First in Transit.

Posted on January 3, 2024  •  3 minutes  • 501 words  • Other languages:  Українська

First in Transit: Unexpected Solutions

The first drone is ready, tested, and sent. It was quite unexpected that we could test everything so soon. This was made possible because, during our extensive search for details regarding the battery assembly process, we stumbled upon a message about testing drones with makeshift means. One such makeshift solution turned out to be a charging device, such as an Ecoflow. Considering we are in Ukraine and currently facing a rather unstable situation, such a device was available. We decided to give it a try. Fortunately, it worked, and we were able to check all the components of the drone. This helped us correctly set up the motor rotations and camera. So, even without waiting for the first batteries to be ready, we managed to complete everything and properly register it in the system.

The moment of connecting the drone to the power supply was tense. We used a special device to avoid short-circuiting and to control the current supplied to the controller. There was a risk that at the first power-up, the drone’s controller would simply burn out, resulting in smoke instead of a successful start. Luckily, everything powered up smoothly, and we were able to test all the motors and other electronics. After a complete check, we reprogrammed the drone with the necessary software. The drone was ready to be dispatched.

So, we sent off the drone and switched to waiting mode. We decided not to assemble the next one until we receive feedback from the pilots and testers.

Well, now it’s worth touching on the topics we promised in the previous post. We ordered parts for the second drone, and for the third one as well. Some of these parts were ordered during Black Friday. So what do you think, almost two months have passed and some parts are still missing. No, not all parts, some components have already arrived, like the body and antennas, but key components like motors and cameras are still en route. Obviously, without these parts, nothing can be assembled.

During the soldering process, there were several unclear moments. It wasn’t immediately clear how to solder the power supply and correctly place the wires for the motors. And there was another critical moment. One of the contacts for the wires from the controller was mixed up, which could have led to serious problems. Fortunately, we detected this mistake. It’s very important to check all soldering before powering up. Of course, we resoldered the contacts, and as mentioned earlier, the power-up was successful.

Together we can do everything, and we are pleased to report that the fundraising for the first three drones is completed! And this is certainly joyful news. We had doubts about whether to start the next fundraiser, but with your support and desire to continue, we decided to start a new one. We are hopeful that our work will help accelerate the victory.

We will probably write about the results of the testing in the next post.