Wayne Dancer's Posts

Single Sensor For Static and Dynamic Pressure

Posted by Wayne Dancer on January 3, 2012 at 7:42am

While looking at new products on GlobalSpec, I came across this sensor from Delta Metrics. Delta Metrics (a subsidiary of tecsis DBA) has created a single sensor to measure both static and dynamic pressure simultaneously, reducing the complexity of implementing an airspeed sensor. More information is available through Delta Metrics.

Image from Globalspec.com

DIY Radio Altimeter ::Updated::

Posted by Wayne Dancer on December 3, 2010 at 2:30pm

Here is a DIY radio altimeter designed by Matjaž Vidmar. It is a good start for anyone looking at a non-GPS method of finding altitude while landing.

There are no schematics or source code available on the site, but it is a good design reference and it does give the PCB layout of the microwave circuit. That alone helps
immensely as that is the most difficult part of an RF design.

::Update::
Found another vertical radar project on his website with much more documentation.

Electronic Valve and Ignition Timing For Model Gas Engines

Posted by Wayne Dancer on June 25, 2009 at 10:22am

Via Hack-A-Day, here is an electronically controlled RC gas engine. With more development, this could lead to more efficient RC engines by skipping power cycles. This would allow longer flight times while at cruising speed.

Biological Dangers to Drones

Posted by Wayne Dancer on June 24, 2009 at 9:29am

With more and more small drones being put into the air by the military, companies, individuals like us we will start to see more incidents like this one;

Raptor attack! from Billwhit on Vimeo.

Granted, the owner of this RC plane also designed it to look like a hawk, but the military will probably start to camouflage small drones to look like birds to draw attention away from low-level flights. Have any of you experienced situations like this? I know the WowWee Dragonfly already had this issue.Source: Jalopnik Source: Engadget