Prox Dynamics Newsletter Q3-2008
A new member in the Prox Dynamics team
Prox Dynamics is pleased to announce that Pål Hagh Sandberg joined the Prox Dynamics team on June 1st. His main task will be as test engineer/test pilot for the Hornet series. He will also be responsible for the PD-250C.
Pål has experience in both mechanical engineering, as a model builder and as an expert model helicopter pilot. He is practically grown up in his grandfathers work shop, where he later also worked with CAD design and other machining tools. His education includes electronics, digital technology and microcontrollers.
Hornet-1 prototype makes first flight
The Hornet-1 prototype helicopter made its first flight on July 18th 2008, piloted by test pilot Pål Sandberg. The maiden flight took place at Prox Dynamics’ facilities in Asker, Norway, and lasted for 2 minutes. Take off, forward and turning flight and landings were performed.
“This is a very exiting moment for us,” says Petter Muren, CEO, “we started with a white sheet of paper in April, and now 3 months later we are airborne”. Previous experience in micro helicopters obviously paid off. Most of the technology put into the Hornet-1 has never been tested in a complete system, but worked well above expectations.
The Hornet-1 is a first prototype of the PD-100 Black Hornet and PD-100C Nano-UAS. Weighing less than 15 grams with a rotor diameter of 100 mm, it has the same dimensions and weight as the production versions, but with a much simpler avionics package. To the contrary of earlier ProxFlyer designs, the Hornet-1 uses a single main rotor and a fixed pitch tail rotor. Flight controls are based on standard radio control augmented by an own developed yaw gyro system. A micro camera with a one way video link will be installed in the near future.
The Hornet-1 will primarily be used to verify the concept of the rotor system mechanics, gather aero dynamical data and to some extend demonstrate the operational concept of nano-UAS to potential users. The Hornet-1 will be followed by a number of refined prototypes, allowing the technology to expand with it. “One of the great advantages of building very small systems is the ability to develop prototypes very fast and at a very low cost” says Trygve Marton, CTO. “Everything from labs to test sites is smaller, and we expect to reduce building time to a few days for the next prototypes”.
Presently the Hornet-1 has already made many successful flights, each followed by adjustments to both flight controls and the mechanics. Currently it is a stable platform with predictable performance providing us with valuable experience for the next prototype.
Prox Dynamics releases their PDS-2 nano servo
The PDS-2 nano servo is a 0.5 gram digital proportional servo with a 30 gram output. It was developed especially for the Hornet-1 prototype flight controls. Probably the smallest mechanical servo ever produced, especially considering its performance. It is a linear servo with 10 mm travel, and it runs from stop to stop in less than 0.2 seconds, and has an accuracy of 0.1 mm, or better than 1 %.
Being a critical component of the Hornet-1 we had to focus on developing the servo before we could do substantial work on the helicopter. “This is almost like clockwork, we have to make it under a microscope” says Geir Morten Mellem, responsible for the hardware and digital electronics in the servo. The PCB is an integral part of the servo structure, but it still takes days to build one. A next generation servo is already envisioned, using an in-house developed brushless motor.
The servo was tested using regular radio control equipment. A certain interest from the model airplane society could be expected, but the price tag is probably prohibitive for such customers. It is however shipped in small numbers to an undisclosed customer.
PD-250C ready for deliveries
The PD-250C also recently made its first flight, and is scheduled to be ready for deliveries from August 1st this year. First, a free downloadable set of drawings for non-commercial use will be made available. Later, a complete ready to fly version will be available on order. This will retail for US$ 3000, providing educational and scientific institutions with a handmade high precision micro helicopter for indoor use. Read more...
Prox Dynamics makes it to national television
On Prox Dynamics first day of operations, Petter Muren and his ProxFlyer MAV-07 were featured on Norwegian national television.
The small 30 gram helicopter is camera equipped, and live video was transmitted from the airborne UAV to the many homes of Norwegian citizens several times during the show. “A perfect start for a new company with ground braking technology” was the comment received afterwards.
Though the ProxFlyer MAV-07 is far from what Prox Dynamics will achieve with its PD-100 Black Hornet, it made its point very clear to many people. Even a relatively simple camera equipped Nano-UAS provides many new opportunities.
Petter Muren
PROX DYNAMICS AS
(+47) 47 39 59 18