Clugh Cobraspeed 5340.

I refer to this as the King Cobra. It's an ambitious project I'm developing with the aim of launching a limited series of external rotor BLDC (Brushless Direct Current) motors specifically designed for competitive speed flight. The King Cobra project stands out due to its focus on enhancing performance, efficiency, and reliability in high-speed applications, which are critical elements in the world of competitive aerodynamics. The external rotor design of these motors allows for a larger diameter rotor, which can significantly improve the thrust-to-weight ratio, making them ideal for applications where speed and agility are paramount. The unique configuration not only contributes to better cooling but also reduces the overall footprint of the motor, allowing for more compact and lightweight designs that do not compromise on power output. Join me on this journey as I meticulously rebuild and fine-tune this commercially available BLDC machine sourced from Cobra Brushless Motors. This process involves a comprehensive analysis of the existing design, where I will be evaluating the materials used, the winding configurations, and the overall assembly techniques. Each aspect will be scrutinized to ensure that we extract the maximum performance potential from the motor. Furthermore, I will be integrating advanced technologies such as optimized electronic speed controllers (ESCs) and high-performance propellers, which will work in harmony with the King Cobra motors to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and speed. The goal is not only to create a powerful motor but also to ensure that it operates seamlessly with the latest advancements in flight control systems. As we progress, I will share insights into the challenges faced during the development process, including the trials of prototyping, testing, and iterating on design elements. This journey will not only be about creating a product but also about pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of competitive flight. The King Cobra is not just a motor; it represents a fusion of engineering excellence and innovative design, aimed at enthusiasts and professionals alike who seek to dominate the skies.

Clugh custom wound motor powers Team USA's Andrew Jesky to the 2025 F3A World Championship.

For the past two years, I have collaborated with Brenner Sharp from Brenner Contra Drives. He hired me to develop a motor head for his counter-rotational coaxial planetary gearbox propulsion unit, designed for 2-meter pattern flight RC airplanes. Brenner is an active member of the Canadian F3A team. The motor head selected by Brenner for me to modify and rewind to achieve a specific torque constant was a Kontronics Pyro 600. This is a compact, handheld 230-gram, 10-pole BLDC motor. Kontronics is a division of Sobek Drives.

The motors I built following Brenner's specifications and according to him are the best he's ever used, reducing his battery consumption by an average of 500-800 milliamp hours in his 25P flight program. This successful collaboration allowed me to have Andrew Jesky from Team USA F3A fly a specially tuned Kontronics 650 in his VLV helical gear/belt driven VLV contra drive. The motor, I called the AJ, features a 16-turn dual-layer parallel winding with in 17 AWG conductor, encapsulated in a thermally conductive boron nitride compound. It also includes a bearing upgrade from the standard cheap hobby-grade NMB bearings to three ABEC 7 no-contact orange seal ceramic hybrids treated with Tungsten Disulfide. These bearings use a special Tungsten Disulfide high-speed bearing grease. With this setup, Andrew won the 2025 world championship, marking his 8th appearance as a finalist. He noted that the motors provided a 10% increase in efficiency, allowing him to perform additional maneuvers to earn more points in the highly competitive RC plane pilot sport. In his primary plane, he has never replaced the motor since the initial test.

This was Andrews 8th time competing as a finalist in the world championships. His previous accomplishments are as follows:

7-time USA F3A National Champion

8-time USA F3A World Team Member (2007-2023)

7-time USA F3A World Team captain

7-time Finalist and Top 8 finisher at the World Championships

Andrew also designs his own biplanes. Which run VLV contra drives and Jeti Mezon inverters.