AirJelly

Year

2008

The idea

The air jellyfish moves with peristaltically generated propulsion.

The objective

AirJelly is a remote-controlled flying object with a centralised electric drive and intelligent, adaptable mechanics.

Technical data

• Diameter: 135 cm
• Height: 220 cm
• Weight: 1300 g
• Drive: bell armature motor, 3 V
• Power supply: lithium-polymer batteries, 8 V, 400 mA

Drive

AirJelly is the first radio-controlled flying object to have peristaltic movements. Its buoyancy is provided by a balloon filled with 1.3 cubic metres of helium. Two powerful lithium-ion polymer batteries provide the energy required for propulsion.

Structure

The intelligent mechanics in combination with a centralised electric drive enable AirJelly to “swim” through the air. The electric drive unit transmits its power to a bevel gear and eight spur gears, which move AirJelly’s tentacles via a crank. The thrust varies in accordance with the speed of the wave-like movement. As with AquaJelly, the tentacles of this airborne jellyfish use the Fin Ray effect, so that the peristaltic pumping movement generates propulsion.

Control system

AirJelly is controlled by weight transfer. Two servomotors move a 55-centimetre-long pendulum, which shifts the jellyfish’s centre of mass in the direction of the deflection. In this way, the flying object can move freely in all three spatial dimensions.

Material

AirJelly