SolidWorks | 3D Printing
CADed drone in Solidworks
3D printed prototype
Performed calculations to select motor, propellers, and battery pack
Integrated motors with NAVIO2 control board and battery pack
Goal: to design and fabricate a drone that is capable of the following functions:
Flies around with six degrees of freedom
Near real-time control (low latency)
Stereo vision and audio feed
Displays user’s head
Transmits user’s voice
Transmits tactile senses
Reflect when system energy is low
Can be started by either side, but requires permission from both people
Either person can turn it off at any time
Results/Lessons Learned
To buy the right motor, I took the frame to a local drone shop and upon assessment, the drone expert pointed out a weakness in the design- the ABS filament used for 3D printing was too flimsy, and it wouldn't even be able to withstand takeoff thrust
The solution was either to make one out of carbon fiber or buy one
This experience taught me that not only is it important to seek advice early on in the design phase, but prototypes are also crucial to spotting design flaws
I learned a ton about how Raspberry Pis work, what transceivers do, vibration absorption landing gear designs, and how to reduce costs and time by considering HAT boards
This project was paused due to insufficient funding, but nonetheless, it was a great experience for me to learn about mechatronics principles and practice my CAD skills!
3D Printing Frame
Control System
Sketches of Designs
