How is it possible that a drone is moving forward?

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I understand how a multirotor drone is turning, taking off and landing. But how is it possible that a multirotor drone is moving forward? All the propellers are in the same position and the engine is in a fixed position. Can someone explain it to me? Thanks!
 
As WTB has eluded to, by vectoring thrust you create motion. By tilting the a/c some of the thrust is diverted from straight down to some angle in the opposite direction of the desired travel direction.
This is where the master controller must then continually adjust the rpm of each motor to maintain direction, altitude, etc.
 
Forward motion is achieved simply by applying greater thrust from the rear props resulting in the AC pitching forward.
You pushed your glasses up like a scientist when you said it didn't you?......
 
As WTB has eluded to, by vectoring thrust you create motion. By tilting the a/c some of the thrust is diverted from straight down to some angle in the opposite direction of the desired travel direction.
This is where the master controller must then continually adjust the rpm of each motor to maintain direction, altitude, etc.
So I understand that the drone then tilts. Does this - as in a plane - be called a 'banking turn'? Is there a 'banking turn' on a drone?
 
Yes. But the Phantoms are designed to be camera platforms so their ‘Sport’ type flying is limited by the designers.
Fixed-pitch prop multi-rotors can obtain just about any known flight profile as other rotor based aircraft. However since they typically have no lifting surfaces there are limits due to available thrust which is all that keeps them airborne. If you vector the thrust too far from vertical they will lose altitude.
 
Same way this one moves forward:
8cf4964e1ed34dfebc224714a04e0189.jpg

Thrust is being pushed downward and backward creating upward and forward movement.
 
Same way this one moves forward:
8cf4964e1ed34dfebc224714a04e0189.jpg

Thrust is being pushed downward and backward creating upward and forward movement.
I consider these aircraft ugly as hell. If I was a pilot in charge of flying that ugly aircraft, I will not be proud about it.
 
Too bad. It’s an awesome aircraft. A valuable asset when you need to transport men and materials.
 
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I consider these aircraft ugly as hell. If I was a pilot in charge of flying that ugly aircraft, I will not be proud about it.

LOL! Well I didn’t say they are PRETTY!

Actually the pilots are SUPER proud of them... and they are extremely fast given their size and look. In fact they outpace the helicopter gunships assigned to escort them for the very reason noted in this thread. They can pitch so far forward they develop tremendous forward momentum.

Standing directly underneath the rotors is an awesome experience I’ll never forget... it’s as though they are cutting the world in half as they go over.
 
(And they've been in service since the 50's for a reason).....
 
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So I understand that the drone then tilts. Does this - as in a plane - be called a 'banking turn'? Is there a 'banking turn' on a drone?
Yes you can bank a turn with your drone just move both sticks to left or right, how much you move the sticks will determine the amount, this takes a little practice to get a smooth bank, you can also do a funnel turn surprisingly tight.
 
So I understand that the drone then tilts. Does this - as in a plane - be called a 'banking turn'? Is there a 'banking turn' on a drone?

Quite literally, the drone “banks” in order to travel in ANY direction.

Forgive the over-simplification as there is a significant amount of physics involved, but imagine that in order to move forward, the rear props increase in power/speed, or the front two decrease in power/speed, so that the aircraft tilts forward.

That then forces the thrust of the propellers more rearward, creating forward motion.

The same occurs for side to side motion... the two props on the right increasing in power will tilt the craft up on the right, which forces the aircraft to move left, etc.

If the aircraft is already moving forward and receives input to “turn” left, then it will “bank” simply due to physics... forward momentum + left turn creates “banking” effect since the aircraft must tilt to change the direction of thrust.

Again, simplistic, but does that help make sense?

This is exactly why these aircraft fascinate me... the amount of technology built in to them that allows us to fly them so easily is mind bogglingly awesome.
 
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Quite literally, the drone “banks” in order to travel in ANY direction.

Forgive the over-simplification as there is a significant amount of physics involved, but imagine that in order to move forward, the rear props increase in power/speed, or the front two decrease in power/speed, so that the aircraft tilts forward.

That then forces the thrust of the propellers more rearward, creating forward motion.

The same occurs for side to side motion... the two props on the right increasing in power will tilt the craft up on the right, which forces the aircraft to move left, etc.

If the aircraft is already moving forward and receives input to “turn” left, then it will “bank” simply due to physics... forward momentum + left turn creates “banking” effect since the aircraft must tilt to change the direction of thrust.

Again, simplistic, but does that help make sense?

This is exactly why these aircraft fascinate me... the amount of technology built in to them that allows us to fly them so easily is mind bogglingly awesome.
You won’t see much banking if your just feeding in a little rudder, the heading is simply altered by increasing and decreasing the speed of opposing prop pairs to create an imbalance in net torque around the Z axis.
 
Perfect form for function. The bird’s beauty lies in how well it gets the job done. Extremely well in this case.
 
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