Yann's Model Airplanes Pictures on this site are provided in JPEG and DjVu. The DjVu versions load much faster, look nicer, and are zoomable, but you need the DjVu plug-in to view them. Here are several airplanes that I, my brother, my dad and my kids designed and built. We like ultra-light, electric-powered, radio-controled airplanes with unusual designs. I encourage you to check out my blog about miniature flying contraptions, robotics, electronics, and other techno-toys. The raw picture and movie collections around which these pages are built (which includes airplanes, legos, and other techno-toys) is available here. Visit the E-Flight Links Page, with links to on-line stores, manufacturers and various interesting sites about electric flight and R/C micro-flight.

Personnal Micro Air Vehicle (PMAV)

PMAV: a new concept in R/C electric airplane. build it from scratch in less than an hour. fly it in your backyard, no prior experience required. take off vertically, hover. assemble everything with tape, no glue required! wingspan: 320mm, mass: less than 100 grams.

Jump to the PMAV PAGES, and see more pictures, videos, plans, and detailed building instructions.

Engine Sound Synthesizer for Electric Airplanes

Back in 2006, we experimented with a home-made engine sound synthesizer for electric R/C airplanes. The main innovation is that the pitch of the sound is proportional to the speed of the propeller, measured by an optical sensor. The page includes pictures and videos.

Mirage 2000 EDF

A nice-looking, easy to build Dassault Mirage 2000 model, powered by an electric ducted fan. Wingspan: 66cm; Mass: 490 grams with battery; Motor: GWS EDF-65 ducted fans with Feigao 10A motor; Battery: 3-cell 1800mAh Apache LiPo battery; Construction: Depron, carbon tube, yellow foam (nose). MORE INFO, PICTURES, VIDEOS >>>.

Naboo Royal Cruiser

Kevin LeCun together with his dad Yann and his uncle Bertrand built this semi-accurate flying model of Senator Amidala's Naboo Cruiser from Episode II of Star Wars (Attack of the Clones). This model looks really cool in the air, and flies wonderfully. Wingspan: 128cm; Mass: 515 grams with battery; Motor: two GWS EDF-55 ducted fans; Battery: 3-cell 1300mAh I-RATE LiPo battery; Construction: Depron and carbon tubes. MORE INFO, PICTURES, VIDEOS >>>.

A.D.V.E.R.S.E. : Vertical Takeoff Airplane

The ADVERSE is a vertical takeoff electric airplane.

ADVERSE stands for Avion a Décollage Vertical et Retour au Sol Erratique (Aircraft with Vertical Takeoff and Erratic Return to the Ground).

ADVERSE is 290 grams, 50cm wingspan Depron/Carbon flying saucer powered by an Astro 010 brushless motor with a 4.16 gearbox, a 12x8 GWS prop, and an 8x700mAh NiMH battery. ADVERSE can take off vertically and fly around in a small backyard. ADVERSE v2.0 has a steerable motor (coupled with elevator control) and can turn on a dime.
Vertical landing is possible, but so far has only been achieved once (yes, once!). MORE INFO, PICTURES, VIDEOS >>>.

Flying PacMans and Other Drenalyns

Many years ago, my brother and I built a Speed-400 powered "Flying PacMan". It was essentially a piece of 3mm Depron shaped like those nasty ghosts in the PacMan video game. The sheet was glued on a foam fuselage.

Many people have had similar ideas over the years. One of the most popular designs has come to be known as the "Drenalyn", popularized by the Aero Modelist Club Creusotin, in Le Creusot, France (blueprint of Philippe Jambon's Drenalyn V3D is available in PDF (24KB) and in DjVu (11KB)

My dad and I built several more flying PacMans and Drenalyns since then.
VISIT OUR DRENALYN/FLYING PACMAN PAGE >>>.

Drenalyn 504: wingspan 504mm (3mm depron); motor 010 Astro brushless motor with Astro gearbox 3.27:1 and 10x4.7 GWS prop; battery 8x700mAh NiMH; mass: 290g. This thing has a larger-than-1 thrust to weight ratio. In other words, it can climb vertically, and can even hover hanging by its prop in a semi-controlable fashion if you are a skilled pilot! This is probably the most fun to fly planes I have ever built. MORE INFO, PICTURES, MOVIES >>>.

