Eli5 why do drones have four blades and helicopters only have one?
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Drones have four blades because it is easy to design/control. You can change the pitch and motion of the craft in any direction simply by changing the speed of the individual rotors, which can be done by changing the voltage. This can be done quickly and easily by modern computer chips, and it makes for a very stable craft with low technical complexity. Essentially, these require higher technology but are much simpler, and thus are easier to build and maintain.
Helicopters, on the other hand, were developed before high speed switching with computer chips was viable, so they were built primarily around single or dual rotor designs. This design alters the pitch of the blades instead, changing how much lift they generate, and modifies their angle, allowing the helicopter to lean forward or backward to move in that direction. This requires a bunch of specialized parts, which are expensive. However, the designs are both mature and efficient, so modern helicopters have continued to use them.
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