Formula to calculate amount of force needed to lift/hover

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the amount of thrust required for a drone to hover based on its weight. Participants explore the relationship between thrust, weight, and the necessary force to achieve and maintain hover, touching on both theoretical and practical aspects of drone operation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the thrust needed to hover a drone, suggesting that thrust should equal the weight of the object.
  • Another participant confirms that thrust must equal the weight (mg) for hovering, but questions whether the original inquiry is about thrust generation.
  • A participant seeks clarification on the force required to lift 1 gram, noting a misunderstanding about the relationship between force and mass.
  • It is stated that 9.8 Newtons per kilogram is the force required at Earth's surface, prompting further questions about the formula for calculating thrust based on mass.
  • One participant mentions the formula F=ma and questions whether acceleration for hovering should be considered as 9.8 m/s² with mass in kilograms.
  • A later reply discusses the need for thrust to exceed weight significantly to allow for climbing and to avoid conditions like Vortex Ring State, suggesting a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than 2 or 3 times the weight for safe operation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that thrust must equal or exceed weight for hovering, but there is no consensus on the exact thrust-to-weight ratio necessary for safe operation in all conditions, particularly regarding Vortex Ring State.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the conditions of flight, such as altitude and air density, are not explicitly addressed. The discussion also lacks a definitive formula for calculating thrust based on varying weights and conditions.

ARC123
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
I was thinking off building a drone and I was just curious about what the amount of thrust we need to be in order to hover based on weight
 
Physics news on Phys.org
ARC123 said:
I was thinking off building a drone and I was just curious about what the amount of thrust we need to be in order to hover based on weight

I'm scratching my head here quite a bit.

"Thrust" is a force. You know the weight (mg) of the object. Shouldn't the thrust be at least equal to the weight?

Zz.
 
ZapperZ said:
I'm scratching my head here quite a bit.

"Thrust" is a force. You know the weight (mg) of the object. Shouldn't the thrust be at least equal to the weight?

Zz.
Sorry if this I said stupid question but I don't know. So is 1 Newton of force required to hover 1 gram?
 
ARC123 said:
Sorry if this I said stupid question but I don't know. So is 1 Newton of force required to hover 1 gram?
No, it's 9.8 Newtons per kilogram at Earth's surface.

But is this really the question you want to ask or are you really needing to figure out how to generate the thrust?
 
russ_watters said:
No, it's 9.8 Newtons per kilogram at Earth's surface.

But is this really the question you want to ask or are you really needing to figure out how to generate the thrust?
No the answer you gave me is what I was looking for I just couldn't find how much it would take to lift 1 gram. I thought it would be around .098 or something like that. But I was wondering if there was a formula so that i just plug in the mass and I get the thrust in Newtons.
 
F=ma
 
Blibbler said:
F=ma
So then to calculate something hovering would acceleration be 9.8 and mass always kilograms?
 
The thrust has to be significantly greater than the weight in order for the drone to be able to climb or to be able to slow down from a descent. The thrust needs to be well more than double (perhaps 3x or more) the weight in order to be able to power out of Vortex Ring State, a condition that occurs when descending fast enough for the air to flow upwards near the hub of each rotor. Vortex Ring State can also be recovered from by moving laterally and applying throttle if there's not enough power to climb out of it.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Wondering how much thrust a drone propeller generates
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
5K
High School How do I calculate the drop force on a cord and eye bolt?
  • · Replies 28 ·
Replies
28
Views
3K
Undergrad Energy & Power: Calculating Force & Choosing Engines
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
3K
High School What forces are required to tumble a block?
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
2K
High School Rocket Hovering Equation: A Balance of Forces
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Undergrad 1:1 versus 2:1 Mechanical Advantage debate
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
1K
Undergrad Calculating Force Applied to an Object of 100kg Moved 1m in 5s
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
Undergrad Downward force from hovering toy greater than weight?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
Undergrad [Question] Calculating the force generated by a tarp hung between two walls
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
Undergrad Force Required for Gas Struts on 1972 VW T2 Danbury Pop top campervan?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K