The cover project from our newest issue of MAKE, Volume 25, is Doug Desrochers’ “$5 Heli-Rocket” (seen above being field tested by intrepid Make: Labs engineering intern Nick Raymond). With a mere $5 worth of materials, including toilet paper tubes, coat hangers, and rubber bands, you can build this high-flying model rocket. Instead of employing a standard parachute, this rocket releases its three tail fins, made of thin corrugated cardboard, which swing open like helicopter blades to slow the rocket’s descent. We’ve shared this entire project with you in Make: Project, and invite you to get in and collaborate. Also, check out the author’s video of the Heli-Rocket in action, and be sure to grab a copy of MAKE Volume 25, fresh on newsstands right now.
Check out MAKE Volume 25:
MAKE Volume 25: Arduino Revolution
Give your gadgets a brain! Previously out of reach for the do-it-yourselfer, the tiny computers called microcontrollers are now so cheap and easy to use that anyone can make their stuff smart. With a microcontroller, your gadget can sense the environment, talk to the internet or other hardware, and make things happen in the real world by controlling motors, lights, or any electronic device.