Rubber Band Helicopters - Engineering Project for Kids

The rubber band-powered helicopter is easy to construct, and with a little practice it can be flown 20+ feet into the air!

You can find the lesson plan, 1-page project sheet, and more project ideas at STEM-Inventions.com

How It Works:
1. Energy is stored in the sport rubber by winding the propeller.
2. When flown, the rubber band rapidly releases its energy by unwinding, which turns both the propeller blade and the paper cutout.
3. The paper cutout pushes against the surrounding air, which creates horizontal air resistance, or drag. This makes it harder for the cutout to spin. Because the cutout does not spin as easily, more energy from the rubber band is released into the propeller, which is much easier to turn. In this way, the paper acts like the rear rotor of a real helicopter
4. As the propeller spins rapidly, it begins to create lift by pushing air downward. With enough energy, the helicopter will fly in whatever direction it is pointing.

Step 1: Materials

All of these materials are used in my other Instructables for kids, so your purchases can be used across multiple projects.

You can find an entire kit of materials here: Rubber Band Helicopter Kit

Or purchase tools and materials individually:

Plastic propellers(smaller pack)

Craft sticks

Paperclips

Rubber bands

Card stock

Masking tape

Scissors

When you make a purchase through these links, I may earn an affiliate commission at zero cost to you.

Step 2: Propeller

The propellers from Kelvin.com should fit snugly onto a craft stick

Step 3: Paperclip

Bending and attaching the paperclip is usually the most challenging step for young kids in grades 1-3. I usually hold the end of the paperclip (on the right side of the photo) between my thumb and forefinger. Then I show how the paperclip bends inside itself. The students need to pull that inside bend apart from the rest of the clip.

Attaching the paperclip can also be tricky. It it's not properly attached, it can be ripped off from too much tension. I try to make it simple for my students: hold the paperclip flat against the craft stick with the tip of the thumb, then tightly wrap a piece of masking tape around it.

It helps if the two ends of the paperclip are separated by the craft stick as shown in the photos, but it's not necessary.

Step 4: Paper Cutout

The paper cutout is crucial; it's what make the copter work. If it's too small, then it won't create enough lateral drag, and too much of the energy in the rubberband will be diverted to the craft stick. If the cutout is huge, it'll simply be too heavy.

I find that cutouts that are about 1.5" by 7" made from cardstock work really well. You can add flavor to this project by create templates for the students to trace, like a helicopter silhouette. For Halloween one year, I made a bat wing template and renamed the project 'Baticopters'

Attach the cutout on the opposite side of the exposed paperclip - this will help ensure that the rubberband won't rub against it.

Step 5: Attach Rubberbands

There are a few ways to attach the rubberbands, but I think the easiest is to put your fingers inside the rubberband and stretch it. The taught rubberband should easily slip into the propeller hook and paperclip.

I find that two rubberbands is the ideal number, but you can experiment.

Step 6: How to Fly

For some students, flying the helicopter is more challenging than building it. First of all, the helicopter must be wound up enough. The number of turns will be different depending upon what brand of rubberband you use. I twist the rubberband until it because completely coiled, and I keep going. You'll notice that the rubberband begins to form a second set of twists that are bulkier - it looks like tight bundles of knotted rubberband. If you fill up the whole length of the rubberband with double-twisted rubberband, then it probably has enough energy.

To fly, hold the top of the propeller and the bottom of the craft stick near the paperclip. For a stable and high-reaching flight, you must let go of the top first and then the bottom within half of a second of each other. This can be difficult for young students to coordinate, so I tell hem to verbally say "tick tock." As they say the words "tick tock," they should respectively let go of the top and bottom of the helicopter.

You can also fly the helicopter sideways following the same procedure.

Step 7: Advanced Ideas

Click on the images for specific design notes.

Step 8: Safety, Tips and Troubleshooting

• Students should pay close attention to their helicopter while winding it. If they're winding it absentmindedly, sometimes their hand will slip away from the propeller, allowing it to spin prematurely. They will naturally move their hand closer to the propeller to continue winding, and the spinning propeller may cut their hand.
• Spinning propellers can get caught in long hair.
• The number one reason helicopters fail to fly is due to simply not winding the rubberband enough.
• The second biggest reason is caused by letting go of the whole helicopter at once. Remind them to say "top-bottom" as they let go. It really helps.
• Cutouts which span less than 3" typically do not perform well.
• With a little practice, students can throw the helicopter as it is being released for additional height
• Stay far away from buildings, trees and fences!

I am always trying to improve my projects, so please let me know what you think. Thanks!

Comments

[GrahamJ12]

Hello Lance,
Great project, I have some propellers left over from another project I would like to use but they just have a central hole, can you buy the little plastic connectors to mount the prop onto the craft stick seperately. If so what are they called just to make an internet search easier.
Thanks
Graham.

[Omonu Bernard]

How you take make the propeller?

[LanceMakes]

The propellers are hard to make, I recommend buying prefabricated propellers with a metal hook and plastic craft stick mount.

[saragoj]

Hi Lance, there are many propellers on Amazon. Can you please narrow it down to the specific model #? Thanks for the great project!

[LanceMakes]

There's a link to a specific Amazon product in the Instructable :)

[Omonu Bernard]

Can it fly,how is shape

[personguy22]

thanks for giving me such a great idea for my science fair.

[puffkin007]

what size propellers did u use? which one from the catalog?

[personguy22]

just go to amazon.com and search rubber band helicopter and there will be a kit witch will be the best option.

[shiv.ch.kumar]

how can i get the material to build this...???????pls give me a reply...

[personguy22]

Go to Amazon.com and search rubber band helicopter and there should be a kit for it.

[LisaRP]

Wooow nice project! My kids will love this at maker classes! But i have a problem... here in Brazil i can't find this propeller with this cap for popsicle sticks. Could you tell me how can we do one of this. I don't know, maybe with some plastic, toothpicks and a paper clip hook. I tried one, but it failed =/

[Gandolf the green]

great instructable. you could get improved lift if you attached a second blade, that faces the opposite direction, on the bottom and ditched the paper helicopter outline. I have built many choppers out of balsa wood and that gives the greatest lift. you would probably double the flight time.

[AngelleF]

Do you have a copy of your template for the plane that you can share?

[jedininja89]

Thanks for the awesome project!

[sarahp1716]

thank you for such a well made post and video! I'm looking forward to doing this project with my maker kids!

[KISKISKIS]

AWEsome fun and so COOL! Thanks for the DIY how to! I'm a 65 year old kid that can hardly wait to show to other kids of all ages too! Will definitely look at more of your projects and will check out your book too! Much thanks!

[LanceMakes]

Good question! You can buy a cheap balsa wood plane kit on Amazon or at a toy store, and use the propeller from that. Or buy lots of propellers from Kelvin and make tons of helicopters!

[DorisC20]

Love this and bought your book for Grandpa to keep the 4 boys busy, but the only source for those popsicle stick blade parts is Kelvin and they have a $30. minimum, and the blades are $0.49. Do you know of any other sources for the propellar blades that don't have such a high minimum? I spent a lot of time searching and no luck.

[tannerw10]

this actually works but only for a few sec