← Does it work?

Question 4 of 21

How fast does the rotor spin?

About 11,000 rpm at full charge, with the controls capping it at 11,100 rpm on a rotor designed for 13,000.

The full answer

Its design speed is 11,000 rpm, about what a jet engine's fan turns and faster than a car engine. For a rotor this large, the number that matters is how fast the rim moves, and at full speed it travels at roughly twice the speed of sound. The strength of the carbon fiber sets that limit.

The rotor is tested to a higher speed than it will ever run at, which is its safety margin, and the control system never lets it go past 11,100 rpm.

Next question