Devlog 4: CAD Day!

Today, I completed the body frame of the drone with the addition of a Pi Camera Module 2 mount; I also worked on improving the battery holder design, this time ensuring it can be added and removed without extreme disassembly.

Cool Things:

• I tinkered around with the “Convex Polyhedron” OnShape featurescript to make the drone’s body have a low poly aesthetic
• Added Colors!

Main Things:

• I developed the Pi Camera Mount, having the mount protrude outwards from the X-wing configuration and angle thirty degrees downward.
  • The Pi Camera was added because it provides future upgrade possibilities regarding software decisions, as well as gives the opportunity to get some footage of the drone (I also had two Pi Cams in my stash)
  • There was lots of experimentation regarding this part. I tried using lofts to make the camera mount first and then loft outwards, but frustratingly I was not able to get the geometry to work (too tight of geometry to be lofting like that!)
  • I ended up using the Convex Polyhedron Featurescript, which allowed me to select a few points and enclose an area with a low-poly extruded body, which I then hollowed out to create more overflow space for wiring
  • I finally added some material pockets, mainly for aesthetics. I will need to evaluate the printability of this part and the pockets will be the first thing to be edited if it bars printability.
• The battery holder received minor improvements regarding tolerances and the addition of the closer arm, which is mounted by two screws on each side
  • I added more space for the battery
• The spacing between the top and bottom plates received an update, increasing 10mm so that a Dynamixel XL430 can fit within the drone’s frame (for the design of the manipulator)
  • This also resulted in the arm tube clamp being changed

Next Things to Do:

• Start Arm/Manipulator Development
• Finish Tilt Pods (add m2 push rods)
• Update the BOM