1. Executive Summary
During August, my availability for Spearhead was reduced by participation in the Quiver meetup and preparations for my wedding. PT1 progressed from July’s assembled airframe to completion of the remaining hardware installation for its initial VTOL configuration. Wing covering and the installation of electronics, avionics, lift motors, and landing gear were completed, together with the initial ArduPilot QuadPlane configuration. The first VTOL flight followed on 6 September and is covered separately below.
2. Project Progress
Team Formation
| Member | Experience Level | Team | Weekly Commitment (hrs) | Areas of Expertise / Championed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| alperenag | Level 5 | Core | 32 | Project Lead |
| Erick | Level 4 | Core | 15 | Electrical Layout & Avionics |
| Zeynep | Level 4 | Core | 40 | Flight Mechanics |
Progress Overview
August closed the main hardware-installation work carried over from July. The prepared electrical harnesses and components were installed together with the avionics, the KDE lift-motor installation was completed, and the interim wooden landing gear was fitted to the aircraft. The wings were covered with Oratex. Manufacturing support also included improvements to the CAD export workflow for wing and tail laser-cutting files. These activities brought the airframe and its onboard systems together for the initial VTOL test phase. The first flight carried over into early September.
The Quiver meetup included attachment-development work on the payload-latch housing and multispectral-camera mount, covered separately in Quiver’s August progress report.
3. Major Studies
Electrical and Avionics Installation Completion
Installation of the prepared wiring harnesses, electrical components, and avionics was completed in the assembled PT1 airframe. This closed the main systems-installation work carried over from July and established the onboard configuration used for initial VTOL testing. The focus moved from preparing individual harnesses and components to evaluating their operation together on the aircraft.
The ESCs were relocated from near the lift motors to the cockpit because the original DC supply cable runs were too long. The revised layout shortens the DC power runs to the ESCs.
KDE Lift-Motor Installation Completion
The KDE lift-motor installation was completed for PT1’s initial VTOL configuration. The installation used the motor-mount and electrical-layout changes developed following the earlier MAD motor supply delay. This completed the remaining aircraft-level installation for the in-stock KDE propulsion setup. Pusher propulsion remained a separate workstream for the subsequent transition-flight preparations.
ArduPilot QuadPlane Configuration
The initial ArduPilot configuration for PT1’s VTOL test phase was completed during August. Building on our previous experience with quadcopter configurations, PT1 was configured around ArduPilot’s QuadPlane architecture, which combines multirotor VTOL control and fixed-wing flight modes within the Plane firmware. This established the autopilot setup for the initial hover tests and the foundation for the aircraft’s later transition-flight work. Further tuning, transition setup, and fixed-wing flight validation remain part of the subsequent test phases.
Oratex Wing Covering
The PT1 wings were covered with Oratex during August as part of the aircraft’s preparation for initial flight testing.
Landing-Gear Design and Installation
Carbon bow, aluminum bow, and carbon-tube landing-gear configurations were compared for ground clearance, stability, structural load transfer, and mass. Suitable carbon bow gear was unavailable in stock, so a wooden landing gear was designed and installed as an interim solution for PT1. This provided the aircraft’s ground-support configuration for the initial VTOL test phase.
Early September Update: First VTOL Flight
PT1 completed its first VTOL flight on 6 September during a mini meetup. The flight provided airborne data for evaluating the integrated aircraft and planning the next test cycle. Review of the flight identified yaw-control and propulsion-current measurement issues to address before expanding testing. Transition and fixed-wing flight remain subsequent milestones.
4. Goals for Next Month
- Review the initial flight data and resolve the yaw-control and current-measurement issues.
- Verify propulsion installation, applicable preflight checks, and ground readiness before the next flight.
- Continue controlled VTOL testing and evaluate aircraft response before expanding the flight envelope.
- Plan and execute transition preparations during September, targeting transition flights in early October.
5. Budget & Resource Allocation
Project Expenses
August reimbursements totaled $180.77, covering PA6-CF filament, MR60 connectors, and a hardened hotend assembly for the Bambu X1C printer.
Team Members Compensation
Team compensation totaled $24469.33.
Total
The total August expense of Project Spearhead is $24650.10, consisting of $180.77 in reimbursements and $24469.33 in team compensation.