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Jimmy's* original research video: • A Swashplateless MAV: ...
More info + research papers: www.modlabupenn.org/2014/10/2...
Modlab website: www.modlabupenn.org/
*When I contacted him, he preferred to be called Jimmy.
Interested in some more information about this project? I've made another video on my second channel: • How I built a Swashpla...
2nd channel: / @timstation
Enjoy my videos? These are made possible due to help from my Patrons. Please consider supporting my efforts: / tomstanton
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This is crazy. You breezed over the concept so effortlessly, I would almost believe it was easy...
Practical engineering comments but gets 16 likes? What has happened to KZhead?
i completely agree
I think a little more detail (on how) could be put into the build, Hopefully Tom will have a follow up with the code part too.. i can't believe this actually works..
Hey (practical engineering) I watch your channel as well maybe you guys should collaborate.
@@jmac1099 second channel linked in the description
this is where you realize Tom is an actual aeronautics engineer not just a kid goofing off in his yard
I think many engineers started as kids goofing in their backyard :)
When you realize your hobbies/projects contain enough information for a PhD
science is goofing off but with data and statistics.
I don't think the average aeronautics engineer could pull this off. Sheer talent at work here.
@@alexkram Huh? Why would you think that? Was Tom the absolute top of his class at one of the best universities in the world or something?
Guy builds and refines a never seen before kind of aircraft and brushes it off as a fun weekend project. What an incredible world we live in.
incredible *time
Its pretty amazing, but tbh, it does not seem really hard to build.
@@adryncharn1910 Hard to build, no, hard to balance and control, yes.
You have thoroughly impressed this helicopter pilot. This is amazing.
Thank you for your service
ya what adam100a said
this is honestly the most impressive thing i've seen helicopter related
Tareq Alsaadi flying a helicopter isn’t impressive to you?
Me too, and yes I am amazed that a helicopter flies but I understand how that works, this is electronic voodoo, and hats of to the the guys who came up with this in the first place albeit less aesthetically pleasing
@@adeetard2545 bro this guy literally made this by himself also stop hating and being negative
@@maxonmathew4557 No
It’s crazy that these motors can be controlled on such a small time scale with enough precision for this to work.
It's crazy that brushless motors/motor controllers themselves have enough precision to work. Each motor phase is getting pulsed many times per revolution in a trapezoidal or sinusoidal pattern. Tom "just" needed to overlay an increase and decrease throttle command each revolution phased in the direction of desired cyclic input. Crazy stuff! My first RC plane was a Graupner UHU back in the early 90's. It had basically a DC drill motor activated with an on/off relay switch and NiCad batteries. It might as well have been a brick with cardboard wings when compared with today's marvels!
Brushless motor: Fuck my life, I didn’t sign for that abuse
This is awesome. This is easily one of the best drone projects I've seen on KZhead. It's accessible, direct, detailed, and actually explores something new. And it works!.
amazing video! you could explore the "rigid rotor" configuration. Lockheed Martin used it on it's Cheyenne. It use a "flywheel" inertia to actuate its blades
Gonna have to pick my jaw up off the floor... Incredible work as always, Tom!
literally was watching the spirit test flight 8 before this video. I am so glad that i have such amazing youtubers in my youtube feed !!!
Nice work on that sprint rocket Joe!
I was about to go through the comments but then I saw the bps.space logo as the top comment and I was instantly happy. It's always awesome too see an awesome KZhead channel commenting on an other awesome KZhead channel.
I so want you two do collab on a project !
Tom, Tom, Tom, Tom only last night I forgot your name on our hangout but mentioned how clever you were and then you drop this. Outstanding work.
_Learn how this man eliminates the need of active actuation on his helicopter. Servo manufacturers hate him!_
but i dont think that this is a efficient way of a helicopter. But very interesting and if it was combined with a capacitor storing the energy of the rotor when its speed should be decreased, then it could be efficient, too.
The ESC achieved rapid slow down by applying regenerative braking, @@neutronenstern.. This means the ESC is sending power back to the source, a LiPo battery. Your concern of inefficiency is still present by the fact that there's a rapidly changing speed motor, and that wastes quite some power in form of heat on the motor because any acceleration and deceleration on electric motor waste power as some of the energy in form of magnetic flux doesn't get converted into mechanical energy, thus heat.
@@neutronenstern. the esc has capacitors on it, that store energy. Though they normally work on a per-commutation scale, not per revolution...the lipo battery stores some of the energy as well. The problem, why his motor gets hot is the constant acceleration deceleration. That's literally the best way, to kill your quadcopters motors...
