Inspired by traditional wind-up planes, which use coiled rubber bands to turn the propeller, the electrically powered plane, which flies with tissue paper wings, uses a supercapacitor — which is charged with a hand-cranked generator in just 4 seconds.
If you’re a fan of bizarre projects, you’ll love this story about an electrically powered plane that flies with wings. tissue paper.
Tom Stanton, aerospace engineer with higher education, wanted to create a 3D printed plane that could be operated with a crank to perform a prolonged gliding flight.
The engineer was inspired by traditional wind-up planes which use coiled rubber bands to turn the propeller. Similarly, Stanton’s plane resorts to a supercapacitor charged with a hand-crank generator in just 4 seconds.
While old-fashioned toy planes are typically made from balsa wood, Stanton used 3D printed plastic to get your prototype flying as quickly as possible.
The aircraft structure was printed directly on tissue paper to create the wings, and a carbon fiber rod attached the wings to the fuselage.
Stanton needed a lightweight supercapacitor that could store an electrical charge, so he opted for a 2.7 volt capacitor with a capacitance of 10 farads, with a weight of just 3.2 grams. To complete the model, he 3D printed the plastic support where the propeller is mounted, the supercapacitor and a micromotor with brushes on the plane.
In practice, the supercapacitor ran out of charge very quicklybut that’s not a problem. Your objective is provide the engine with sufficient starting power at launch so that the propeller lifts the plane and keeps it in flight for an extended period based solely on aerodynamics. In its best test, the plane flew for about 45 seconds of continuous flight.
If you want to have fun replicating Stanton’s plane, you can do it easily: the engineer made the files available 3D printing of your glider on your website.
Stanton’s experience with the model brings a new perspective on the issue of to find out if 3D printed parts are in fact reliable. Although the plane in question served as proof of concept With no practical utility in itself, it is undeniable that its design involved truly impressive engineering.
There are already 3D printed devices that you can use in everyday life, and with people like Stanton pushing the boundaries of what is possible, the sky is the limit regarding future applications.
