The Golden Snitch

Novel flapping-wing micro-air-vehicle technology reimagined to create a real-world Golden Snitch from the Harry Potter series.

What is the Golden Snitch?

The Golden Snitch is a walnut-sized, gold-coloured sphere with wings, which features in the magical sport of Quidditch from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

What is FWMAV technology?

Flapping-Wing Micro-Air-Vehicle technology uses the lift generated by flapping wings to power the flight of miniaturised drones, in place of conventional rotor or propellor technologies. It is heavily inspired by birds and insects, and the technology has been pioneered by four research groups globally.

The Design

The project attempts to create an elegantly crafted model of the Golden Snitch which hovers in the air for mere seconds, no more than the time required to provide a sense of magic to those watching.

The first prototype was built in COVID-19 lockdown using a 3D-printer and a set of DIY tools. The Golden Snitch consists of 96 components contained within a sphere the size of a ping-pong ball. It weighs 40g and its 12 micron thick boPET wings flap 10 times every second.

The Mechanism

The flapping motion is generated using a modified Scotch Yoke mechanism, which converts rotary motion from a brushless DC motor into reciprocating flapping with perfect Quarter-Wave-Symmetry. for inherently stable flight. The mechanism is made from miniature stainless steel rods and bearings held within 3D-printed housings, and fits inside a single-piece 3D-printed exoskeleton.

Flight Testing

The prototype of the Golden Snitch successfully flapped at speeds up to 10Hz, before mechanical failure due to resource limitations. Although speeds of 20Hz are required for flight, air flow observed beneath the wings, as well as the absence of strong bias pitch or roll moments, represented significant progress in the development of the Golden Snitch.

Moving Forwards...

Development was held back by time and resource constraints due to COVID-19. The ultimate aim remains achieving flight, and the next steps include:

  • — Prototyping with more sophisticated manufacturing technologies & higher performance plastics
  • — Redesign of mechanical joints to increase failure thresholds
  • — Development of miniaturised integrated electronics
  • — Wing optimisation at low flapping frequencies
  • — Focus on Design for Assembly, including reducing component count