Drone-like Machines!
Build simple drone-like hovercrafts from CDs, balloons, and plastic cups to explore lift, thrust, and balance through safe hands-on experiments.
Step-by-step guide to build drone-like hovercrafts
Step 1
Gather all the materials on a clear table so you can reach them easily.
Step 2
Stretch the balloon by blowing it up fully and then letting the air out to make it more flexible.
Step 3
With adult help make a small hole in the top of the bottle cap that a straw can fit through snugly.
Step 4
Push the plastic straw through the hole in the bottle cap so a short piece sticks out below and a longer piece sticks out above.
Step 5
Wrap tape around the straw where it meets the cap to make an airtight seal.
Step 6
Center the capped straw over the CD hole and tape the bottle cap firmly to the CD so it cannot move.
Step 7
Press modeling clay around the edge of the cap on the CD to make a good airtight seal.
Step 8
Slide the free end of the straw into the balloon neck and tape the balloon mouth tightly to the straw so no air leaks.
Step 9
Blow into the straw to inflate the balloon while watching the balloon fill.
Step 10
Pinch the straw or fold the balloon mouth to hold the air in the balloon.
Step 11
Place the CD hovercraft on a smooth flat floor with the straw pointing down.
Step 12
Release the straw or unfold the balloon mouth so air flows under the CD and watch it hover.
Step 13
Place the plastic cup on top of the CD to see how added weight affects lift.
Step 14
Slide the cup around the CD to find the spot where the hovercraft stays the most balanced.
Step 15
Share a photo or video of your finished hovercraft experiment and what you learned on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have a CD or a plastic straw?
If you don't have a CD, use a smooth plastic jar lid or DVD of similar size, and if you can't find a plastic straw, substitute a coffee stirrer or short rigid tube that fits snugly through the bottle cap hole.
My hovercraft won't move — what's the most likely problem and how do I fix it?
If your hovercraft doesn't glide, check for air leaks where the straw meets the cap and where the cap meets the CD and reseal by adding more tape around the straw and extra modeling clay around the cap on the CD to make an airtight seal.
How can I adapt the steps for different ages?
For younger kids have an adult pre-poke the hole in the bottle cap and help tape the straw and balloon, while older kids can measure lift by adding coins to the plastic cup and try different balloon sizes themselves.
How can we make the hovercraft experiment more advanced or personal?
To extend the activity decorate the CD, test different balloon sizes or multiple balloons, and use the plastic cup to record how added weight and cup position affect balance and hover time.
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Facts about aerodynamics and lift
⚖️ If the balloon or payload is off-center, the hovercraft will spin — that's center of mass in action.
🎈 A single blown-up balloon can push enough air to lift and glide a tiny CD hovercraft.
💿 Compact discs work great as hovercraft bases because their smooth, flat shape helps form an air cushion.
🧪 On a smooth floor, a simple CD hovercraft can glide several meters from one balloon's air.
🚀 Sir Christopher Cockerell built the first practical hovercraft in the 1950s.
How do you build a drone-like hovercraft from a CD, balloon, and plastic cup?
What materials do I need to make Drone-like Machines? (CD hovercraft)
What ages is this Drone-like Machines activity suitable for?
What are the benefits, safety tips, and variations for Drone-like Machines?
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