Helicopter/Howard Community College/Fall2012/p1-550-muc

Problem Statement
Our goal of this project is to repair the feet on the existing quadcopters, and then learn to fly them.

To connect the usb to the quadcoter, and then update the software and begin modifying it. To set up a system to charge the batteries.

Our final goal is to create a presentation of the quadcopter to advertise for the Engineering Club

Team Members
Tung Quentin Choudhary

Summary
For this project, our team learned to fly the A.R Drone quadricopter, and we also repaired two of the three quadricopters which were broken prior to our project. We learned how to adjust the flight characteristics of the machines, and we started to brainstorm possible improvments that could be made to the drone. We attempted to attach a laser pointer to the front of the quadricopter to allow for easier use of the onboard video camera.

Story
We started this project by learning how to fly the quadcopters. Quentin and Osman each took one of the quadcopters home and started learning how to fly them. We discovered on week two that we could adjust flight settings such as maximum altitude, turn speed and horizontal flight speed. We also performed maintenance on the quadcopters by repairing tears in the cover and ordering new replacements for the broken parts. Our replacements came in and we've begun the process of repairing the quadcopters. One of the three quadcopters has broken legs and requires a new body. Another one of the quadcopters has a loose motor, so we reattached the motor on that part. We also ordered new foam glue, as the glue we previously used wasn't very effective. Over the next weekend we are working on attaching a laser guide to the top of the quadcopter and testing the quadcopter on the inflatable obstacle course.



Material List
Purchased Materials:

Software List
AR.FreeFlight Application for the iPhone and iTouch; this program is required for the AR.Drone

Time
60 hours, 12 minutes

Tutorials
Tutorial for connecting the AR.Drone to an iPhone or iTouch Links for tutorials on repairing the AR.Drone Here is a video explaining the basic techniques to fly the A.R. Drone.

Next Steps
The next step with the quad copter is to update the software to the A.R. Drone 2.0 version. This newer version allows the quad copter to flip in midair. The main problem faced now is trying to fly the quad copter after the flight settings are adjusted. The user needs to find the optimum settings for each variable, and learn how they affect the flight of the quad copter. This allows for more advanced flying. The last task that was undertaken was attempting to attach a laser pointer to the quad copter. We did not have time to finish this project, butthe next team can try this. We did not have success using pink foam board, however,it is possible that balsa wood or some other light weight, sturdier material can be used.