Tyto Robotics knows that, as 3D printing technology advances, researchers are investigating whether UAV rotors produced through additive manufacturing can match the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of commercially available plastic propellers.
A testing project funded by the Nederlands Lucht-en Ruimtevaartcentrum (NLR) Living Lab set out to explore this question. Find out more >>
Experimental Setup
The study utilized a Series 1585 thrust stand to characterize key performance parameters, including thrust, torque, RPM, power, and efficiency. A commercially available plastic propeller served as the reference, undergoing 3D scanning and replication using PLA material and an FDM 3D printer.
Initial attempts at fiber-reinforced printing introduced manufacturing challenges — thicker print lines resulted in poor-quality trailing edges, negatively affecting both aerodynamic performance and noise characteristics.
Surface Roughness and Performance
Before refining the surface finish of the 3D-printed propeller, researchers conducted a basic performance test without measuring acoustics. The results indicated that surface roughness significantly influenced thrust, a finding consistent with expectations for low-Reynolds-number blades.
Following this, the 3D-printed propeller underwent surface smoothing before both the printed and commercial rotors were tested in NLR’s Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel, housed in an anechoic chamber.
Aerodynamic and Acoustic Comparison
Results demonstrated that the 3D-printed and commercial propellers exhibited comparable aerodynamic and aero-acoustic performance. These findings suggest that 3D-printed propellers could serve as a valuable tool for validating and experimenting with advanced rotor blade designs, particularly in efforts to minimize noise in small UAVs.
Read the original article, contact primary researcher Karel Lammers, or visit the Tyto Robotics website.
