Project Quiver - April Update

General
1

Project Quiver - Monthly Report
Month: April, 2025
Prepared by: Alperen Gündoğan (alperenag)

1. Executive Summary

  • Project Overview:
    Project Quiver aims to develop a multipurpose drone, designed with modular attachments, enhanced stability, and long-duration flight capabilities. This month, several key updates were made across all prototype lines. PT1 experienced a crash that prompted a structural and electrical redesign into PT1.5. PT1.5 achieved notable progress in design simplification and is currently under assembly. PT2 continued its flight test campaign, with system enhancements and tuning adjustments made along the way.

2. Project Progress

  • Team Formation: The team structure for Project Quiver was established at the beginning of the month to align with the updated project and team structures. The team includes the following members:

    Member Experience Level Weekly Commitment (hrs) Champion Disciplines
    21stCenturyAlex Level 3 15 Avionics
    alperenag Level 4 35 Project Lead
    Dow Fisher KBM Level 3 15 Enclosure Design, Systems Engineering
    errrks.eth Level 4 20 Electrical Design, Harnessing
    Julius Level 4 35 PCB Layout, Power Storage, Prototyping, Propulsion System, Electrical Communication
    ZeynepB Level 3 25 Flight Mechanics, Flight Test

  • PT1:
    At the start of the month, PT1 experienced a crash during an endurance test at approximately 4 meters altitude. The root cause was traced to a loose connector that caused the contactor to open, cutting power to the entire drone mid-flight. Although some components were damaged, the main chassis remained intact. Given that a new PCB had already been designed to resolve harnessing issues, the team decided to convert the frame into PT1.5.

  • PT1.5:
    Significant redesign work was completed on the battery enclosure and avionics compartment, resulting in reduced weight and simplified layout. The new PCB was installed in the electrical compartment, and associated wiring was fully updated. The landing gear was replaced with a stiffer structure. New connectors and tubes for the motor arms and landing gear were ordered. The assembly of PT1.5 is currently underway.

  • PT2:
    A full flight test setup was constructed, and multiple test flights were conducted throughout the month. Tuning adjustments were made to the flight controller between tests. The electrical system was revised following the detection of overheating at a connector, which was mitigated with a design adjustment. PT2 continues its test campaign, showing strong overall performance and reliability.

3. Major Studies & Information Notes

  • 1. Flight Log Analyzer Tool
    Developed to standardize the processing of flight data across tests, improving analysis and comparison
    Link

  • 2. Diagonal Motor Pair Power Difference - Troubleshooting
    Resolved the power imbalance between diagonal motor pairs, improving thrust distribution and flight stability.
    Link

  • 3. Possible Attachment List
    Compiled a list of potential drone attachments, evaluated for compatibility with the drone’s design and mission profiles. This study is the baseline for “Incentive Programs for Enlarging Attachment Library” requirement for Project Quiver PT3 milestone.
    Link

  • 4. Electronics Assembly Manual
    Created a detailed manual for assembling the drone’s electronics, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
    Link

  • 5. PT1 Flight Test - List of Issues
    Documented all identified issues from initial flight tests, guiding future troubleshooting and optimizations.
    Link

  • 6. PT2 Flight Test - Initial Test Results
    Summary of the initial flight test results, revealing areas for optimization in motor response and battery life.
    Link

  • 7. Battery Enclosure Improvement
    Improved the battery enclosure to enhance protection and heat dissipation, ensuring optimal battery performance. This study also satisfies the “Refined Structure for Weight Reduction” requirement for PT1.5.
    Link

  • 8. 20-Hour Flight Plan
    Detailed a 20-hour flight plan for extended operational testing, focusing on battery life and motor endurance.
    Link

  • 9. Ardupilot Log GPS Anonymizer
    Developed a tool to anonymize GPS data in flight logs, ensuring privacy for the test pilots.
    Link

  • 10. Minor Flight Mission Planning & Automation:

    • Developed and tested tools for defining and automating short-range flight missions to support repetitive test profiles.

4. Goals for Next Month

  • Next month, the team will focus on designing PT3 and incorporating key improvements such as a waterproof and dustproof cockpit, a customized transport case, and a foldable or retractable landing gear system.
  • The electrical layout will be refined and the standardized mission connector will be finalized. Minor flight mission automation will be refined, along with integration of RTK and precise GNSS systems. The structure will be modified according to the new layout and components, conducting weight reduction studies at the same time.
  • Bounties will be created to incentivize programs to expand the attachment library.
  • Structural components will be modeled so that they are buildable everywhere.
  • PT1.5 assembly will continue and the first flight will be planned right after.
  • More PT2 test flights will be conducted to obtain further flight test data to help PT3 design phase.

5. Budget & Resource Allocation

  • Project Expenses:
    Reimbursements were submitted and approved for hardware purchases, training, and infrastructure improvements. In total, $2159.99 is spent on the reimbursements this month. Details can be found here.

    • Alex was reimbursed for the purchase of a Pixhawk RPi CM4 baseboard. This hardware supports software integration and testing with Raspberry Pi for onboard computation, and enabled Dronekit and MAVSDK experimentation for telemetry and flight automation.

      • Cost: $389.99

    • Erick attended an EMI seminar to expand knowledge relevant to electromagnetic interference mitigation and overall electrical system reliability.

      • Cost: $265.00

    • Julius completed a European drone license training program to support safe and compliant flight operations. Additionally, he procured a Tattu battery and charger set to extend flight test capabilities.

      • Cost: $1543.00

  • Team Members Compensation
    The project team was compensated for $29,952 this month. The breakdown can be found here.

  • Total
    The total expense of Project Quiver in April is $32,111.99, which is below the monthly maximum spending cap. In addition, the team members received 18240 $ARROW in total as part of their compensations.

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:information_source: Full Pixhawk protector for PT1.5 may start to design after several new assembly test flight