RC Hovercraft using Arduino

Published on 19 May 2022. Written by Dineshkumar E

Hovercrafts are vehicles that travel over the cushion of air created with the help of motors and propellers. Hovercrafts can reach almost all the terrains on earth. The principle behind the development of air-cushion is the closed plenum effect. The high-pressure air is accumulated below the hull with the help of motors and propellers. The skirt is used to increase the ground clearance of the vehicle which helps to achieve the smooth ride over big tide waves, rocky terrains, etc. In this article, you will learn to build an RC Hovercraft using Arduino.

Project Implementation

First design the hovercraft as per the requirements using 3D design software like CATIA, AutoCAD and fabricate the model based on the design. For the fabrication of the hovercraft, you can use materials like coroplast, 3D printed frames, Styrofoam, etc.

Following are the electronic components used to build the hovercraft:

Brushless motor: These motors are used to produce thrust and to develop the air cushion beneath the hull of the hovercraft. Brushless motors can able to produce higher rpm compared to the normal brushed motors.

Arduino UNO: It is a microcontroller board used to make DIY projects like IoT, Robotics, Mechatronics, etc. With the help of the C++ programming language, you can easily program this board and build any project out of it.

NRF24L01 Wireless Transceiver Module: It is used to receive the signal transmitted by the transmitter. This module is connected to the Arduino board.

NRF24L01+PA+LNA Wireless Transceiver RF Transceiver Module: It is used to transmit the signal to the receiver based on the input given by the user.

Servo Motor: It is used to control the rudders to achieve the directional motion i.e., to turn the model right and left.

Electronic Speed Controller: ESC is used to control the speed of the Brushless motors based on the input.

Batteries: Lithium Polymer batteries are used to power the model. Because these batteries have high energy density when compared to other batteries like Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride, Lead Acid batteries, etc.

In this model, we are going to use two brushless motors one for creating the air pressure and the other one for producing the thrust. You can also make the model with a single brushless motor by directing the air through a duct to form the air cushion under the hull. Fix all the components at the desired location and upload the Arduino Program to the Arduino board fixed on the vehicle and now it is ready for operation.

Kit required to develop RC Hovercraft using Arduino:

Technologies you will learn by working on RC Hovercraft using Arduino:

RC Hovercraft using Arduino

Any Questions?

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