NanoSaucer 360: wingspan 360mm (3mm Depron sheet); motor GWS 7.2v motor from a Tiger Moth kit, 9x7 APC Electric prop; mass 115 grams; battery: 2-cell 560mAh Kokam LiPo battery; Quickly built, plenty of power for steep climbs, perfect slow flight for indoor fun. MORE INFO AND PICTURES >>>.

Drenalyn 360: wingspan 360mm (bent carbon rod + litespan covering); motor Astro Firefly 16:1 gear with a 10x8 GWS prop; mass without battery: 80g; battery: 7x70 to 8x300 NiMh; total mass with 8x300 NiMh: 145g. Very light and slow flying. Ideal for indoor. MORE INFO AND PICTURES >>>.

Flying PacMan: a mini Drenalyn shaped like the nasty ghosts in the game PacMan. Motorization, version 1.0: Speed-280 with 4:1 JH Gearbox and 3-blade prop; battery: anything between 7 cell 300mAh and 8 cell 700mAh. Motorization, version 2.0: Nippy 280 outrunner/LRK brushless motor with GWS 9047 orange prop; battery: 8 cell 700mAh. MORE INFO, PICTURES, MOVIES >>>.

X-15

This is an "Electric Rocket": a electric ducted fan plane that can take off vertically. It is powered by a GWS EDF-64 electric ducted fan, where the lowly speed 300 has been replaced by a Feigao brushless motor. It takes-off quite well, but the flight more balistic than controlled. So it lands with a parachute. MORE DETAILS, PICTURES >>>

NanoMate Biplane

NanoMate is a tiny "Ultimate" biplane for indoor aerobatics. This plane is incredibly fun to fly (vertical climbs, torque rolls and all). It was originally powered by a over-volted GWS LPS motor, but it is now powered with a much more powerful MicRotex outrunner brushless motor. It's a rocket! Wingspan: 42cm; Motor: MicRotex outrunner brushless Prop: 8043 GWS prop; Battery: 2-cell 340mAh Kokam LiPo; Mass: 150 grams; Radio: GWS receiver with 3 Cirrus 4.4g servos. MORE DETAILS, PICTURES >>>

Horreur 4 Funfly

This is a quickly built, indestructible Depron/Carbon FunFly plane with a pusher configuration (so the motor cannot be damaged in a crash). Wingspan: 80cm; Mass 330 grams; Motor: Mini-AC 1215/16 brushless with GWS 4.5:1 gearbox; prop: GWS 1080; battery: I-RATE 3-cell 1300mAh LiPo. (this replaced the APC Electric 9x6 prop and the 8-cell 700mAh NiMH battery). MORE DETAILS, PICTURES >>>

Wraith (from the game StarCraft)

This TurboWraith design was inspired by the "Wraith" figthers from the computer game "StarCraft". It is powered by a GWS EDF-50 electric ducted fan. The wingspan is 710mm. MORE DETAILS, PICTURES, VIDEOS >>>

What is Depron?

I build many of my airplanes with a wonderful material called "Depron". Depron is a kind of extruded polystyrene sold in large sheets (80x120cm in 3mm or 6mm thickness). It is sold in hardware stores as a thermal insulation material in some European countries (France in particular). After years of being left in the cold, US Modelers can now obtain Depron or substitutes (notably one call Zepron) from Air Dynamics) and Depron USA.

The coolest thing about Depron/Zepron is that you can think of a new airplane design in the morning and fly it in the afternoon.

More details on Depron and Zepron >>>
Building a wing out of Zepron in 10 minutes flat >>>

Battery/Motor Data

I find it difficult to design airplanes without hard data for various motor/gearbox/propeller/battery combinations. Performance prediction software like MotoCalc are very useful tools, but nothing replaces real measurements.

• Here is a page with data on various batteries (energy/gram and other data).
• Here is a page with some data on motors, props and gearboxes (static thrust, current...).