THRUST TEST STAND

A custom solution for characterizing the thrust curves of the cheap motors I buy for my various aviation projects.

PROJECT FEATURES

Microelectronics
Python & Matplotlib
C++

THRUST TEST STAND

A custom solution for characterizing the thrust curves of the cheap motors I buy for my various aviation projects.

PROJECT FEATURES

Microelectronics
Python & Matplotlib
C++
No data?
No problem.
To cut costs on my various aviation projects, I often resort to buying the cheapest possible brushless motors and EDFs from sketchy international wholesalers. While this is a very effective cost saving measure, it often means that the motors do not come with reliable datasheets. Without knowing certain data about the motor, such as peak thrust and peak efficiency, airframe design becomes all but impossible; the obvious solution was to get the data myself.

DESIGN GOALS

01 
COMPACT
Easy to store in my dorm room
02 
ACCURATE
Results are close to manufacturer specification where available
03 
PRECISE
Low variability between tests

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

A cube of T-slotted aluminum framing provides a study base that is easy to clamp or bolt down, and 3D printed mounts allow the same setup to test all kinds of power units, including EDFs, brushless motors, and rocket engines.

ELECTRONICS

A 5kg load cell and amplifier provide thrust data, and the high refresh rate provided by the Teensy 4.0 allows for high measurement resolution. The Teensy also runs the ESC, allowing performance to be measured over custom test profiles or durations.

DATA

The associated data can either be viewed natively in the Arduino IDE's plotter or exported to a CSV file for more advanced analysis in Excel or Python.

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