The VULTURE System - Versatile Unmanned Lingering Terrain Utilization and REcon - Blogs

A semi-autonomous civilian UAV system designed for hunters and fisherman. The current
project is called The VULTURE System (Versatile Unmanned Lingering
Terrain Utilization and REcon ). It will be used to help hunters and fisherman find
game and schools of fish as well as to find the best areas to hunt in and paths to take.

The user will be able to unpack the system take off vertically and look at the view from the air and then circling areas of interest until the hunter, fisherman or team of eithar can reach the location. The system is not designed to be ultra portable from the ground, but more with someone dedicated to ground support at camp or on a boat to guide the team.

Key
Features:

VTOL Capabilities

Long range communications

Long flight duration (<30 minutes)

Autonomous loitering abilities

Waypoint navigation and return to user in the event of not receiving transmissions

Infrared camera for finding game, schools of fish and night time recon

Initial testing of certain functions will be done on a SkyHawk powered glider

Final testing and platform will be a modified Predator pictured above

Thanks for your input. I certainly have considered using a quadcopter and based on other blogs on diydrones they definately are a great platform. Thing is, I do not think I would be able to get the flight time I desire with a quadcopter. What I want to do and my google sketchup rendering will show (when I get around to it) is have some dedicated EDF's for VTOL. The rocket idea also wasn't for lifting the plane vertically, it was for lifting it like a Harrier. Using probally four D or E motors in tandem on strategic points of the airframe, then to be jettisoned after liftoff. While I thought getting four motors to fire at the same time might be tricky, it seems some of the larger rockets already pair motors together and are able to get them fired at the same time. We will see how this plays out in practice, I still have a long way to go before I can even attempt to work on the VTOL or Rocket take-off system, as I need to know where all the other components will go before I work on this step. If I don't what may have been a perfectly nice vertical takeoff will turn into a catastrophe because, the weight of some of the components has shifted the plane off balance......

You need to be a member of diydrones to add comments!

Join diydrones

Comments

Nicholas Winkel April 17, 2011 at 5:51pm

Thanks for your input. I certainly have considered using a quadcopter and based on other blogs on diydrones they definately are a great platform. Thing is, I do not think I would be able to get the flight time I desire with a quadcopter. What I want to do and my google sketchup rendering will show (when I get around to it) is have some dedicated EDF's for VTOL. The rocket idea also wasn't for lifting the plane vertically, it was for lifting it like a Harrier. Using probally four D or E motors in tandem on strategic points of the airframe, then to be jettisoned after liftoff. While I thought getting four motors to fire at the same time might be tricky, it seems some of the larger rockets already pair motors together and are able to get them fired at the same time. We will see how this plays out in practice, I still have a long way to go before I can even attempt to work on the VTOL or Rocket take-off system, as I need to know where all the other components will go before I work on this step. If I don't what may have been a perfectly nice vertical takeoff will turn into a catastrophe because, the weight of some of the components has shifted the plane off balance......
mquintilian April 17, 2011 at 4:12pm

If I were you guys i would certainly look into a quad rotor, you would have VTOL and they can hold a lot of weight if there big enough. I would also not even think of using rocket motor for VTOL, as a former rocket enthusiast you would need quite a large motor (G maybe) and there is no way of controlling them also the large amount of uneven drag would cause the plane to flip and even if you could get it to work, trying to transfer the momentum upon the vertical plane to horizontal would be very tricky. I would go with a STOL system with a spring loaded launcher, the Canadian military has a modified (reaper?) drone with STOL using a hydraulic system.
Nicholas Winkel April 17, 2011 at 12:22pm

Ok, little progress update.... last blog I posted that I was planning on doing a 3d mock-up and a build schedule b/c I wasn't working for 4 days. Well I ended up working 3 of those days so I didn't have much time. Good thing though, bringing in more money to fund this dang project! On the one day off (yesterday) my skyhawk came in the mail straight from China. As this is my 1st R/C it was a little tricky especially with the poor documentation and translating. I assembled it got it into the air and crashed it until I can't even repair it, lol! At least not until I order more parts. I learner a lot though from the building progress.... Will keep you guys informed....
Moderator

Sgt Ric April 15, 2011 at 10:43am

What rifle? That thing's a bloody machine gun!

For hunting?

Only in America...
Mike April 15, 2011 at 8:11am

You have got the rifle - you only need a barrel for the fish...
Nicholas Winkel April 14, 2011 at 1:33pm

Just got off the phone with a gentleman for a company that sells nitro engine alternators, they are are $1200 and he said a system with a battery charger would probably be about $2500. Ouch, that's going to have to either wait until the end of the build cycle or be fabricated manually.....
Nicholas Winkel April 12, 2011 at 11:29pm

Not asking anyone to support it (unlees they want to). The project got accepted at Pozible.com -> http://www.pozible.com.au/index.php/archive/index/957/description/0/0
Nicholas Winkel April 12, 2011 at 10:52pm

It is not discounted... I would like VTOL if possible, however b/c I would like it to be launched from a boat. Under ideal circumstances I think STOL would be the preferred for less power consumption.
Lew Payne April 12, 2011 at 10:44pm

Let's not discount STOL (short take-off and landing) capability, as well. With just a little bit of clear ground, an STOL approach can be just as fruitful.
Nicholas Winkel April 12, 2011 at 10:42pm

Yes you do win... lol, I got 4 days off in a row after tomorrow morning I am going to post a 3d mock-up of the modifications that I am going to make to the predator airframe for VTOL and where the other systems will go (hybrid powerplant, etc.,), I think everyone will be surprised with the mock-up, and be able to see what I see. I am also going to post a build schedule which will break the build down into segments...

One part of the system arrived today.... the USB RCA card so that I can view video on my laptop. Other stuff should be arriving soon (Airframes, camera, etc.) then it will be time to order more stuff, according to the build schedule.

of 4

This reply was deleted.