Electronic speed control uses pulse width modulation to control the speed of electronic motors. It is used in remote-controlled vehicles and can be linked to safety systems in larger vehicles.
An electronic speed control is a component that controls the speed of an electronic motor through a technology known as pulse width modulation (PWM). The component rapidly turns a series of transistors on and off to determine how much power the motor should achieve. The longer the switches are left on, the more power the engine receives and the faster it can go. This technology is used in a variety of electric motor devices to provide a high degree of control over speed and other characteristics.
One area where electronic cruise control is used extensively is in remote controlled vehicles such as model aircraft and automobiles. In these applications, size and weight are critical factors because the equipment supports electronic speed control. If it is too heavy, it may drag the remote control vehicle down and could cause problems with its functionality. Manufacturers use products such as brushless motors made with very light metals to reduce total weight and limit the drag created by the controller.
The device carefully determines when to turn on and off in response to operator input and feedback from the device itself. With the switches in the predominantly off position, the device receives limited power. Some models made loud whining noises at low power settings, a phenomenon familiar to remote control vehicle operators. The design of the controller depends on the design of the motor, as the device must be able to work with the rotations of the motor.
Aircraft and vehicles can also use electronic speed control as part of the systems available to the driver for tight speed control. These systems may have braking and reversing capabilities as well as basic pulse width modulation features. The use of electronic cruise control can provide greater responsiveness and more precise control, which is essential for vehicles such as sports cars and passenger-laden commercial aircraft.
On larger vehicles, cruise control can be linked to safety systems that act as a failsafe in the event of a problem. If the engine or other components fail, the safety systems can absorb the slack until the operator can bring the vehicle to a safe stop. For a system to fail completely, a series of failures would have to occur, as is the case with aircraft, where a very large number of primary and auxiliary systems must fail simultaneously during a flight to shoot down an aircraft.
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