pankonen
commented
9 months ago I'll be walking through the current payloads Friday 12/8 and how we put them together. We will also spend the last session int eh classrooms doing the same with the students. As of now we use a foam cooler used to ship prescriptions through the mail. We have adapted mounts for the action cameras that sandwich the foam. We use duct tape or gaffing tape to mount items and to seal the payload that also doubles to help with visibility. They could most certainly print the camera holders as long as we can get them ahead of payload building. I've assigned Josh V (@snarfattack ) to add his thoughts.
I love the idea of this and have been wanting to print one ourselves but I'm not sure we are ready for it. We have many of variables to make sure we have successful flights if we can maybe my opinion can be changed:
- We would need to validate all things are met every payload at every school. I don't have the hours to do so right now. We already take 5-20 hours to prepare the coolers we fly now.
- We have been successful retrieving 2-3 payloads where the parachute failed. The foam coolers have been very successful absorbing the shock
- We would need to mount the cameras, battery packs, data loggers, radio components, antennas, and emergency contact information
- They would need to manage the extreme temperatures without:
- Cracking / crumbling etc
- Insulating the components for the duration of the flight as most of it cannot operate below -10c
- Not fail from flight / structure stress in the cold temps
- UV stable
I'm sure I'm missing other thoughts...
We got a look at the 3D printed box today in the classroom. It is likely that all of the schools this year have 3d printing capabilities. Is it too big of a jump to have the students design and print a box or print the box using the pattern currently in play? Can they do more to design and build the payload structure and how components in the payload are secured?