THE INFLATABLES /// FDC 2014

Laurent de Kalbermatten / Jodoc Elmiger / Hassan Mustapha / Andreas Lazzoretto

Table of contents

1. Introduction 32. Main specification 43. Weight budget 54. Bill of material and cost estimation 65. Mechanical design 76. Project millstones 8

1. Introduction

Team the inflatables was created in the very first days of 2014.Knowing from the challenge for month, jodoc, surfing on YouTube, thought that with all incredible knowledge and intelligence on the web it will be interesting and challenging to create a team based only on its YouTube visibility and demo's.

2The inflatables /// FDC 2014

The main idea was: why to create a new system from A to Z if it already (partially) exists?

Now jodoc's task was to find interesting people but also interested people on this challenge. He had some disappointments and wrong ways but after some intensive work, hours of late surfing, he found some jewel in that cybernetic mine.

In order to be quick enough the best way was to find an existing platform that was able to fill the main criteria of the flying donkey challenge … be as simple and robust as a donkey. Jodoc remember once to have seen a shaky video of a very curious and funny machine named the woopy jump. In less than 5 minutes the contact was established with Laurent the free flight living legend. No later than a week later, the 2 meet in Laurent alibaba's cavern, talking and conceptualizing a new version of the existing machine into something totally new. The inflatable's team was born.

Now to be effective and to Furth fill with the rules, we decided to find a contact in Kenya, hopefully a very enthusiastic and passionate guy named Hassan, had coated a Facebook group around drones in Kenya, probably one of the only one there.Cherry on the cake he was also student in the Kenya Aeronautic College, that will help us in the future to share our mutual knowledge.

Once again the contact and the interest was quick …team is now 3Finally we get the contact with Andreas a kind of 2.0 genius that will help us not only in 3D aspect but also with the heavy task of bringing to life a viable autopilot.

Now our team is 4 and it will certainly grow during 2014 as we know that we will need many help form professionals.Time and expanses will be big, and the way to the final step of the challenge will be long but this project is just fabulous and even if we cant reach the ultimate goal, we will enjoy each step of this incredible journey to a better world.

2. Main specifications

To match with the challenge requirements, many options have been studied, from small turbine helicopter to gas powered multicopter and from electric epp airplane to gas powered paraglider.

With all the information in mind and the strong aim to meet the spirit of this challenge we had to find the perfect low cost, but practical end efficient system.

3 The inflatables /// FDC 2014

The platform must be superstupidsimple. The woopy concept was in our mind the best answer.

2.1 Light weight, easy to transport, foldable and cheap (less than 5000$ per donkey once in commercial production)

2.2 Easy to manufacture easy to repair and extremely simple to handle.

2.3 Technical specifications:

MTO weight 60 kg Empty weight 35 kg Payload 20 kg Autonomy 4 h @ 65 km/h Top speed 100 km/h STOL fully loaded take-off 30 m landing 10 m 20 hp gas powered motor (unloaded standard fuel 95 octane) 4.5m wingspan 95% made of fabric & aluminium

Control system with openpilot

global kalman filter Advanced Wind résistance auto take-off, waypoint navigation & landing 3D waypoint primitives image lock using module camera or optic flow, ground target ground distance detection with optic flow collision avoidance system with 360° camera GPS denied flight with vision based navigation system RF beacon

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3. Weight budget

To match with the challenge requirements, the drone must be as light as possible.With simple technology, a lot of creativity, we can reach a very good MTO to payload ratio.

Wing made of light rip stop fabric: 5 kg Internal structure wing (main boom) 1 kg Blower system complete 0.5 kg Motor complete incl electric starter 17.5 kg Base and wheels / skids 4.5 kg Payload box (2) 2 kg Electronic actuators and autopilot 1.5 kg Propeller 1 kg Fuel 5 kg Battery 2 kg

4. Bill of material and cost estimation*

Wing made of light ripstop fabric: 1500 $ Internal structure wing (main boom) 200 $ Blower system complete 150 $ Motor complete incl electric starter 1500 $ Base and wheels / skids 500$ Payload box (2) 100 $ Electronic actuators and autopilot 500 $ Propeller 200 $ Battery 50 $total 4'700$

All manufacturing steps from raw material to final assembly and quality test, will be easily done in Africa except some specific parts such battery, electronic components, etc.Sewing (the wing) will also help in creating woman based business, a strong way to reinforce a country development.

* Note: This BOM is VERY PRELIMINARY and Is only meant as a gross estimate for the moment.

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5. Mechanical design

the drone design will be based on the Woopy-fly ultra light. the main aspect will be ease of use, simplicity, low maintenance cost.the main components will be inflatable wing, pendulum drive, back motor with protective propeller cage, pusher propeller, four stroke motor.

Note that if within the 5 next years battery technology will improve doing an electric version of the woopydrone will be a breeze, furthermore that an electric prototype has already flown well in Africa.

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6. Project milestones 2014

6.1kick-off // COMPLETE

6.2 Initial specification freeze // COMPLETE

6.3 pendulum drive control // non profit organisation

6.4 autopilot development & powertrain test //

6.5 flight test //

6.6 flight in Kenya //

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6.1 Kick-off - COMPLETE

Milestone date: end of December 2013

Milestone description: This is the beginning of the project, initial team is created,

main ideas are validated, time and expanses are evaluated

Work to reach next milestone: specifications of hardware, fabric, material

6.2 Initial specification freeze - COMPLETE

Milestone date: beginning February 2014

Milestone description: Initial specifications for the woopydrone. This includes approximate size, MTO, Payload, flight domain, main sensing capabilities.

Work to reach next milestone: specifications of hardware, sensors, power train

driving system, funding hunt. Creation od a non profit association to be able to get

the grant donations and funds.

6.3 Pendulum drive control / Non profit organisation

Milestone date: beginning end of June 2014

Milestone description: conceptualizing and designing a simple system to drive the drone with cheap linear or servo actuators, mock-up test, mock-up flight test.

funding hunt, participative websites, private foundations, DDC Switzerland etc..

Creation of a non profit association under by Articles 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code.

Work to reach next milestone: first RC flights test, autopilot design power train and

main body design

6.4 Autopilot development & powertrain test

Milestone date: July 2014

Milestone description: autopilot test on mock-up, RC test of 1:1 prototype platform with test of various powertrain systems, Swiss civil aviation certification

Work to reach next milestone: intensive flight test, workshop with African team in

Switzerland

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6.5 Flight test

Milestone date: October 2014

Milestone description: workshop with African team, 2 students from Kenya Aeronautic college, autopilot test on 1:1 prototype platform , sensor test, beacon test, payload test, solid data for final specification, cold and hot flights, high altitude test, wind resistance test.Work to reach next milestone: Kenya trip preparation.

6.6 Flight in Kenya

Milestone date: November 2014

Milestone description: trip to Kenya, logistic organisation, tools and spare part reserve, field recognition, weather analysis, workshop organisation, KAC presentation.Work to reach next milestone: GPS denied navigation, budget hunt phase 2.next milestone definition.

9 The inflatables /// FDC 2014