#SimulationFriday Glider

thingiverse

I designed this lightweight flying machine in 3DFoil software and printed it out using the .stl export feature from that program. Calculations indicated the device will level itself at 6 degrees when its center of gravity is exactly at the leading edge of the wing, and then glide for around 20 to 30 feet without being tested yet. The glider has a 4-inch wide wing span and was saved in meters rather than inches due to software constraints. Launch this device with an elastic band and head over to hanleyinnovations.com to explore the world of simulation tools. Using the 3DFoil software allowed me to design this glider easily, as you can see from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqRrQ5FSCXA. To make your own version of this flying device, it's essential that you choose very lightweight materials such as foam; otherwise plastic may not do the trick. Also remember to tweak the center of gravity with tiny weights so the entire contraption balances precisely at the wing leading edge for smooth flight performance.