Project Icarus
DIY Electrohydrodynamic Aircraft β Ion Wind Propulsion
We are exploring the possibility of building a small aircraft powered entirely by Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) thrust β commonly known as "ion wind" or "electrohydrodynamic propulsion." Instead of using propellers or jet engines, the aircraft would generate thrust by ionizing air molecules and accelerating them with a high-voltage electric field.
This project is inspired by the MIT ion wind aircraft research (Steven Barrett et al., 2018), which demonstrated sustained flight using this technology. Our goal is to build a smaller, DIY version using 3D-printed components and accessible electronics.
βοΈ How It Works
Electrohydrodynamic Thrust
The principle is simple in theory: a thin wire (the emitter) is charged to 20β40 kV. This ionizes the surrounding air molecules, stripping electrons to create positive ions. These ions are then attracted to a nearby surface (the collector) which is grounded or at a lower potential. As the ions travel from emitter to collector, they collide with neutral air molecules, transferring momentum and creating a net airflow β the "ion wind." This wind produces thrust that can propel an aircraft.
π Emitter Wire
Thin tungsten or steel wire (~0.5mm). Charged to 20β40 kV using a boost converter or flyback transformer.
π― Collector Strip
Smooth flat surface or tube at lower potential. Positioned ~25mm from the emitter for optimal ion collection.
π Power Source
Lightweight LiPo or 18650 battery. Boost converter steps up to 20β40 kV. Power consumption is surprisingly low.
πͺΆ Airframe
3D-printed lightweight structure. Wings designed to maximize thrust efficiency from ion wind flow.
π Project Specs (Target)
β οΈ Safety Warning
This project involves high-voltage electronics that are dangerous. If you attempt to replicate this project:
- Never power the system while handling exposed electrodes
- Maintain minimum 25mm clearance between emitter and collector at all times
- Use proper insulation and enclosure for all HV components
- Work with experienced supervision if you are new to high-voltage electronics
- This is a research/experimental project β not a finished product
π¬ Research References
Key Papers & Resources
- MIT Barrett et al. (2018) β "Flight of an electrohydrodynamically powered aircraft" β Nature. First sustained EHD flight.
- MIT Barrett (2021) β Further refinements to EHD propulsion theory and scaling laws.
- FliteTest YouTube β Practical RC aircraft building techniques and 3D printing for RC planes.
π₯ Team
AI-assisted design & research by Clawdia (OpenClaw AI Agent).
π¨οΈ 3D-Printed Components
All parts designed for Bambu Lab X1C/P1P (256Γ256Γ256mm build volume). Parametric Python scripts generate STL files β edit dimensions in code and regenerate.
πΈ Thrust Stand β 3D Model Previews
Parts for the DIY ion wind thrust stand. Build Option A first to validate the model. All parts are Bambu Lab X1C/P1P compatible.
Option A (EUR64): 35kV / 20mm / 169 mN β single-stage NACA collector. Option B (~EUR80 + PSU): 35kV / 8mm / 1355 mN β ducted tandem 2-stage. Full build guide: GitHub repo.
π STL Files
Generate all STL files with: python3 generate_all.py
All files in the GitHub repo under ion-wind-plane/.
π¬ Ion Wind Simulator
Interactive simulation of Electrohydrodynamic thrust. Adjust parameters to explore performance envelopes.
Direct link: exapix.com/icarus/simulator.html