INTRODUCTION
Aeronautics
is the study of the science of flight. Aeronautics is the method of designing
an airplane or other flying machine. By studying the principal of aeronautics a
small RC aircraft is designed. RC (remote-controlled) aircraft is
a small flying machine that is controlled remotely by an operator on the ground
using a hand-held radio transmitter.
The transmitter communicates with a receiver within the craft that sends signals to servomechanisms (servos) which move the control surfaces based on the position of joysticks on the transmitter. The control
surfaces, in turn, affect the orientation of the plane.
Design of an aircraft depends on the type of aircraft desired
which varies with the wing mechanism. Most important aspect of aircraft design
is to manage the forces necessary for flight. Components
are then selected accordingly.
In our model, we designed a simple fixed
wing aircraft and the airfoil shape is the standard symmetrical airfoil NACA 0015. Mathematics of aerodynamics is based on the principles of
Bernoulli’s equation and Archimedes’ buoyancy force. The model is a real
aircraft which flies and operates by the same principles as its full-scale
counterpart. The only difference is size and weight.
Several attempts of flight were made by humans getting
inspiration from birds. Hot air balloons, gliders were the early attempts but
it was nineteenth century when the first flying machine with fixed wings, a propulsion
system, and movable control
surfaces is proposed. This was
the fundamental concept of the airplane.
Sir George Cayley, the father of aeroplane (also known as the father of
aerial navigation) also built the first true airplane — a kite mounted on a
stick with a movable tail. It was crude, but it proved his idea worked, and
from that first humble glider evolved the amazing machines that have taken
us to the edge of space at speeds faster than sound.
The
design of aircraft is employed by the measures of SkyFi Labs workshop organised
in January at Delhi. The prototype is also developed by the kit provided under
the same workshop. Aircraft was assembled during the workshop and was tested in
the seventh day. The flight was observed successful up to the range of the
transmitter and controls were also observed fine.
Scientific, government and military organizations are also
using RC aircraft for experiments, gathering weather readings, aerodynamic modelling and testing, and even using
them as drones or spy planes.Perhaps the most
realistic form of aeromodelling, in its main purpose to replicate full-scale
aircraft designs from aviation history, for testing of future aviation designs,
or even to realize never-built "proposed" aircraft, is that of
radio-control scale aeromodelling, as the most practical way to re-create
"vintage" full-scale aircraft designs for flight once more, from long
ago. RC Scale model aircraft can be of any type of steerable airship lighter-than-air (LTA) aviation craft, or more
normally, of the heavier-than-air fixed wing glider/sailplane, fixed-wing single or multi-engine aircraft, or rotary-wing
aircraft such as autogyros or helicopters.
TYPES OF RC AIRCRAFT
There are many types of
radio-controlled aircraft. Some models are made to look and operate like a bird
instead. Replicating historic and little known types and makes of full-size
aircraft as "flying scale" models, which are also possible with control line and free flight types of model aircraft, actually reach their maximum
realism and behaviour when built for radio-control flying. Some of the types of
remote-controlled aircraft are as follows:
·
Radio-control scale aircraft modelling.
·
Sailplanes and gliders.
·
Jets.
·
Pylon racers.
·
Helicopters.
·
Ornithopters.
·
Toy-class RC.
I. RADIO-CONTROL SCALE AIRCRAFT MODELLING
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Fig.1. RC Aircraft
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II. SAILPLANES AND GLIDERS
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Fig.2. Glider
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Fig.3. Sailplane
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Fig. Glider
Fig. Sailplane
Powered
gliders have recently seen an increase in popularity. By combining the
efficient wing size and wide speed
envelope of a glider
airframe with an electric motor, it is possible to achieve long flight times
and high carrying capacity, as well as glide in any suitable location
regardless of thermals or lift. A common method of maximising flight duration is
to quickly fly a powered glider upwards to a chosen altitude and descending in
an unpowered glide. Folding propellers which reduce drag (as well as the risk
of breaking the propeller) are standard. Further powered gliders are classified
in two types:
i)
Hot Liners: Powered gliders built with
stability in mind and capable of aerobatics, high speed flight and sustained
vertical flight are classified as 'Hot-liners'.
ii)
Warm Liners:
'Warm-liners' are powered craft with similar abilities but less extreme
thrust capability.
III. JETS
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Fig.4. Jet
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Fig. Jet
They also have Kevlar fuel tanks for the Jet A fuel
that they run on. Most micro turbines start with propane, burn for a few
seconds before introducing the jet fuel by solenoid. These aircraft can often
reach speeds in excess of 320 km/h (200 mph). They require incredibly
quick reflexes and very expensive equipment, so are usually reserved for the
expert. Of much less complexity are the types of RC jet aircraft that actually
use an electric motor-driven ducted fan instead to power the aircraft. So called
"EDF" models can be of much smaller size, and only need the same
electronic speed controller and rechargeable battery technology as
propeller-driven RC electric powered aircraft use.
IV. PYLON RACERS
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Fig.5. Pylon Racer
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Fig. PYLON RACER
424 is designed as a starting point into the world
of pylon racing. APRA is a version of 424 with specific rules designed for
consistency. Q40 is the highpoint of pylon racing, as their aircraft resemble
full-size race planes. F3D is the fastest class in "glow-powered"
pylon racing.
All this results in an extreme racing class, where
R&D, trial and error, science, and piloting skills meet to create a very
fast and exciting sport.
V. HELICOPTERS
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Fig.6. Helicopter
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Fig.Helicopter
VI. ORNITHOPTERS
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Fig.7. Ornithopter
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Fig. Ornithopter
VII. TOY-CLASS RC
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Fig.8. Toy-Class RC
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Proportional (vs.
"on-off") throttle control which is critical for preventing the
excitation of phugoid oscillation ("proposing")
whenever a throttle change is made. It also allows for manageable and steady
altitude control and reduction of altitude loss in turns.
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LiPo batteries for light weight
and long flight time.
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EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) foam construction making
them virtually indestructible in normal use.
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Low flying speed and typically
rear-mounted propeller(s) make them less harmful when crashing into people and
property.
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Stable spiral
mode resulting
in simple turning control where "rudder" input results in a steady
bank angle rather than a steady roll rate.