Development of a Radio-Controlled Ornicopter: a Single Rotor Helicopter Without Reaction Torque

The Ornicopter is a single rotor helicopter without a reaction torque. By forcing the blades of the Ornicopter to flap up and down, both a lifting force and an average propulsive force can be generated. Because of this average propulsive force the blades will propel (i.e. rotate) themselves and there will no longer be a need to transfer torque from the fuselage to the rotor. If there is no longer a torque transferred from the fuselage to the rotor there will neither be a reaction torque.

This paper will present the development and design of a radio-controlled scale model of the Ornicopter that will function as a demonstrator model.