3D Printed Mini Drone Test Gimbal
Originally published on hackaday.com by Richard Baguley on 9 October 2023
Tristan Dijkstra and Suryansh Sharma have developed a practical solution for testing mini-drones with a mini-drone test gimbal. These mini-drones, such as the CrazyFlie, often exhibit unpredictable flight behavior when being designed or reviewed. The test gimbal allows the drone to rotate in three dimensions while ensuring it remains securely contained. This innovation is particularly useful for researchers in the Networked Systems group and the Biomorphic Intelligence Lab who work with CrazyFlie drones, requiring regular calibration and testing. It eliminates the need for risky tethering methods, ensuring the safety of both the drone and avoiding disturbances to more peaceful activities, like a dog’s nap.
Traditionally, mini-drones have been tethered to restrict their movement during testing, which frequently leads to issues like the tether getting caught in rotors or becoming too tight, causing drone malfunctions and crashes.
The gimbal approach is a more elegant and efficient way to assess the basic features and flight characteristics of a drone. By allowing the drone to rotate freely in three dimensions within the gimbal, researchers can establish crucial performance metrics before releasing it into the open sky, reducing accidents and improving testing precision.
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