Abstract
Hovercraft as the name
suggests, is a structure that
hovers on various surface such
as water, land, swamps etc. It
floats over a cushion of air
formed between the hover and
the surface. The cushion is
generated with the help of a lift
system which is an integral part
of the whole structure.
Our hover design consist of a
pair of wings which aids the
hovercraft to take short flights
after attaining threshold
velocity. The hovercraft can fly
four feet above the ground
neglecting all the obstructions.
Through this project, we have tried to
provide the hovercraft with small flights,
which it will attain after gaining a threshold
velocity. Operating in fresh or saltwater and
up to 30% inclines over sand, mud, grass,
swamp, desert, ice, and snow, its wings and
horizontal elevator enable pilots to simply
hop over water- or land-based obstacles up
to 20 inches high unsurmountable to a
typical hovercraft.
In order to do so, we had to make certain
changes in the conventional designs. Apart
from being light,the hover has to be
aerodynamically efficient in order to fly.
Various simulations on the design have
been done on the design to attain minimum
air-drag.
Introduction
A hovercraft is an air-cushioned vehicle that is, it does not require wheels like other
automobiles, and hence surface friction is not a factor for a hovercraft.

A hovercraft can go over land as well as water without any difficulty and is majorly
used in marshy areas for patrolling and defense applications. A hovercraft is also
used for tourism. A hovercraft works on the principle of propulsion and is futuristic
vehicle and can be used in many defense and miscellaneous applications.

The hovercraft moves on a cushion often called skirt which is formed by a flexible air-
filled material.

The craft consists of mainly 3 functional components:

The Thrust system is used The Lift system is The Direction system
to push the hovercraft in the concerned with is required to decide
forward or backward direction. producing and which way the craft
It also consists of a fan which maintaining the air moves. It is placed
can be rotated clockwise as cushion. It consists behind the thrust
well as anticlockwise. of a lift propeller, air system and is
chamber, and a controlled using
flexible skirt. numerous methods.
Towards the beginning...

Until the early 20th century Hovercraft as we know them

Hovercraft was not practically
possible, because only the
internal combustion engine had
the very high power to weight
ratio suitable for Hover flight.
today started life as an
experimental design to reduce
the drag that was placed on
boats and ships as they
ploughed through water.

The idea of supporting the vehicle on a cushion of air developed from the idea to
increase the speed of boat by feeding air beneath them. The air beneath the hull
would lubricate the surface and reduce the water drag on boat and so increasing
its speed through water.
ADVANTAGES OF HOVERCRAFT
Travel over any surface.

Shortcutting routes.

Travel rivers up as fast as down, irrespective of the current.

Travel in dry water-beds.

No collision with debris, logs etc.

Hovercraft are very fuel efficient (CO friendly) as Hovercraft do not have to plough through the
water but "fly" above the surface.

At maximum speed fuel consumption of a Hovercraft is approx. 70% less than of a fast patrol
boat with similar payload capacity.

No turbulence or impact in water as no propeller churns up the water so sea life remains
untouched
Construction & Working Principle

To lift the craft by The air sucked in through

a port by large lifting fans They are powered by
cushion of air to
propel it using which are fitted to the gas turbine or diesel
propellers. primary structure of the engine
craft.

So a constant At the point when the Fan is used to

feed of air is pressure equals the weight inflate the skirt and
needed to lift the of the craft, the craft lifts rest is ducted
craft and up and air is down under the
compensate for escaped around the edges craft to fill area
the losses. of the skirt. enclosed by the
skirt

The other fan forces air from the
back and pushes the craft
forward
The air from the propellers are passed over
rudders, which are used to steer the craft
similar to an aircraft. Hovercraft is thus
propelled and controlled and its powerful
engine makes it to fly.
Construction & Working Principle
Parts List
A hover craft consist of these parts

Body
Engine
Skirt
Thrust Propellor
Skirt
Air Box
Hull
Engine
Rudder
BODY

The body consist of cabin for the

driver and also hosting the
engine and the gearbox.
Everything is placed inside the
body to give an aerodynamic
shape.

Drivers Cabin
Has a control deck.

