Quadcopter frame design: is square or tube better to reduce vibration? Aluminum or carbon fiber?

I would say that the frame type, prop balancing, and fc mounting type is more important to vibration control than the material type.

H frame has no direct path from motor to FC, so it's reduced compared to an X frame, also the diameter of the arm and the cross sectional area play a pretty big factor. Carbon fiber and alunium are both hollow which concentrates vibrations, but reduces the capability of low frequency waves to travel 3 dimensionally through the arm. This is good because it will reduce total deflection angle, but increase the cycle of vibrations and reduce the chance of amplifying sympathetic frequencies. So larger pancake motors will cause little vibration on hollow arms.

Wood has a lower density and lower density means lower frequency waves will propagate through it easier, vice versa for the aluminum. Carbon fiber however, will really vary on stiffness and thickness, because it's a inhomogeneous material and might have specific frequencies through out the bandwidth that can propagate, depending arm length that can completely dampen vibration, but given the law of conservation energy, might weaken the arm over time by internally breaking the carbon stands like worn out jeans.

As for strength, of course carbon fiber has the highest strength per gram, but once it's hit it's limit it breaks. Aluminum can be be bashed with almost the same force with the same cross sectional area, but it might yield a small amount which might not be as devastating. Wood really depends on the tree for definite test strength, but there are general tables on the web about balsa and bass wood. I prefer a plywood base, as it is much stiffer and has no singular grain to transmit vibrations on or week lines on it. It's a bit heavier, but you can get away with using less.

Mixing wood and aluminum, like wood base with Al tube arms will give you more vibration dampening, as it will act as vibration gate. High frequency from the motor is passed to the arms, then transferred into the base which will dissipate quickly through the wood.

Moongel under a flight controller with eliminate a ton of vibration unto itself, but mounting it can be tricky, I use some 1/" dia bungy cord across the top to compress the board on moongel. this will increase the normal force, and the coefficient of friction of moongel is pretty high, so very little slipping, unless there's a big crash.

A square tube will give you more angles that will strengthen any sheet material and it limits the vibration deflections into 2 axis motion, as where a round tube can deflect in any direciton an create an oval ocilation at the motor end. Also, square tube will weigh slightly more because of increase in cross sectional area vs. a round tube of the same diameter.

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Ben May 11, 2014 at 9:41pm

I would say that the frame type, prop balancing, and fc mounting type is more important to vibration control than the material type.

H frame has no direct path from motor to FC, so it's reduced compared to an X frame, also the diameter of the arm and the cross sectional area play a pretty big factor. Carbon fiber and alunium are both hollow which concentrates vibrations, but reduces the capability of low frequency waves to travel 3 dimensionally through the arm. This is good because it will reduce total deflection angle, but increase the cycle of vibrations and reduce the chance of amplifying sympathetic frequencies. So larger pancake motors will cause little vibration on hollow arms.

Wood has a lower density and lower density means lower frequency waves will propagate through it easier, vice versa for the aluminum. Carbon fiber however, will really vary on stiffness and thickness, because it's a inhomogeneous material and might have specific frequencies through out the bandwidth that can propagate, depending arm length that can completely dampen vibration, but given the law of conservation energy, might weaken the arm over time by internally breaking the carbon stands like worn out jeans.

As for strength, of course carbon fiber has the highest strength per gram, but once it's hit it's limit it breaks. Aluminum can be be bashed with almost the same force with the same cross sectional area, but it might yield a small amount which might not be as devastating. Wood really depends on the tree for definite test strength, but there are general tables on the web about balsa and bass wood. I prefer a plywood base, as it is much stiffer and has no singular grain to transmit vibrations on or week lines on it. It's a bit heavier, but you can get away with using less.

Mixing wood and aluminum, like wood base with Al tube arms will give you more vibration dampening, as it will act as vibration gate. High frequency from the motor is passed to the arms, then transferred into the base which will dissipate quickly through the wood.

Moongel under a flight controller with eliminate a ton of vibration unto itself, but mounting it can be tricky, I use some 1/" dia bungy cord across the top to compress the board on moongel. this will increase the normal force, and the coefficient of friction of moongel is pretty high, so very little slipping, unless there's a big crash.

A square tube will give you more angles that will strengthen any sheet material and it limits the vibration deflections into 2 axis motion, as where a round tube can deflect in any direciton an create an oval ocilation at the motor end. Also, square tube will weigh slightly more because of increase in cross sectional area vs. a round tube of the same diameter.
- Robert > Ben May 28, 2014 at 4:06pm
  
  How about pvc (sprinkler pipe).
  
  I have used it on a T-copter and a V-tail copter. I use 1/2" for the arms and 3/4" for the tail. Lexan for the platform.
  
  I also slide a styrofoam noddle over the arms for flotation.
Tom in NOVA December 31, 2012 at 2:27pm

Could some one with some practical experience chime in? A simple word will do:

LESS Vibration = square arms or round tube? aluminum or carbon fiber?

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Quadcopter frame design: is square or tube better to reduce vibration? Aluminum or carbon fiber?

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