Subscribe To This Site
XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines

Home
Blog It
 Heli Pads
Visit Our E-Store
Deals & Discounts
 Clubs by State
Learning to Fly
Calculators
 Engines
Airplanes
Park Flyers
Electric Flight
 Soaring
Combat
Pylon
Control - Line
Giant Scale
Warbirds
Multi - Engine
Airplane Plans
 Jets
Helicopters
Cars & Trucks
Boats
Unique RC
Rockets
Robots
AMA
ROAR
Field Equip.
Track
Dock
 Batteries
Adhesives
 Hardware
Airplane Pics
 Videos
 Reviews
Turbine Jet Pics
Videos
 Reviews
Car & Truck Pics
 Videos
 Reviews
Helicopter Pics
 Videos
 Reviews
Boat & Ship Pics
 Videos
 Reviews
Rocket Pics
 Videos
Robot Pics
 Videos
3:16 Donations
Link Exchange
Build A Site
Asteroids
Pac Man
Contact Us
SBI-TV
Links

SERVO TORQUE





Electric Flight in Colorado - Calcs


Servo Torque Calculator


Calculate Required Servo Torque

MeasurementImperial unitsMetric units
Max Speed mph kph
Control Surface Chord (front to back) inches mm
Control Surface Length inches mm
Control Surface Max Deflection (from center) degrees
Servo Max Deflection (from center) degrees
Servo Torque required oz-in Ncm
Control Deflection at max torque degrees

(NOTE: Graphing does not work with Internet Explorer)


Formula used

The maximum torque requirement does not always occur at full deflection. This calculator determinesthe torque at every control position, from 1 degree to the max. deflection specified.

The result is the max torque found, and the position of the control surface when the max torque was reached.

The formula used to calculate the torque is as follows :

Torque(oz-in) = 8.5E-6 * ( C2 V2 L sin(S1) tan(S1) / tan(S2)]

    Where:
  • C = Control surface chord in cm
  • L = Control surface length in cm
  • V = Speed in MPH
  • S1 = Max control surface deflection in degrees
  • S2 = Max servo deflection in degrees

This servo torque formula was taken from Craig Tenney. His website features excel spreadsheets to dodetailed analysis of servo torque, and control linkage calculations. You can reach his website at http://web.egr.msu.edu/~tenneycr/.You can also find a very detailed page there that shows the derivation of this model.

Reducing the servo deflection from the default 60 degrees is similar to using ATV / Dual Rates to reduce the controlthrows. If you vary the servo deflection from the normal 60 degrees, you will see that using "Dual rates / ATV" toset the proper control surface deflection greatly increases the load on the servo.

Note that the numbers do not always match those generated by another servo calculator on the web, at www.multiplex-rc.com/calcservo.htm.That calculator uses different methods, and the formulas and derivations were not available to me at the time this was created. The Multiplex calculatorfactors in wing area, but does not include servo deflection.

Note the following assumptions:

  1. The angle of incidence of the wing, stab, or fuse is zero (relative to the airflow).
  2. Angular velocity and acceleration of the aircraft is zero.
  3. Air flow may be modelled using Bernoulli's equation for dynamic pressure.
  4. Conditions are: sea level, zero humidity, moderate (~55 F) temperature.
  5. Control linkages have zero offset at hingeline and are perpendicular to horns at neutral.
  6. Control mechanisms are frictionless and surfaces are mass-balanced.
  7. The wing, stab, fuse, and control surfaces are thin, flat slabs.
  8. No aerodynamic counterbalances are used. (Account for these manually, if desired.)
  9. The pushrods are significantly longer than the servo and control horns.

Please note:

  • The calculations are completely theoretical. No empirical "tweaking" has been done.
  • The assumptions (except #6) should generally yield conservative (high) predicted torques.

  • Extreme control throws are probably not practical at high speeds.
  • This model is best used for comparisons. No guarantees are made of its validity.
  • Maximum required servo torque may occur at LESS than maximum throw.




footer for servo torque page