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Engineering & MachinesAerial Robotics

How Drones Hover

Four motors constantly correct a machine that wants to flip

A drone hangs in the air as if pinned there. What is it doing to stay put, and what happens if it stops?

You'll find out

  • Why its rotors don't all spin one way
  • What happens with no corrections
  • How often a drone checks itself

Why it matters

Every drone, from toys to the ones filming sports, stays up thanks to the same fast loop of sensing and correcting.

About 3 min6 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 244 · Zone 28

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