UAV - Why?

[bhansson]

While most of the threads in this group deal with very specific technical solutions, I am not finding too many that deal with what is to be accomplished.

If I was to build an UAV I would probably want to send it on a mission to take photographs or movies on an area unreachable by a conventional RC plane and come back and let me land it. Is that a realistic goal? Is anybody else trying to do the same thing?

Or is the goal of your UAV project less ambitious, such as just staying in the air by itself, or maybe as a backup in case of radio failures?

BH

[kd7ost]

I've used mine in the manner you descibe. Remote sensing of all sorts is what people generally have in mind. Of course there are a fair amount of builders just anxiious to take their RC hobby to a higher level. Guys that mix flying and robotics. To them, just getting systems build and integrated is great fun. Some people are about the destination. Some, about the journey. Some are both. There's room for all.

Dan

[workshop]

"Guys that mix flying and robotics. To them, just getting systems build and integrated is great fun."

:eek:

Count me in that group! This is the most fun I've ever had! UAV work requires a little bit of everything: flying, soldering, programming, mechanics, more flying, cartography, geography, electronics, electrics, fail-safe planning, mission planning, integration, more flying, data recording and analysis, more soldering and best of all; teaching a microcontroller in a few weeks/months what took one years to learn: controlled flight! :D

Jeff W. Parisse
www.teslacoil.com

[typicalaimster]

My goal is to fly a certain distance from Point A to Point B. Although it's not as elaborate as some of the other missions it's still a challenge. I started out flying regular R/C, then moved on to flying pattern. While I enjoyed pattern, it became boring. I started enjoying the hobby more when I installed a video camera and video downlink system. I could actually fly an airplane FPV (From the Pilots View) without having to leave the ground. The addition of autonomous systems gives the thrill of planning missions and executing them. Watching your vehicle 'come home' on its own is the greatest feeling.

[UserName Here]

UAV's can do all sorts of stuff, I personally have no projects but I enjoy researching them, the United states military has an electric UAV that, if im not mistaken, can stay aloft for more than 10 hours taking high definition videos and photos, this isnt a large plane, in fact it is hand luanched by its handler. The only human interaction is a point and click destination and flightpath system. A lot can be done with them, and in the militaries case they do excactly what you are saying.



-John

[Tuner]

Just to through this in I want to build a swarm of UAV that can do Synchronized aerobatics at night with lights.

I bet I could sell this to a Vegas Hotel as an attraction someday at least.

Or better yet imagine controlling a goup of 50 airplanes as if they were one plane.