I’ve at all times had a pile of spare motors and ESCs sitting round, and for the longest time, I toyed with the concept of constructing a handheld fan. It simply appeared like a no brainer mission—easy, enjoyable, and useful. However the considered 3D designing a correct housing at all times held me again. Apparently, DarwinFPV had the identical thought—they usually beat me to it. Enter the DarwinFPV Turbo Fan, a purpose-built, ready-to-use answer that faucets into the identical elements we use in FPV drones. However is it only a gimmick, or is it genuinely helpful? Let’s dive in.
The place to Purchase
You possibly can decide up the DarwinFPV Turbo Fan at:
A number of shade choices can be found, and it may be bundled with a 6S 1300mAh LiPo battery.
What Is the DarwinFPV Turbo Fan?
In essence, this can be a ducted fan constructed utilizing a brushless motor and propeller inside a 3D-printed housing. It’s powered straight by an ordinary FPV drone LiPo battery (4S or 6S). DarwinFPV claims it may possibly push as much as 1.3kg of thrust, pulling as much as 1000W of energy—and from my expertise, that quantity appears plausible.
Specs
- Product Identify: DARWIN X5 50mm Turbo JET Highly effective Violent Fan
- Working Voltage: 4–6S
- Working Present: 80A
- Most Present: 120A
- Most Wind Stress: 1300g
- Most Velocity: 77,000 rpm
- Noise Degree (at most pace): 114 dB
- Motor (Moor): 2627–3700KV
- Propeller: D50-12 (50mm diameter 12-blade)
- Battery Life (with a 6S 5000mAh Battery):
- 8 minutes at most air quantity
- 60 minutes at minimal air quantity
- Really helpful Battery: 6S 1300–8000mAh (XT60)
- Dimensions: 72 × 97 × 200 mm
- Weight: 217.8 g
Design & Construct
The fan is de facto easy—only a motor, prop, ESC, and a 3D-printed ergonomic housing.
Plug in a battery into the XT60 connector, and it powers on mechanically (there’s no on/off change). You’ll hear the acquainted ESC initialization beeps similar to plugging in an FPV drone.
You possibly can safe the battery with a strap utilizing the supplied slots. The ESC is rated for 80A steady and 120A burst, which provides a beneficiant security margin.
A variable-speed set off allows you to management the fan’s output—the extra you squeeze, the quicker it spins.
It additionally options an LED ring across the nozzle, which will get brighter as you improve throttle.
The nozzle itself is vast, much like a hair dryer. So as an alternative of focusing airflow like an air compressor, it capabilities extra like a miniature leaf blower—broad and forceful.
Whereas the worth may elevate eyebrows, it’s clear DarwinFPV put plenty of effort into the design and execution. Positive, you might cobble collectively one thing related if you have already got the elements, however for most individuals, shopping for a well-designed, totally useful unit off the shelf is the higher use of money and time.
Efficiency Testing
As soon as powered by a 4S or 6S LiPo, the fan attracts round 0.02–0.03A of present (even when the motor isn’t spinning), so it’s important to unplug the battery after use to keep away from over-discharging.
When testing the fan, it maxes out my 200W bench energy provide at solely half throttle—drawing nearly 8A at 25.2V, so I’m sure the fan is far more highly effective than that. Based on DarwinFPV, the fan can pull as much as 40A at 6S (1000W), which is properly inside the ESC’s limits by the best way (at 80A). Nevertheless, you’ll want a strong battery—at the least a 30C for a 6S 1300mAh pack—to unlock its full potential.
Airflow is spectacular: the fan was capable of transfer the curtains and leaves on the plant from over 5 meters (15 ft) away. That’s critical thrust in a compact type issue.
Potential Purposes
So what can you employ this fan for? Surprisingly, rather a lot:
- Utilizing it similar to a leaf blower – blow issues off any floor, like leaves off your driveway, or water/snow off your automobile windshield.
- BBQing– it’s implausible for getting coals going shortly
- PC cleansing – way more highly effective than canned air, although it lacks a targeted nozzle for exact utility
- For FPV pilots, you should use it for clearing any particles off the bottom earlier than takeoff.
Instructed Enhancements
The DarwinFPV Turbo Fan is a reasonably intelligent thought, however there’s room to make it even higher:
- Velocity Ranges: Can be good to have buttons for choosing fixed pace ranges, particularly for bench use (e.g., as a desktop fan in the summertime, or cooling part throughout testing).
- Adjustable Tilt & Stand: Add a tiltable stand for hands-free operation.
- Battery Voltage Show: A easy voltage readout would assist stop over-discharge.
- Energy Swap: An on/off button is a should for security and battery administration.
- Interchangeable Nozzles: A narrower, detachable nozzle would enable for precision airflow—ideally suited for cleansing electronics.
Remaining Ideas
The DarwinFPV Turbo Fan is an attention-grabbing gadget. It’s a bit expensive for what it’s, however for individuals who want a robust fan for no matter motive, now you can purchase it off the shelf. Whether or not you’re cleansing your PC, blowing mud off your workbench, or simply on the lookout for an excuse to repurpose your drone batteries, this fan delivers highly effective efficiency in a smooth, moveable package deal.
