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enter image description hereI looked at a few rc models of the xfy-1 pogo plane and wondered why there weren't more drones in this setup, some seemed very agile. I think this concept can be refined. of course, the contra-rotating propeller complicates the design, but it is still 1 engine or 2 separate ones with one axis. I have the impression that I didn't notice any obvious flaw. I guess that due to wing control there is some delay in vertical flight, so the quadrocopter wins in this respect, but for a very aerodynamic horizontal flight it is a good compromise

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  • $\begingroup$ They seem to think so on Mars. $\endgroup$
    – Robert DiGiovanni
    Commented Dec 24, 2023 at 1:42

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Intuitively, less rotors is better because of the reduced tip vortices for the overall rotor disc area. Contra-rotating rotors tend to balance out torque, which is good, and the lower rotor may result in the downwash being near vertical rather than tending to rotate as is the case with a single rotor. The main downside is that the lower rotor will be in relatively ’dirty’ air and so will be less efficient.

An advantage of a four-rotor setup is that roll, pitch and yaw can all be achieved just by changing the relative speed of the rotors, so only four moving parts are needed. This simplifies the manufacture and significantly improves reliability as well as reducing cost.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you for your response. Don't you think that one engine will still be more energy efficient? especially in horizontal flight because this system has wings. additional aileron control is indeed a big disadvantage, although unlike classic airplanes, the control engines can be close to each other, which may facilitate the design $\endgroup$
    – San
    Commented Dec 23, 2023 at 12:19
  • $\begingroup$ In terms of engine efficiency there’s probably little difference but one large rotor will be more efficient than several smaller ones. And yes, fixed-wing flight can be much more efficient than helicopters (autogiros being an intriguing middle-ground). There’s a big difference between small UAVs and manned aircraft in that the size and cost make complex designs less attractive for small craft but much less of a barrier to larger vehicles (variable pitch, retractable undercarriage etc) $\endgroup$
    – Frog
    Commented Dec 23, 2023 at 19:04

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