The world’s largest quadcopter has been developed and launched in the UK (photos, video)
Engineers from the University of Manchester have built and launched the world’s largest quadcopter, the Giant Foamboard Quadcopter (GFQ). The drone, made of a cardboard-like material called foam board, measures 6.4 meters long from corner to corner and weighs 24.5 kg. The four arms consist of a series of hollow box structures and can be easily removed for transportation.
The project began as an experiment to inspire students to be creative in design by using an alternative low-cost material for lightweight aerospace structures that is more environmentally friendly than conventional carbon fiber.
Unlike carbon fiber, low-density sheet materials can be recycled or composted. The researchers hope that this demonstration will inspire the next generation of designers to think about sustainability from a completely new perspective.
While this drone was developed as an experiment, future iterations of this type of vehicle could be designed to carry large payloads over short distances or used as a “mother ship” for drones in air-to-air docking experiments.
The quadcopter was constructed from 5mm thick foam cardboard sheets with a foam core and a paper shell. The sheets were laser cut to size and assembled into a 3D structure by hand, using only hot melt glue.
The GFQ is powered by four electric motors powered by a 50-volt battery. It also has an onboard flight control system and can fly autonomously.
