all of these 7 fans remotely, either with radio, or IR. I plan to have all of these fans running on a series of 9V batteries. However, my experience with electronics is that I know how to pronounce electricity, and I can barely solder without burning myself.

Can you guys help me figure out where to even get started? I am clueless about electronics.

 

I am currently working on a hovering car powered by 7 DC fans. There will be 2 on the bottom to provide a lift, and one of the back to provide a forward thrust. The other four are going to be placed on the body, one in each corner, to provide a method of steering. For example, as the top right fan and bottom left fan are turned on, the car will be turned left.

I want to control all of these 7 fans remotely, either with radio, or IR. I plan to have all of these fans running on a series of 9V batteries. However, my experience with electronics is that I know how to pronounce electricity, and I can barely solder without burning myself.

Can you guys help me figure out where to even get started? I am clueless about electronics.

OH damn I can see this going horribly wrong here....
What kind of fans are you using and I don't see you using 9v batteries .... Your better off using lithium batteries ...Also how big is this going to be..

 

Interesting project!
I'm guessing lift will require the most power. And with battery power, efficiency is important.
What about 3 or 4 motors for lift and stability, 2 to provide both steering and thrust ?
You would have a tripod configuration or 4 corners for lift. A reversible motor mounted each side could provide forward/reverse thrust and steering or spin in place, for that matter.

 

Dr. Killjoy- I plan on making it not too big. Maybe having the base be 8in by 10in. Not sure about height

Tubeguy- That is a great idea! I totally forgot about reversible motors. I would do the 4 corners because I find that more stable. But how would motors on the sides be able to provide thrust? I can see how it would work for spin/steering.

 

As a side note, I plan on making this very very light.

 

I think you would be better off using 2 electric turbine fans and work from there...

 

I think you would be better off using 2 electric turbine fans and work from there...

Do u possibly know here I could find some small ones though?

 

Do u possibly know here I could find some small ones though?

Try hobbyking or any hobby shop..

 

Thanks. Are you trying to say that the turbine fans should be used for lift, thrust or spin?

 

Thanks. Are you trying to say that the turbine fans should be used for lift, thrust or spin?

There are using them in R/C Jet and I think they are the most efficient design for lift and thrust ...

 

Ah I see. So, one on the bottom and one in the rear? Because I'm trying to make the car hover, not fly.

 

Dr. Killjoy- I plan on making it not too big. Maybe having the base be 8in by 10in. Not sure about height

Tubeguy- That is a great idea! I totally forgot about reversible motors. I would do the 4 corners because I find that more stable. But how would motors on the sides be able to provide thrust? I can see how it would work for spin/steering.

The thrust-steering fans would be mounted on each side like props on a twin-engined airplane.

 

But won't the car fly just like an airplane?

 

If that works, then one will pull air while the other will push air to provide a form of spin?

 

But won't the car fly just like an airplane?

I'll assume this question is regarding the steering motors. So no, not unless the motors were strong enough to lift the car and were thrusting straight down like a helicopter.

 

If you give some thought to the physics, you'll find that 90+ percent of the onboard power must be devoted to lift, and that the budget for any other weight is very small. A slight change of the main thrust off vertical will give you plenty of lateral component thrust. Think helicopter. There's no separate lateral thrust except for jet copters.

 

If you give some thought to the physics, you'll find that 90+ percent of the onboard power must be devoted to lift, and that the budget for any other weight is very small. A slight change of the main thrust off vertical will give you plenty of lateral component thrust. Think helicopter. There's no separate lateral thrust except for jet copters.

I definitely see your point! So basically, I should have very strong fans produce the lift and use relatively weak fans for separate lateral thrust? I don't see another way I could possibly get somewhat off vertical without a separate lateral thrust. I don't think weight will be too much of a problem because I am going to use a very light chassis and I am trying to find the lightest fans available.

 

I don't see another way I could possibly get somewhat off vertical without a separate lateral thrust.

If you have 3 thrust fans in a triangle, you could control their relative contributions and get any lateral vector you need. They wouldn't need to articulate, like you would need for a single fan config.

 

That is a brilliant idea! I was primarily thinking of a single fan config but this works marvelously!!! But how would you be able to control the power of the fans? Would you need a separate speed controller for that?

 

That is a brilliant idea!

Perhaps, but it's not mine!
http://diydrones.com/photo/arducopter-v2-3-1-tested-in-flight-on-the-quadcopter-x-frame-f4-6
http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/parrot-ar-drone-to-launch-at-e3-2010-26-05-2010/
http://www.core77.com/blog/technology/ebsen_nielsens_rc-copter_videography_and_what_drone_goggles_could_do_for_you_23652.asp
http://www.techchee.com/2010/01/12/ar-drone-rc-helicopter-controllable-by-iphone-or-ipod-touch/