monospinner
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One-rotor drone is equal parts awkward-looking and adorable
Who says that drones need to be hugely complicated, multi-rotor jobs? Regardless, they never told that to the folks behind the Monospinner, a one-rotor drone that's been entered into the ETH Zurich Flying Machine Arena. Unlike, say, a quadrocopter, this one can't fly by itself and needs some help getting into the air. It hits an "unconventional equilibrium" in part by counterbalancing the rotor spins with the torque of the motor itself. The resulting movement almost reminds me a little of Zui Quan (drunk-style martial arts): awkard-looking on the surface, but really impressive in practice. Take a peek for yourself in the video below and you'll see what I mean.
