A New Phase in Drone Development

Posted on January 19, 2024  •  2 minutes  • 405 words  • Other languages:  Українська

A New Phase in Drone Development: Testing and Improvement

We received the results of our drone testing, which unfortunately were not entirely positive. The first issue was with the camera – it didn’t work initially but started functioning after further inspection. According to the testers, they just disassembled the drone and reassembled it, and everything worked. Another issue was related to the antenna holders.

As you may recall from one of our previous posts, we wrote about our search for reliable antenna mounts. The initial mounts were flawed as they broke during assembly. We then found a solution using TPU A90 plastic. However, during testing, we discovered that this plastic was too soft for supporting the antennas.

We replaced the holders on the spot, and the drone was ready for dispatch. It is now aiding our military forces. Despite some difficulties, we are pleased that our efforts were not in vain and that we could contribute meaningfully.

Following the test results, we began addressing the identified issues, particularly with the antenna holders. We ordered 3D prints made from a more robust and flexible material, although not in black. However, color wasn’t critical in our case.

The assembly of the next drones is proceeding much faster. We already have two additional drones assembled, but not yet programmed. We’ll complete the programming in the coming days, after which the drones will be fully ready.

In the photo, you can see one drone that was not yet fully ready, and it had a red part attached to the top of the controller. This is a safeguard to prevent solder from dripping onto the controller’s microchip and causing a short circuit.

We are currently not planning to dispatch these drones, as we are awaiting the arrival of batteries. We plan to send the drones once we have the batteries, ensuring the sets are complete. Unfortunately, this will take some time.

Meanwhile, we’ve started assembling the next batch and are already seeing results. Therefore, we’ll be ordering parts for the next drones soon.

There’s a lot more we could write about, from the challenges with batteries to future orders, but we’ll likely cover that in the next post.

We’re so grateful for your support and that together, we’re trying to make our lives better. Without your support, we wouldn’t have achieved what we have and couldn’t even plan the next steps. Thank you, and see you in the next post.