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Abdulghani Mohamed, Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering, RMIT University

What is a 'toroidal propeller' and could it change the future of drones? An expert explains

Glen Cooper/MIT

The basic configuration of traditional propellers has not fundamentally changed since the first powered flight by the Wright brothers in 1903.

However, as engineers learn more about aerodynamics and attempt new experiments, propellers are evolving to more complex shapes. These feature multiple blades, high sweep angles, blade tip devices and other features to optimise performance in different conditions.

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