Something that Flite Test seems to keep coming back too is the elusive 'Circle Plane'. Like a rare bird, the Circle Plane appears only once in a blue moon. It soars, dives and glides - only to be horrendously attacked by a swarm of angry mini quads, micro quads and small RC airplanes. This week, one emerged from the shop with Josh Bixler at the controls. This could mean just one thing: it was time to fire up the new BabyHawk R from Emax.
This article will cover in detail the BabyHawk R, the challenge itself, and how circle planes actually work (in case you were wondering).
The BabyHawk R
This powerful micro quad is a great alternative to race drones that you have to build yourself. This is because the 'R' comes ready assembled out of the box, similar to our own Gremlin quads that have the option to be built by our professional builders right here at the shop.
Specs:
- High-Speed power system featuring RS1106 and the Avan Micro
- FC/ESC AIO - Mini Magnum Tower
- 112mm Carbon Fiber Frame
- Weighs 82.5 grams
- hell Canopy with adjustable camera positions
- Pre-tuned Betaflight Firmware
- OSD integrated with Low-Voltage detection
- 40 Channel 5.8g VTX switchable 25/200mw
- Compatible with EMAX Transmitter/Goggles/Accessories
- Utilizes Micro CCD Sensor Camera
- Uses 3-4s LiPo batteries
What went down in the challenge
The challenge consisted of two rounds each lasting two minutes.
There were a lot of near misses and a few full-on collisions!
One incident saw a BabyHawk R caught and hanging precariously in the ESC leads of the huge circle plane. The circle plane strikes revenge!
Late in the day, disaster struck as Josh realised that one of his elevons had failed leaving him with limited control. Fortunately, being the skilled pilot that he is, Mr. Bixler was able to land (on Stefan) without incident.
The final scores were 10 to Ian and 13 to Matt. Congratulations to all who competed!
A Rough Guide to how Circular Wings Work
Quite simply, circular wings work in much the same way that conventional straight wings do - they create a differentiating pressure above and below with an airfoil and an attitude (angle of attack).
One way to think of it is that lots of shapes can create lift if angled correctly. Look at lifting body aircraft for example, like this NASA M2-F1 prototype.
Technically, our googly-eyed Circle Plane in this episode of Flite Test was a flat annular wing. These wings have the advantage of curving continuously which helps reduce aerodynamic losses at the wingtips. They do have the aerodynamic disadvantage, however, of being inherently unstable. This is why sometimes the wingtips are turned slightly up to give the plane a little dihedral.
Flat Annular Wing
Cylindrical Wing
Annular Box Wing
Many examples of aircraft with circular wings have existed over the history of powered flight. One of these is the Vaught XF5U 'Flying Flapjack'.
Another example of circular wings is found with Lee-Richard's annular monoplane designs. These were experiments in aviation to determine the best shape for a wing before the First World War.
Further reading/viewing
Want to see more quad vs. plane challenges? We've got that covered.
Flite Fest 2015 Circle Plane Challenge:
Hoop Plane:
Want some tips on how to set up your own challenges? Check out these articles which contain some helpful information on just that. We hope you have fun!
How to set up quad race courses: https://www.flitetest.com/articles/gremlin-racing-challenge-at-a-trampoline-park
General homemade challenge tips: https://www.flitetest.com/articles/bare-bear-fpv-challenge
Article written by James Whomsley
FliteTest.com Editor
www.youtube.com/projectairaviation
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