We had the opportunity to build a rover for a demonstration that Northrop Grumman just had. Thought I would share it.
The basic idea was to help address the bad wrap drones get from the news. NGC has been using something they call a Global Innovation Summit to demonstrate drones capabilities that helps humanity. This year was a beta test for a team of drones that will fight simulated fires that represent disasters around the globe. Bellow is a picture of the field. They marked out the world with boxes that would deploy simulated fires.
They had 5 teams: Fixed wing Eye in the Sky that loitered waiting to identify fires and their location, this info was relayed back to command that dispatched either a fixed wing fire bomber(fight Forrest fires), multi rotors supply (drops supplies into a disaster area), or a heavy lift multi rotor that delivered a rover(fight urban fires). Everything was completed through FPV on board each vehicle, all teams and pilots were blind to the actual field. Every team was asked to perform tasks manually, semi-auto and fully auto.
Check it out, all 100% designed and built in house at our high school. I am new to this so I apologize for lack of detail just ask and I will do my best to answer.
Gallery of Pictures
Northrop Grumman Global Innovation Summit Demonstration 2017
Video of GRover Speed Runs
Local Newspaper Student engineers test custom drones
Specs:
Carbon fiber chassis 12"x10"x6" Weight 2.9 lbs
Drive line: twin modified 1/18 scale latrax rally drive line with solid axle with custom machines out drives mamba micro motor.
Pixhawk mini w/telemetry. Running Q Ground Control. (We had difficulty with any missions as we need to develop for our specific drive train.)
Dual receiver w/ drive by wire mixing on spektrum dx8 for skid steer
5" 3D printed abs wheels, for in wheel suspension.
Silly string can aiming single axis gimbal, 3D printed servo mount for actuating silly string.
All of the vehicles were running pixhawk minis, and using mission planner for autonomous missions.
NGC had everyone run three levels of control. Each tested at different times.
Level 1- Manual
Level 2- Semi- Autonomous
Level 3- Fully Autonomous.
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