Activity #7: UAS Field Day

Class on March 10th was the first break in the record cold winter since the semester started, so Professor Hupy made a last minute decision to get outside. Instead of a project or assignment, we took advantage of the beautiful day (temps into the 50s) by meeting at the Eau Claire Sports Center to test out different forms of UASs. We saw two different rotary copters, a kite, and a rocket; all with cameras attached. Max, who is a physics student at UWEC, was assisting Professor Hupy with flying and calibrating his copter as well as demonstrating his own copter that he is building for a senior project. The kite was interesting because I have never seen a 'real' kite (by that I mean one that wasn't $2 from K-mart with cartoons on it) before and wasn't aware they could support the weight of a camera. This would be relatively cheap, and a form of UAS that I could afford to do on my own. The rocket was fun to watch, despite not working properly. Professor Hupy taped two key-chain cameras (around $10, light weight, and take video) to the rocket that faced down, so that they would take video of the flight. Unfortunately, one of the rocket's engines was put in upside down. The rocket did not achieve much height, and the parachute did not launch (probably because not enough gas filled the tube from only one engine igniting). Either way, we got to see some UASs in action as well as experiment with video from a rocket and spend the day outside. Here are some pictures of the day.

Figure 1 - Professor Hupy's Multicopter

Figure 2 - Carload full of goodies.

Figure 3 - Max's Multicopter

                                       

Figure 4 - A big kite.

Figure 5 - Professor Hupy attaching the camera to the kite.

Figure 6 - Kite in flight.

Figure 7 - Professor Hupy building a bomb...
I mean rocket. A science rocket.

Figure 8 - It's for science, honest.

Figure 9 - Rocket on launch pad.

Figure 10 - Professor Hupy taping the cameras
to the science rocket.

Video - Launch of science rocket.