Originally Posted by
ChrisJ800
I think I counted 18 motors/props, some seemed contra rotating so I guess half of them contra rotate. Wonder how it flies if one prop or motor fails? I think some 8 rotor drones can fly with one failure.
There's a ring of 12 round the outside and an inner ring of 6.
Most likely configuration is that the motors spin -L-R-L- as you go round each ring which gives 9 motors in each spin direction and motor pairs on opposing sides of the ring have the same spin, giving an approximately balanced lift to the centre of gravity.
Yaw is achieved by providing more power to the motors spinning in the opposite direction to the desired yaw and reducing the power to the others so that lift is maintained but there is an unbalanced rotational torque.
If a motor fails the simplest algorithm to maintain control would be to spin down the opposite motor to maintain lateral stability and increase the torque on the 7 remaining motors spinning in their direction to maintain lift and yaw stability. A cleverer algorithm would probably be able to generate lift from all 17 remaining motors. You could help by asking any passengers to move the side of the cabin away from the failed motor
.