How to Make Hovercraft at Home

Introduction

Hovercraft is a type of vehicle which hovers above the surface and moves ahead without any external need of wheels or so. There are two motors attached to it. One generates lift and the other is for thrust. It includes a bag called skirt which produces air pressure inside the bag and thereby generates the cushion.

Description of my hovercraft

I have made a small hovercraft for the trial purpose in which I have used a garbage bag for skirt. This worked perfectly and fulfilled my need and gave a lot of idea.

The materials I used for the fabrication of Hovercraft are as follows: -

Thermocol - for hull (base) (60 x 40 cm) (3 pieces)

Garbage bag - 1 - for skirt

Servo motors - 2

Propellers - 2

Battery - 1

Procedure: -

Take three sheets of thermocol (with given dimensions)

From center (in width) mark 23 - take rounder and mark 10cm radius.

Make a circle and cut it. (all three sheets)

Now combine 2 sheets

Take garbage bag and take dimension on it.

Keep 5 cm for sticking on the base, approx. 17cm you keep extra from all side after the dimension of the thermocol sheet. Cut it and paste it.

Now, take a servo motor (we took it out from servo), fix it on a stick (mount) for lift, attach suitable propeller. Connect it with battery for trial - You will get the lift.

Next step is to make thrust mount.

Take corrugated sheet and make triangular support on the back. We use balsa. Fix motor there, attach suitable propeller.

Attach both the motors with a battery and you craft is ready to operate.

You will need receiver and transmitter if you want to control the speed of the motors, along with 2 ESCs. But for this small model, I don't recommend that.