1. Executive Summary
In the past two months, Project Quiver has continued focus on real-world testing, updating various structural parts, electrical components, and integrating new sensors. Research was also conducted to ensure regulatory compliance in the US and EU for drones weighing less than 25kg. Although plagued by electrical failures in the US, the project has continued to make progress in developing a product that is ready for Phase 3 of the project.
2. Project Progress
Team Formation
The Project Quiver team includes the following members:
| Member | Experience Level | Team | Weekly Commitment (hrs) | Areas of Expertise / Championed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21stCenturyAlex | Level 3 | Core | 15 | Avionics |
| alperenag | Level 4 | Core | 35 | Project Lead |
| Dow Fisher KBM | Level 3 | Core | 15 | FEA, Systems Engineering |
| errrks.eth | Level 4 | Core | 35 | Electrical Design, Harnessing |
| Julius | Level 4 | Core | 35 | PCB Layout, Power Storage, Prototyping, Propulsion System, Electrical Communication |
| kjcerveny | Level 3 | Contributor | 5 | Electrical design, System testing, Product development |
| ZeynepB | Level 4 | Core | 30 | Flight Mechanics, Flight Test |
PT3:
During September, a test flight in Germany crashed due to a compass variance error while evaluating the Wren Mini. The team decided to switch to the Holybro F9P for RTK GNSS. The obstacle avoidance sensor architecture was refined resulting in a 360 LiDAR and radar selection. FEA reviews highlighted opportunities to reduce aluminum and achieve meaningful weight savings.
In Texas, vibration appeared when the brush bullet was attached. The team identified several ways to isolate the flight controller from the vibration source and incorporated these into the design. After repairs, multiple flights in Texas were successful, although the flight tracking platform had login issues that were later addressed.
Documentation and compliance progressed in parallel. The structural assembly guide was updated, and a joint review of FAA Part 107 and EASA C3 confirmed the aircraft is mostly compliant with both. A Remote ID module is required for full compliance. Late in the month there was a crash in Texas with a suspected electrical failure caused by a loose cable and resulting signal loss to the main MOSFETs. Sourcing the correct aluminum sizes and securing a capable machining shop remained a challenge.
October focused around testing and refining the obstacle avoidance sensors, testing a thinner aluminum structure based on FEA results, upgrading the PCBs, and repairs to the drone in Texas. CAD for a wiring and harnessing model is on pause until the overall model can be frozen due to incompatibilities in software. Engineering progress was delayed due to an in person meeting up that was focused on DAO governance. The month was wrapped up by making preparations for the Dev-Kit release.
3. Information Notes
Flight Controller PCB [PT3 Updates]
The FC PCB was updated to include various changes that were noticed during the build and testing process. Few changes were made to the components or operation of the PCB. Majority of the changes involved changing the size of the screw holes, component placement and routing, and correcting the orientation of the flight controller.
Link
Main PCB [PT3 Updates]
Covered the changes made to the Main PCB. Notably, an additional ethernet module with corrected wiring to support additional ethernet capable payloads, connectors for obstacle avoidance capabilities, and expanded CAN2 operation. Additionally, some components were upgraded with more robust variants or removed entirely.
Link
Battery PCB [PT3 Updates]
The Battery PCB was updated to include various changes that were noticed during the build and testing process. Some changes were made to the components and operation of the PCB. Notably, the pre-charge bypass circuitry was moved from the Main PCB and other components upgraded to more robust versions. Additionally, some connectors were swapped or components removed entirely.
Link
Detailed Attachment Requirement for Bounty
This information note list out a high level summary of the requirements for various payload attachments. Details can be found in the respective folders on Github.
Link
Obstacle Avoidance Proximity Sensors (LiDAR + Radar)
This information note covers the research and decision for the obstacle avoidance sensors in PT3. Link
4. Goals for Next Month
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Continue flight testing of both PT3 aircraft and expand mission profiles.
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Integrate obstacle avoidance system.
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Integrate Raspberry PI with ethernet and CAN capabilities on payload attachments.
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Test SIYI MK32 RC.
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Test and integrate RemoteID with US and EU capabilities.
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Place order for transport case with custom foam inserts.
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Set and execute plan for branding & aesthetics in partnership with the Visibility team.
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Apply PCB and harnessing changes after electrical DFM review. Order new PCBs and cables if needed.
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Conduct and apply DFM changes to the airframe.
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Test 25mm landing gear and order custom 30mm version depending on results.
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Apply dustproofing techniques and conduct waterproof and dustproof testing.
5. Budget & Resource Allocation
Project Expenses:
$5,906.64 was reimbursed over the course of September and October. This covered the purchase of Fusion 360 tokens, updated PCBs, new structural components, new sensors, and repair/spare items.
Link
Team Members Compensation
The project team was compensated for $37,152 for these months. The breakdown can be found here and here .
Total
The total expense of Project Quiver in September was $41,867.6 and $38,346.04 in October, which is below the monthly maximum spending cap. In addition, the team members received 41,280 $ARROW in total as part of their compensations.