Air Box
Prevents air from
Placed right above the
escaping the fan
fan
 Hull

Hull is the body frame The hovercraft hull is a solid It is the part in which a
of the hovercraft on structure which forms the cavity is made in order to
which the base of the hovercraft which install the lift propeller and
components and sub- supports the lift and thrust create air pressure beneath
body rests. systems and also the driver. the craft.
Hull Fabrication
The hull is made of wood
and is handcrafted in an
aerodynamic shape to
provide least air drag.
The engine and gearbox
mounts are made up of
AISI1020 in order to
provide rigidity and reduce
vibrations.
The hull or main chassis
is purely made up of
timber and ply.
For amateur hovercraft
builders, plywood is the
material of choice. Plywood is
affordable and easy to use.
Plywood has a better strength
to weight than steel and is
much lighter than most
fiberglass hovercraft. When
encapsulated with epoxy resin,
plywood is as durable and as
low in maintenance as any
other material. Plywood
hovercraft can be built with
basic hand and wood working
tools.
The duct for the thrust
fan is made of fibre
glass due to its light
weight property.
The joining of the
plywood is a stitch
and glue method.
Panels are cut to
shape from plans and
joined together at the
seams. A hovercraft
can be assembled
quickly after all the
panels are cut out.
Skirt
The skirt is a flexible
material attached to the
perimeter of the hull.
It is used to develop the
air pressure and maintain
it beneath the hull so that
it can lift the weight of the
craft and after overcoming
the weight, the air is
leaked out from the
boundary creating the
floating effect of the craft.
Fitted below Most sensitive design, it
bottom protects the craft and helps to
edges of the lift it even higher
chamber.
Urethane The skirt is attached to the hull
coated nylon by HH-66 Vinyl adhesive.HH-66
dries quickly with a very strong,
fiber is used yet flexible bond. It is not
as the skirt affected by weather and
material. temperature extremes, and is
highly resistant to oil, fuel,
grease, and many other
chemicals.
What Drives A Hovercraft
Lifting Fan

Usually used is a When rotated air is The fan provides air for
centrifugal fan sucked into the center cavity underneath the
hole craft and also for filling
the skirts. .

It is the air pressure Also, because the

that acts upon the skirt does not form a
underside of the perfect seal around
hovercraft that the hovercraft
provides the lifting perimeter there is
force to make the leakage of the air and
hovercraft hover that must be balanced
by constant air input
from the lift fan.
Thrust Propellors

There is a propeller or ducted fan that This accelerated mass of air

moves air from in front of the craft and then generates thrust which
accelerates it out the back. pushes the craft forward.

Newtonian physics state that every

action has an equal and opposite
reaction and this is exactly what
causes the thrust, accelerating air out
the back of the hovercraft causes a
thrust reaction propelling the
hovercraft forward.
WINGS

The wings are not solid. Two aluminum bars are fixed
laterally crossing the body close to
the level of hull.

In order to provide lift one of the

The two aluminum bars are
aluminum bar is kept movable to
covered with PVC coated
change the angle.
polyester making the
system a wing.
RUDDER
Rudders are important for
steering the craft. They
actually act as flow
straighteners.This is why
most hovercraft have more
than one rudder (besides
the higher steering forces
you can achieve covering
more flow area).
An important aspect of
rudders is their drag. Build
wrong they may consume
more thrust for drag then
you can gain from
straightening the flow so
they should be made
keeping this in mind. The
highest drag is from a flat
plate.
Besides their steering As the propeller of fan
capability they have a nice turns the air will
effect to increase usable generate swirls and the
thrust. rudders will straighten
them again.
Round at least the corner
towards the propeller or fan
and send the other side flat. A
better solution would be to use
an airfoil shape. The rudders
can actually made thicker with
less drag than what you would
achieve with a flat plate.
Engine

Earlier engines were Consists of a compressor, to

piston type, now gas compress air
turbines are used The engine has a main shaft
on which is mounted a
compressor and a turbine.

A starter motor is connected Both compressor and

to one end of the shaft and turbine look like fans with a
the other end is connected to large number of blades.
the lift fan and propeller
gearboxes.
Engine Operation

When the engine is Fuel is squirted into The compressed air then
started, the the combustion rapidly expands as it is
compressor chambers and ignited. heated and forces its way
compresses air from out through the turbine to
the engine intakes and the exhaust.
pushes it into
combustion chambers
mounted around the
engine.

The engine speed As the gas pressure rises,

increases until it the turbine speeds up,
reaches the engine's thereby driving the
normal operating compressor faster.
speed.
Futuristic Scope
FUTURE OF HOVERCRAFT
The future of
hovercraft seems
uncertain, but there is a
good chance there will
be huge hover ports all
over the world, like the
one in the picture.
Thinner hovercraft
might be built so
civilians can drive safely
on roads. It also seems
likely that the larger
hover vehicles will
become larger than
ever! Hovercraft are
likely to be capable of
high flight.
 CONCLUSION
Hovercrafts are generally simple mechanisms
in theory. Yet the process from theory to
manifestation is not as easy as it may seem. A
plethora of problems exist and must be faced in
order to attain a well functioning hovercraft.
The plans and designs must be flawless. One
must take under consideration the weight and
the shape of each component in order to avoid
problems such as instability and dysfunction. One
thing is certain; when building a hovercraft, be
well aware of the demands of construction. Be
prepared and willing to embrace failure for it is
the only way to success. Only after failed
attempts will you be able to finally design an
effective hovercraft.