This video from Tyto Robotics, a developer of high-precision testing solutions for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), features an experiment comparing single-blade and two-blade propeller performance in terms of thrust, RPM, and efficiency.
The team modified a 16-inch Mejzlik two-blade propeller into a single-blade propeller with a drilled counterweight, then balanced it using both static and dynamic methods with the Flight Stand 15 built-in balancer.
Both propellers were tested across multiple throttle steps using the Flight Stand software to collect performance data, including RPM, thrust, and mechanical power. Efficiency was calculated in grams of thrust per watt and analyzed as a function of both RPM and thrust. The results showed that the single-blade propeller is more efficient at lower thrust levels, while the two-blade propeller exhibits higher efficiency at higher thrust.
The video also discusses factors that may have influenced the results, such as propeller shape, counterweight placement, test stand configuration, and motor sizing.
This experiment provides a step-by-step demonstration of how single- and two-blade propellers perform under controlled test conditions, based entirely on measured data, and offers detailed insights for UAV propulsion testing.
