Khaberni - Drone technologies with quadcopters have rapidly evolved in recent years, featuring size reduction and improvements in stability and responsiveness. However, most innovations have not exceeded the usual miniaturization limits until the experiment of "Harder Sam," a YouTube channel owner who succeeded in designing the world's smallest FPV drone, with an astonishing size of just 22 mm from axis to axis.
This extremely small drone, which easily fits inside a Pringles can, weighs only 25 grams including the battery and camera, and is capable of flying with stability and agility comparable to its larger counterparts.
This innovation is the result of meticulous redesigning of every motor, wire, and circuit, drawing inspiration from the "Bony Plane" frame that places two overlapping fans on each end, reducing the size without compromising on stability or thrust power, according to "Interesting Engineering."
Sam faced significant challenges, from adjusting flight stability using the Betaflight Configurator to conducting precise soldering operations under magnification and removing excess material to enhance performance. Despite its small size, the drone was able to perform sharp turns and maintain precise responsiveness to the controller, with an average flying time of two and a half minutes, only slightly less than larger drones.
The biggest challenge in this small drone is the launching and landing process, due to exposed propellers and lack of protective guards, requiring high precision from the user.
While Sam's innovation doesn't radically change the rules of drone design, it demonstrates that patience and precision can overcome size limitations, and that ultra-miniature drones can deliver exceptional performance, even at a size no larger than 22 mm.