These are interesting ideas for rc/unmanned. But if I'm in it, I'll be flying it.
@@neutronenstern. you're right, my dude. the motor having to both accelerate and decelerate means it'll roughly drawn in twice as much power than a conventional design. also, because the blades can swing up and down the helicopter becomes very unstable when making pitch or roll maneuvers because then the girosopic precession will yank the rotors with a far greater force than the aerial drag can induce, resulting in an instant total loss of control 04:31
I’m here for the grass. That grass is amazing. It’s so green and perfectly mown. I love the stripes.
hahahaha
It is very nice grass.
I wonder what kind of grass is it
I think you just hit on your grass with yo Pipe. 🥴
Hi dad lol
I am so beguiled by the huge helicopter build, all those shiny parts!
Yeah the design is cool, but I came here to see Tom wink at me in slow motion ;)
New video When!?
How dare Tom not reply his wink ;) also here 1:53
@@blendertestguy5728 not sure, juggling a few ideas!
Michael reeves wishes he was you Joel
2:33 -- That's never gonna wor..... 5:38 -- My god!
took you 3 minutes to finish the sentence?
I literally said "Thats incredible" out loud when you showed the slow motion of the simple helicopter changing blade angles.
But he explained it first, so you knew what was coming in that slow motion footage. Lack of imagination, perhaps? How old are you? And how flexible? I'm a bit worried. No, just kidding, he must be very smart and he knows a thing or two, too. This project IS amazing.
Another staggering piece of back yard engineering from Tom. It warms my heart to see young people doing serious engineering like this. Its where the truly great innovations are born. well done Tom - another outstanding piece of work and very well presented.
After 10 crashes: "I thiiiink I might have to make some changes to the code." Well done dude! This is awesome!
He is trying to show that he is qualified to work at Boeing
If going_to_crash == True Don't() Endif
He sounds like Elon Musk.
I thought that was funny too. I think we've all been there lol.
@@pedram.mp4 HA!
I love this! Using software to eliminate hardware. Amazing!
Nice seeing you around Jeremy! Looking forward to your next project!
That’s a smart way to see it
pretty much as flybars were killed by 3d gyros
But it will never be able to do 3D.
@@superskullmaster You meant 8D? Typo?
I love how you have the patience to get it dialled in. You know a principle works and you keep going until you can display it 👍👍
I cannot believe how well this works! I've seen a lot of your videos and to see you pull something like this off is a huge!
I don't think some people are understanding just how insane this actually is. It's like a helicopter, but not at all... I love this so much
Yes. I figured it was just going to be a fixed pitch helicopter not a swash plate alternative
Sometimes I really wish I haven't gone down the helicopter rabbit hole. This is not one of these times.
So good! It's great to see this kind of stuff is possible outside of a research environment
Keep doing what you're doing Daniel. We love watching you guys innovate and make badass stuff.
Two of my fav KZhead channels for sure!
You both are my fav.. Hehe..
Woah! 3 of my favorite KZheadrs commenting! Wow!
Outside?! Did you just write, he did not do any research for this project? Please call anything within reach of his hands his Personal Research Environment.
Nice one.. I love when you get that "AH-HA" moment from something like this..
Wow! Very nice! Very educational! Thanks for sharing your engineering, thoughts and ideas! My parents bought me a 5 in 1 water pump kit back in the late 70’s. Was probably the best gift ever for a 12 year old! It probably has much to do with why I often can understand and troubleshoot a hydraulic system so quick and accurately while others stand and give blank stares.
...you wouldn't happen to know where I could get that kit would you
Stunning. You can learn something new every day - in a most enjoyable way.
Thanks Grandad!
That is true
@@TomStantonEngineering what?!?
@@greatnate3816 They share the same surname, so it's not a far stretch
@@simeondermaats .......
Rest assured Tom, that nearly seamless transition from wide to macro at 3:04 has not gone unappreciated. 😎
Like, vidit me please
Your explanations and the use of the high speed video make this complex feat understandable. I am inspired by your need to do something just because you think it can be done.
Unbelievable, as an avid helicopter and drone builder for decades, I’m trueky amazed that you even attempted this, and that you made it work is incredible
Incredible! Who would have thought that was possible. Good job.
Will Prowse!! 🙌...my best DIY solar power KZheadr.
US Gov't: We'll take your ENTIRE STOCK
They already have something like this I think
Look up "FLIR Black hornet"
@@calebsherman886 The guy that came up with that design used to post on RCGroups, the original versions actually used a swashplate, just the smallest, most unusual looking one youve ever seen. Not sure if theyve changed to this rather amazing technique or not since then, but both are pretty freakin amazing!
