Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by CamperBob2 2105 days ago
Given this, what are some reasons why single-rotor RC aircraft have never been as popular as quads?
2 comments

RC Heli = expensive specialized mechanical parts, collective pitch Rotor Head is a nightmare.

quad = difficult to develop software control loop

One is easier to replicate after initial development than the other. Heli crash also usually results in destruction of Rotor Head, the most expensive part. You could use an analogy of Carburetor versus EFI.

Single rotor crafts do not avail for plasticky parts, and require more non-off-the shelf parts in general.

Even very first quads were for example easily makeable with existing toy parts, and plastic.

But with just a bit more efforts, single rotor craft take a lead from quads by a significant margin.

Interesting, thanks. I've never heard this perspective before. So you'd say that anyone building an elaborate homebrew quad -- e.g., the TechIngredients guy at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZPvZiJLbvI , who generally seems to know what he's doing -- would be better off putting comparable effort (and comparable cash) into a single-rotor aircraft instead?