Multirotor

e-volo, the first manned electronic multirotor

A DJI phantom 1, a quadcopter

A multirotor or multicopter is a rotorcraft with more than two rotors. An advantage of multirotor aircraft is the simpler rotor mechanics required for flight control. Unlike single- and double-rotor helicopters which use complex variable pitch rotors whose pitch varies as the blade rotates for flight stability and control, multirotors often use fixed-pitch blades; control of vehicle motion is achieved by varying the relative speed of each rotor to change the thrust and torque produced by each.

Due to their ease of both construction and control, multirotor aircraft are frequently used in radio control aircraft and UAV projects in which the names tricopter, quadcopter, hexacopter and octocopter are frequently used to refer to 3-, 4-, 6- and 8-rotor helicopters, respectively.

Hexacopter.

In order to allow more power and stability at reduced weight coaxial rotors can be employed, in which each arm has two motors, running in opposite directions (one facing up and one facing down).

Examples

• Cierva Air Horse - a British three-rotor "heavy lift" helicopter first flying in 1948. Three rotors were used to give a large lift without compromising rotor strength.
• e-volo - a German prototype electric multicopter with 16 rotors, the first electric multicopter in the world to achieve manned flight. The large number of low-cost motors make it economical, quiet and provide redundancy with ability to maintain control with up to four failed motors.