@@calebsherman886 Yeah, if you find confirmation that Black hornet uses this method, I'd be curious. I've looked at images, but am not sure.
lol.. NO ! they will probably choose a 15k $ rc helicopter instead of a simmilarly capable normal 200 $ rc heli with an 100$ camera
The test flights reminded me of learing to fly my Honey Bee FP all those years ago. Nice video Tom!
Honey Bee Fap? Strange name. What is a fap? I've seen bees before, most are called drones. Do bees fap their wings? Got no glue.
awesome man! I love all these prototypes ideas and the thinking behind it. Thanks for showing one and explaining the other!
Hey bud you just did the "impossible." A very big congratulations and cudo's from Las Vegas, NV - Aerospace Engineer
Where are the aliens
Chances are he knows there is about 3 places in Vegas where you'd work as a AE and 3 of them have to do with that@@DrGreerIsRight
I'm literally amazed!!! So good job! I've been trying this technique for a lot of time now and couldn't achieve a good sine control of the brushless motor. U use a double H bridge for control or a customized ESC? Will you share the software somewhere? Once again, so good work! :)
Thanks man! I used a t-motor F30A esc and communicated with Oneshote125. Here is a brief run through of the setup: kzhead.info/sun/jJdqcsyJi6Geko0/bejne.html
@@TomStantonEngineering thanks! I'll give it a good look.
Just thinking that adding some reduction gearing between motor and rotor could make the control easier since the acceleration/deceleration could be over several motor revolutions. Obviously the motor would have to be running faster overall though.
@@ferrumignis that could offer a bunch of other benefits too, good call. A small geared motor or belt driven could be pretty awesome and possibly make it easier to miniaturize
@@ferrumignis True, the motor would have to spin faster. But this has been used in many, many toy helicopters. It takes a bunch of load off the motor, and increasing the RPM is easy when the motor doesn't have to work as hard.
This is an awesome little project, I never knew how the swash plate worked. Great information and an excellent electronic conversion from mechanical means. I am sure one could figure out with the use of a flight controller some algorithms to react to conditions like wind and inputs. Its a thinker
This is incredible, I can't believe it's possible
when you explained the concept I was straight up not believing that it would ever work in practice. I'm still kinda in disbelief. it seems like this technique could be used to make RC helicopters much more mechanically simple and cheap to produce, right?
woah didnt expect you here
Possibly, however the cost of the ultra fast electronics would probably outweigh the savings
@@Mireaze you can pick up a microcontroller capable of this for about 5 bucks
@@Jakedasnake1066 a small toy helicopter is only 15
I was just illustrating the relatively low costs. I meant YOU could pick up a micro controller for $5, on a diy friendly breakout board like an arduino. The controller itself is likely less than a dollar, and I guarantee those $15 helicopters already contain at least one
When you said Drone Helicopter Hybrid I assumed it would be a drone with helicopter style props.
Me too
well this does exists already and has a glow version too, it's crazy, recommend checking out, it calls stingray 500
I do too, and straight thinking why would you make something simple to a more complex thing?
The worst of both worlds :D But I would totally love to see it
but that's going backwards bro
Helicopter pilot from Fl, USA. Well done. This is a very interesting concept. Problems with larger scale vehicles would be vibration. The tail rotor must be constantly accelerating and decelerating to compensate for a continuous changing torque output from the motor.
I found this idea just as fascinating the first time I saw it, glad you actually went out and made it into a helicopter! Unfortunately I don't think it's very easily scalable due to the fatigue induced at the 45° hinges, but on small-scale DIY helicopters it certainly brings the theoretical cost down. Of course, off-the-shelf swashplates exist... but this is fully able to be self-fabricated, compared to the swashplates.
The refinement process must have earned you the nickname of "Blade Ruiner".
I just don´t know, if the word "genius" is good enough for him.
He has spent time in properly learning the fundamentals hands on from a young age. I believe that is his secret sauce.
Not enough syllables
@@karthick86c that's secret everyone sauce.
@@karthick86c indeed🔥
Einstein's reincarnation perhaps?
Brilliant. Deserves recognition. I hope Tom’s vast potential is fully realised.
Tom is perfect example of practice makes man perfect 👍
Wow, that's really incredible. Your persistence is admirable.
Crazy mad skills this guy has. You made my head spin with all your casual engineering lingo. Really man, WOW!
Genius! Congrats and thanks for sharing.
Tom, just wanted to join in and say: Amazing work, this was truly impressive. Did not think something like this would be possible
OMG!!! This ModLab paper is one of my favorites. Like you, ever since I found it I’ve wanted to replicate it. Great work Tom. I love following your projects. You are inspiring!!!
