Drone Radio Packs
Auxiliary RF systems for Skydio R1 and S2 drones
2020•Mechanical Engineer•Ravn
Mechanical DesignElectromechanical ArchitectureUAV
Overview
For this project, I designed and built auxiliary radio packs for the Skydio R1 and S2 drones that sent the drone video feed back to a very early Compute Pack prototype and displayed it in a headset.
Antenna housings were designed to flex and bend to avoid damage during handling. Each pack simply clicked into place with no extra fasteners.
Placement was carefully chosen to avoid blocking navigation cameras, and flight testing showed that autonomous flight was not affected.
The drone radio pack for the Skydio 2 also fit inside its case.
The drone radio pack for the Skydio R1 prototype printed in resin.
Final version of the drone radio pack for the Skydio R1.
Accomplishments
- ✓Collaborated with the electrical engineer to define board profiles that fit inside the drone form factors.
- ✓Integrated each radio pack onto its drone and proved the concept in flight.
Lessons Learned
- •I prefer working with SLS nylon over SLA resin when durability during handling is critical.
Skills Used
Mechanical Design CADAdditive Manufacturing