Electric Football

thingiverse

This electric ducted fan-powered football design requires a 70mm left-handed fan, an EDF motor no larger than 28mm OD, a shaft adapter for attaching the fan onto the motor, a 40-80 Amp speed controller, lipo batteries (e.g., two 1000 mAh 3S batteries in series), a PWM control signal (a servo tester is used here but a microcontroller/accelerometer combo would be better for detecting throws and catches), and methods to secure the components inside the shell (bubble wrap and tape were employed). Total weight must not exceed 25 oz. Proceed with caution as this device consumes large power and has fast-spinning parts; it's not a toy, so build and use at your own risk. Safety glasses and protective gear are advised due to crash survivability being untested and catching recommended only with a fishing net at the end of a 10-foot pole. A bench test video is available at http://youtu.be/sk74hzTnlg4. Assemble by gluing the football tip onto the inlet using acetone, snugly fitting the EDF unit into the inlet part, attaching this to the exhaust part (using tape or velcro pads for grip), and potentially bolting together using internal ribs and drilling small holes for bolt access. Balance weight distribution by making it nose-heavy for stability.