Well done on getting it working!!! Well done bro!
Tom... You are brilliant! Fantastic work on this. What is interesting is that this is some what like a teetering rotor system, similar to what is on the robinson helicopter. Other helicopters use a little more complex system of being fully articulated. One of the key limits of a helicopter is retreating blade stall. As the heilcopter airspeed increased the blade that is moving away from the direciton of travel, the blade needs to flap upwards to account for the loss of airspeed over the rotor blade. (Rotational speed - airspeed). Likewise, the opposite is happening on the advancing blade. Once the retreating blade stalls, the aircraft pitches up violently, loses tail rotor authority and the aircraft will rotate opposite the direction that the blades are rotating. (It is ugly). So, there are a few helicopers that use coaxial rotor systems, Kman and the Sikorsky Commanche. So my question is this... Could it be possible to take to counter rotating blades and then use a pusher proper ; then adjust the rotor RPM to control yaw? This would not likely bank or roll very well... but in terms of a stable platform on to which to mount sensors, it might be more power efficient allowing it to remain aloft longer. Might such as system negated retreating blade stall? Either way... Excellent work here. Cheers... John Hall (Prior USCG helicopter pilot)
I fly helis, this is impressive But I think that the connection between the rotor and the rotor head is under way to much stress to be reliably After all, you are wobbling the entire rotor blade 3000 times a minute
Reliability can be tuned. No worries.
That is true with it being 3D printed, however an actual helicopter rotor head pivots every rotation too. So there's no reason an aluminium rotor head with bearings won't work well. Thanks!
Has anyone ever done any studies about dynamic strength of 3D-printed parts with various printing methods? This is something I'd be very curious about
@@ichbrauchmehrkaffee5785 There is a youtube channel called CNC Kitchen that might interest you, he has made a lot of videos about stress-testing printed parts and usually he can record hard numerical values using his testing rigs and makes very informative little graphs.
@@truepennytv I second that. CNC kitchen is the way to go.
What an awesome accomplishment ! And a great idea to control the angle of attack for a scaled down chopper
Very impressive! Thanks for sharing!
That's absolutely mind blowing! I never thought a helicopter could be so simple
Amazing, the virtual swash plate is an engineering marvel! Good work
That blew my mind. You sir are a genius.
I am blown away by how much this simplifies helicopters. Truly brilliant.
Wow, no words. I can’t imagine how much time you spent trying to work out the controller program
6:58 Tom: ok camera, time for an outro Camera: LEAVES Tom: ...? Camera: I FOCUS LEAVES
I would die before ever completing any of these things. Very well done! Awesome
Just like a lot of everyone else I'm amazed!! I've been flying collective for years and not seen this concept. Collective pitch helicopter are very complex so to see quadracopter simplicity into a very near helicopter style is super cool and could be some thing we see in production in the near future. Many thanks for uploading this video, defiantly one of the most interesting ones I've ever seen!
You realize that the complexity of a helicopter rotor is due to the cyclic pitch control, not the collective pitch control, right?
@@brianb-p6586 as far as I know quadcopter don't have cyclic controls, they have collective...this is achieved via motor rpm or by changing blade pitch.
@@thomascorley8232 correct... but you commented about a "collective pitch helicopter", which didn't make sense.
That Tom, is really well done! I'm continually impressed with your dedication and patience to the stuff you make. Keep up the great work!
Kiwi Co seems like the perfect advertiser for this channel.
That's a really good proyect. Thank you!
Genius! Thanks for sharing
That is legitimately one of the most amazing ideas I've seen come to fruition
what amazed me most was how the 3d-printed middle-pieces held up O.O
I had homemade electric scooter with 3D printed pulley from PETG and it lasted > 200km (and is actually still OK though I've abandoned the project for now). Tom has similar but quite bigger 3D printed pulley on his bike : kzhead.info/sun/ZNSmYbaseqd7Znk/bejne.html . PETG is actually very strong and when printed with 100% infill it usually break *randomly* into sharp shiny pieces similar to glass.
My mind is blown. you did such a good job on this man.
This is really cool! So awesome to watch you work though it👍
This is amazing you were able to get it to work when I first started watching I was like there is no way
Very impressive! 👏
Great job dude. now you can sell the code and get millionaire :D
*get a millionaire*
@@harukinoobie5966 he'll get so rich he will buy a millionaire.
Why must everything be about profit
@@isetta4083 King said: I have a dream. And the rich kept on dreaming of being richer. Who cares for people?!
