Table of Contents
Can Drone 5
2024
Abstract
The objective of this project is to design, manufacture, and fly a compact remote sensor system that will collect and store environmental data during the entirety of its mission. Temperature, humidity, video recordings, and photographs are the mission's primary focus for the system. This project is within a budget of $1,250 by four senior undergraduate aerospace engineering students and assessed in 3 months. The proposed design will mount a sensor system on a quadcopter drone body. The control of the drone is operated through an automated scripted sequence. During ascent, the drone is housed within the fairing of a booster designed by other students. After deploying from the booster, the CanDrone collects above ground level necessary data. After remaining above the deployment altitude for 90 seconds, the automated-controlled descent returns the system to the ground, where the data is extracted from the onboard SD card. The drone can be refit to launch in another booster within an hour. Future applications for this Candrone include local meteorology, small military missions, and cost-effective drone platforms for multi-commercial use.
Project Details
The remote sensing system (candrone) must launch and deploy from a booster and remain at or above that deployment altitude for 90 seconds. Throughout the entire mission flight data like temperature, humidity, and altitude are recorded and stored on the system. Video is also a requirement for the entire flight and two pictures are required when deploying from the booster. Once recovered, the system must be rearmed for another mission within one hour. The budget allotted for this project was $1250 and must be completed within three months. The biggest constraints come from the booster teams. They dictate how small and heavy the system can weigh. The candrone will only deploy from one of the booster teams on testing day. However, the booster the drone is launching from is chosen that day, so the design must be able to work with both booster fairings. Because of how little time there is to complete the project, obtaining a radio license is not feasible. So for the actual mission, a RC controller cannot be used. For FAA regulations, the candrone is under 55 pounds and for educational/recreational purposes so the requirements to comply are simple. The drone must stay within vision, cannot operate above people besides those who are testing, fly below FAA-regulated airspace, stay below 400 ft, and not endanger the safety of the national aerospace system.
Project Objective
Design and fly a remote sensor system that will collect and store environmental data such as temperature and humidity recordings, video, and at least two photographs within a budget of $1,250 by four AESP 428 students in 3 months' time.
Mission Needs
The remote sensor system must remain above deployment altitude for a minimum of 90 seconds, record temperature, humidity, and altitude data for the duration of the mission and record video and at least two photographs. The remote sensor system must be re-deployable within one hour.
