Modular propeller

Unlike a standard one-piece boat or aircraft propeller, a modular propeller is made up of using a number of replaceable parts, typically:

a set of matched blades;
a propeller hub; and
an end cap to retain the blades and to secure the propeller as a solid unit.

Ground-adjustable Arplast modular propeller on ARV Super2

Modular propellers may be fitted to aircraft as well as boats. The benefits of a modular propeller are that its specifications (such as blade pitch or propeller diameter) may be altered to suit varying conditions; and it becomes much easier to replace damaged elements, such as a broken blade. Traditional one-piece propellers may be professionally modified to change the blade pitch, but this is not a common or easy option. In contrast, a modular propeller allows changes to be made quickly and easily. A modular propeller may have, for instance, a metal hub but composite blades.

One patent application has defined a modular propeller thus:

Modular propeller

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