@@isetta4083 For a person like him more money means more funds for bigger projects. Nothing wrong with that.
I've been building pod and boom helis and drones for years. this absolutely blew my mind.
Ifound you through the suggested videos 1 year ago still enjoying your videos. your videos are also very informative. I just made a KZhead channel so I'm definitely doing my research on how to do these builds. Thanks for all your awesome videos. Please keep it up!
I just built a drone so Im also doing research.
@@VoltageGuy2000 sounds great keep it up😁
@@Builditathome-Restoration Thanks! You too!
@@Builditathome-Restoration I just checked out your KZhead channel, you have some great videos! ill definitely be watching some of them.
@@VoltageGuy2000 awesome man😃 really appreciate that
That was literally mind-blowing how simple it is and it does actually fly! Thanks for sharing and explaining this amazing concept!
This is just amazing! Thank you!
Dude. Next level. I can't believe how well this worked. This is going to put the helicopters in my next video to utter shame! 😂
Looking forward to your video mate!!!
Haha same
Im honestly just amazed at how quiet it is
Pretty much any small electric direct drive heli is quite like this. Particularly when not running insanely high head speeds that sport pilots do.
Can you send me the code Email: thessmarie3@gmail.com
Nice to see you’re into RC helis! Awesome gotta keep our hobby alive. Hobby shops in the US rarely care helis outside of a few carrying Horizon Hobby Helis.
Congratulations! Really nice idea and work.
This is awesome as always dude! Never came across that, really interesting control mechanism :)
Yeah I've been wanting to do it for ages! Thanks mate
@@TomStantonEngineering I've been waiting for this for literally 20 years. The "Piccolo" was the smallest electric heli back in the day. Now with this design, the heli might even outperform 4 motor drones for simplicity and control (current pure 2 motor helis have very little control obviously).
"Now do an inverted, tail down funnel with it, Jimmy!" 😂 Also, great work on the heli, but a minor correction: CCPM helis can't control each blade individually as the CCPM swash mixing is programmed in such a way that whenever cyclic is applied, whatever happens to one blade will be inversely mirrored on the other blade. I think what you meant was that collective and cyclic pitch can be applied independently of one another, which is something your frankenheli cannot do.
Lol Frankenheli. Its not even a good frankenheli. Nope.
i would like to see another video on this. i think it is worth investigating to see if something can be done about the motor heating up. i think you should try making a variable-sinusoidal gearbox. one way i think you could do this is with a universal joint, which turns a constant input into a sinusoidal output of varying amplitude depending on the angle it’s oriented at. you could set it up so that a servo adjusted the angle of the joint and another servo adjusted the phase.
Crazy how you done all this in software. It’s fantastic engineering. It’s beautiful
That’s truly amazing. I would’ve never believed that you could achieve such blade pitch control by altering the rotational speed of the specially designed main rotor.
But will it work in Kerbal Space Program? The dlc has the new KAL controllers and electric motors, so on paper it could...
I look forward to buying one of these off aliexpress in about 2 weeks.
That is pretty amazing. I'd like to see more of your software process on this build. I also love Align! I have a T-Rex 450 and a 600. Due to an unfortunate controls incident I took my 600 to my head a few years ago. My head broke one of the rotors clean in half and almost the second. I'm good now and the visible scar is quite small. Yes I plan to rebuild the bird but probably won't have time until after I finish my degree. Anyway, I thought you'd find that interesting since most people generally don't survive a head-strike with a 60 sized heli. I now have definitive proof that I am, in fact, hard headed! lol
This is brilliant. As a heli flyer and a drone flyer, I would absolutely buy this if it was dialed in and had parts support.
When he said "virtual swashplate" this is when I realized skynet had become self aware.
It's incredible how much you can achieve just by giving a weird shape to the current graph
Changing the blade angle just through the rotation of the motor, that is crazy. This is a whole new kind of concept.
I love RC stuff, especially helicopters. This is soo cool. Great work =)
Tom Stanton you have already inspired me. That's why I'm getting a 3d printer ;)
Bruh, imagine if every school graduate was this smart and enthusiastic, mankind would have transcended years ago
not only your work i'm here also to admire your backyard of your house
Great project Thanks for sharing your journey 🙂
I really love how BPS.space, Joel creates, Practical Engineering, and probably several other tech/DIY/maker channels are also here. Love this community of youtubers
4:14 Looks like every time I try to fly a toy helicopter
Very Relatable haha!
great video ... IM still amazed that this worked so well ... good job. ALSO - I love the new video production going on here ... slick shots and awesome look. Keep up the inspiring videos.