Mini Helicopter

Three mini helicopters from a single block in the camera frame. A 1⅛ × 4⅜ in strip: a cut and two blades at the top, the sides folded back, and a paper clip at the bottom. Let go from up high and the helicopter spins and floats gently down.

• Easy
• 3 helicopters
• 3 paper clips
• 0 glue

Make it with your phone cameraLesson code: 7109

On VanGami the template appears over your sheet through your phone camera — no printer needed. Trace it, cut, fold and glue. Below are all the steps in text.

What you’ll need

• Letter sheet — office paper, 80 gsm (20 lb)
• Markers
• Pencil — and eraser
• Ruler — 8–12 in
• Scissors — small
• Paper clips — 3 pcs, 1–1¼ in
• Glass — phone stand

Steps

Trace

1. Three strips. Trace three identical 1⅛ × 4⅜ in strips with a ruler — they sit in a stack. The straighter the edges, the straighter the flight.
2. Cuts. Each strip has three solid lines: a long one in the middle, between the blades, and two short ones on the sides, above the body.
3. Fold. Dashed lines: one at the end of the long cut (for the blades) and two long ones running down the sides of the body. The left half of the top line is a dash-dot line: you’ll fold that blade toward you.
4. Draw. Mark where the colors meet: yellow tips, orange blades, a purple bottom and a little round window.

Color

5. Color the strips. Color the tips yellow, the blades orange, and everything below the blades, including the sides, purple. Leave the little window white.

Cut

6. Cut out: strip — 3 pcs. Cut out the three strips along the solid outline. Don’t touch the cut lines inside yet.
7. Cuts. Cut each strip along the middle line — from the edge to the dashed line and no farther. Then make the two short cuts on the sides, also up to the dashed line.
8. Back of the blade. Turn the strips over. The blade that is now on the right — color it on this side too: orange, with a yellow tip. From above, the helicopter shows that blade’s back.

Fold

9. Sides back. Hold the strip blades up, with the design toward you. Fold both sides of the body back along the long dashed lines, one over the other. The body becomes narrow.
10. Paper clip. Slide a paper clip onto the bottom of the body so it holds both folded sides. The clip is the weight: without it the helicopter tumbles.
11. Blades in opposite directions. Bend the blades along the dashed line at the end of the cut: the left one toward you, the right one away from you. From the side the helicopter looks like the letter “T”.
12. Two more helicopters. Fold the other two strips the same way: sides back, paper clip at the bottom, blades in opposite directions.

Launch

13. Let go from up high. Hold the helicopter by the paper clip, blades up, raise your arm as high as you can and just open your fingers — don’t throw it.
14. All three. Release all three one after another. Bend the blades the opposite way and the helicopter will spin in the other direction.

Done. Your three helicopters are done. Launch them with your arm stretched out or from a chair: the higher you go, the longer they spin.

Make it with your phone camera

More in Planes & weapons

Paper PlaneEasyPaper PopperEasyPaper GunMediumPaper HelicopterEasyDart ShotgunHardKarambit and DaggerMedium