Your Drone Is Cool, But It’s No Jet Fighter

There are some communities with whom our happy band of hardware hackers share a lot in common, but with whom we don’t often associate. The more workshop-orientated end of the car modification or railway modeler scenes, for instance, or the model aircraft fraternity. Many of these communities exist more for the activity than for the making, some of them dabble with building kits, but among them are a hard core of people who create amazing projects from scratch.

Take [Igor Negoda], for example. Not content with building just any model aircraft, he’s built his own from scratch, to his own design. And if designing for yourself what amounts to a scaled-down jet fighter wasn’t enough, he’s also built his own jet engine to power it. His videos are all in Russian so use YouTube’s subtitle feature if you’re not a Russian speaker, but they’re so good that if you couldn’t access the English translation you’d want to learn the language just to hear his commentary.

The video below the break shows us first a fast-taxi test using a ducted fan, then a full test flight with the jet engine. There is an explanation of the fuel system and the flight control systems, before an impressive flight from what appears to be a former Cold War-era runway. There are a few funny moments such as transporting a large model jet aircraft in a small hatchback car, but the quality of the work in a garage workshop shines through. Suddenly a multirotor doesn’t cut it any more, we want a jet aircraft like [Igor]’s!

 

 

45 thoughts on “Your Drone Is Cool, But It’s No Jet Fighter

  1. Not to disrespect the guy, since he is obviously is a skilled knowledgeable builder – but jet RC models have been around for awhile. It’s nothing out of the ordinary in the realm of high-end model builders/flyers.

    Here are some examples (using real turbine engines)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Crgk5dNY14

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7ZROhu6ASo

    Some of these guys easily have over $10k-20k invested in these rc platforms.
    It is not a cheap hobby.

          1. There is a subtle nuance of allusion that eludes the small mind, and it is that…

            If you say a particular saw is workshop-oriented, I understand you to mean it’s pointed at the workshop or lies parallel to one of it’s major axes. If you say a particular saw is workshop-orientated then I understand you to mean that it is designed for the needs of a workshop and will be suitable in capability for that use.

    1. Because that’s really the most important thing to take away from this post. You didn’t even get out of the first paragraph before you jumped down here to complain.

      What’s the address of your blog so we can check it out?

  2. “There are some communities with whom our happy band of hardware hackers share a lot in common, but with whom we don’t often associate. The more workshop-orientated end of the car modification or railway modeler scenes”
    Jenny they ARE here (and I think that you know this…), I recognize names from other places. They just dont paint a massive banner on themselves as that, but the expertise comes up in discussions.

    No comment on the jet vid yet, I confess havent watched it, the pc in the corner of the workshop cant cope with youtube and its got no speakers, though it is next to the kettle…

  3. Model flight is a fascinating hobby with more facets to investigate than you have lifetime available to experience, and it’s got lots of space for in depth hacking. The Ardupilot is one example, building your own ducted fans another or 3D printing retracts and linkages. Building a plane with spinning KFC buckets instead of wings! Quads everywhere. My only quibble with the current state of the hobby is that with many models the enthusiast has been demoted from “pilot” to merely “navigator” by the electronics, but hey, anything that gets the family out on the grass in the sun for a picnic is a good thing.

  4. “what appears to be a former Cold War-era runway”

    More like, what appears to be a poorly maintained and very very light traffic countryside road. I don’t think any military aeroplane could land on that narrow strip of thin tarmac with no concrete beneath it (judging by the deformation and crumpling of the top layer).

  5. As an aside, I read you cant rent time as a copilot in a Russion Military jet. The description by one rider mentioned runways with serious debris like 2×4’s, which didn’t bother their jets but which would play havoc w ours. I note his pleasure in having built his craft as rugged against most common incidents. As for payload, it is of interest, but with a top speed of 100mph and takeoff under 30, there is lift there for a payload. I have always wanted to do a ducted fan bird… like a large goose. Payload? More fuel, fly by tv cam, electronics and batteries.

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