Posted on rcgroups: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2086287
I'm reposting here... who knows what happens?
Hello all,
I am exploring a crazy idea that just might save lives. Is it possible, I don't know. You guys are the experts. That is why I am here.
There is a refugee camp in the urban part of Damascus that is cut off from supplies. Convoys are turned around. 43 people have already died of starvation. To drop food by regular aircraft would subject the crew to being shot down.
Here is my question. It is possible to build a relatively inexpensive UAV that could fly a 10 mile round trip and drop 20 lbs of food supplies? Then return for more. If so, what size would the aircraft be that can do this? Are then any available commercially? How many cubic inches would be available for this payload?
As I said, this is a crazy idea. I doubt the Syrians would allow it to fly in the local area, but I wanted to see if the concept is even plausible.
Rene
Replies
For a chance to give drones a good reputation, I'm all for it.
I love this idea. This is the kind of thing my EAST program is planning to use ours for! We've been looking for more domestic applications (United States for us) but hey! who knows? If the technology to fix global problems is there, it would be incredibly irrational, even irresponsible, to not use it to its fullest potential.
Chris
I believe a 9kg payload and 8km range are mutually exclusive for multirotors with off the shelf tech.
A "bomb bay" mod on these: might work.
http://www.diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/mugin-3m-v-iii
http://www.diydrones.com/xn/detail/705844:BlogPost:1324685
But you run very close or even over the 20kg weight limit imposed by some authorities.
It might be possible with a hexa based on this setup: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1994599