FRHS STEM ACADEMY
Project Description
3D CAD Designed Carbon Drone
The major goals and objectives of the project were to design, construct, and fly a drone with a structure printed from carbon fiber based 3D material. It was important to design parts in a fashion that will allow the evolution of design and replacement of broken parts. The purpose for designing a drone frame and using aftermarket electronics is the greater performance capabilities. The product created allows for extreme tilt angles while maintaining lift due to motors and propellers with very large thrust capabilities. Another major objective for the project was to create a structure with flexible capabilities to allow for photography or lifting while maintaining speed and agility.
21st century skills
Information Technology
This skill was used throughout the project in the form of research. There were many different areas that needed to be researched and find information on. This included battery and motor sizing.
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This skill was used to solve the problem with an arming issue. It seemed as if all components were assembled correctly and working fine, however there was a channel on the receiver that was switched my mistake. It was necessary to solve the problem with the technology we were using.
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Creativity
This skill was used throughout the design phase of the project in the form of creating plans and 3D models to accomplish our goals. When we ran into problems while designing the main structure we had to creatively find new solutions.
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This skill was used in the planning process because we used the design of existing quadcopter to give us ideas, however the entire drone was redesigned to allow for better performance. This new design shows the creativity to maximize and exceed existing performance.
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Creativity was used within orientation of the electrical components. The electronic speed controller and wires were contained within the drone arms to allow for maximum protection while allowing airflow. Another example of creativity within the design was the single electrical bus that was connected to the battery that allowed all electrical components to "tap in" and have full power all the time.
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One of the most creative aspects of the drone was the use of channels through the length of the arm and motor mount to run wires from the motor and electronic speed controller to the main computer. This allowed for aerodynamics to be maximized and the overall minimization of loose wires.
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Work Ethic
The overall productivity of the group exceeded all expectations. This is seen in the early completion of the project and going beyond the initial goals for the drone. The group worked almost every day whether it was in the design phase or the assembly phase. This consistent work ethic shows the passion the group had for engineering and flight.
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The group faced a few challenges throughout the year. The most frustrating challenge was the issue with arming the motors of the drone to get them to spin. There was a three week period of troubleshooting the problem with no resolution. The arming issue was a simple mistake and resolved easily, however this represents the relentless work ethic the group showed throughout the year.
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Communication
The team spent many hours and many days working with each other therefore it was incredibly important to communicate properly. The communication skill was always developed through the year, however it was refined and tuned to perfection. Using direct and effective communication throughout the year caused the success of our project.
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There were many examples of communication throughout the project, the most significant was the use of language to communicate design ideas effectively. This was seen in the 3D design process of the drone frame. One example was the design of the channel running through the interior of the drone arm.
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Personal Responsibility
This skill was used throughout the course of the project because each team member was responsible for their job and responsibilities. Each team member followed the roles and norms that were established at the start of the project. The responsibility each person had contributed to the overall success of the project.
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Another example of personal responsibility is the fixing of mistakes. There were small and relatively easy problems during the assembly of the drone such as printing the incorrect part or the purchase of a suboptimal battery, however each team member acknowledged their mistake and did everything in their power to correct it.
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Critical Thinking
The use of trigonometry and simple physics allowed for the proper mounting location of the battery mount is a prime example of critical thinking skills and their use in the project. It was very important to balance the drone to the best of our abilities. The high level math that was used is an example of high level and critical thinking.
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The creation of the gimbal mount and a 3D modeled gimbal plate required a great deal of critical thinking in the form of the methods to design and model the parts. This was a fundamental portion of the live video feed capabilities and very important that the gimbal sat properly in the mount.
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During the initial parts of the design phase, it was very important to test parts and components and then analyze them to find areas of improvement. One example of this was the bottom plate and bottom arm attachment. This took a good deal of math and trigonometry to solve as well as creative and critically thought out ideas.
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Collaboration
This skill was used the most throughout the duration of the STEM Academy Capstone Project. This is because it was incredibly important to have all team members on the same page as far as the plan for the project and designs. There were a few times where multiple people were working on a single part at a time.
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An example of collaboration was with the 3D modeled parts. Often, these parts would be edited and critiqued by each team member to ensure that all ideas were included on the part and there would be no large mistakes. This was used predominantly on the bottom arm.
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Collaboration was very important for the electrical component assembly because often more than one person had to be working to either hold wires or the "divide and conquer" method was used. This allowed for the assembly to be done properly and efficiently.
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Civic Responsibility
Global Awareness
There are many applications for Civil Responsibility and Global Awareness for this product, however these skills were not focused on during the project.