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The following post prompted me to resurrect an idea I dreamed up a
some time ago...
> I posted some picts of the fiesta this year on the web. Now I'm no web
> genius at creating pages so they aren't thumbnailed. I figured that would
> have taken too long for me to figure out. The first couple pages will take a
> while to load for anyone without a fast connection, but the last ones are
> ok. Any tips for making it better are welcome. For anyone who has never been
> to one of these you should take a look. It's very interesting and a lot of
> fun talking to the teams. I found out a lot more about ballooning than I
> would think necessary. There are a few pictures of some of the special
> shapes too. Thanks for looking if you do.
>
> http://www.users.uswest.net/~swrunyan/Fiesta1.html
Hello Scott;
I have had an idea for quite some time, but one significant problem...
Wouldn't it be very cool to design and build LEGO Mindstorms
Skydivers!
These skydivers will be quite large and heavy. I was thinking about
using a large RC aircraft to drop the LEGO skydivers, but a real
balloon would be even better.
I'd start by designing a chute or buying one. I know of at least one
RC company that makes a powered parafoil model. I know the parafoil
is available separately.
I'll have to do some digging on the web. If we can find out all the
details for a parafoil, it would be relatively easy to sew your own
from rip-stop nylon fabric.
I would then conduct a couple drop tests with plain LEGO parachutists
to test the idea. Wouldn't want to risk an RCX too soon in the design
phase! That could be a shattering experience (pun intended). :-)
Then it would be time to build an RCX skydiver. I'd start with a
straight drop with the chute open. Move on to a zip line drop
insuring chute deployment does happen. Then make sure the drogue
pulls out and opens the main chute. I'd use a long line that did pull
the chute if the drogue failed to do so. If all was well you could
move on to the last stage of development.
A fully controlled and timed drop where the RCX deploys the drogue
which opens the main. A drogue may not even be necessary. It will
depend on your chute and the compartment that holds and opens to
deploy it.
Other improvements we could make:
Just imagine this... I know some are working on GPS sensors for the
RCX, or dreaming about it anyways. If the RCX controlled the chute,
you could design and program it to try and hit a preplanned drop zone.
Very cool if it could be done.
Maybe one of our LEGO engineering or electronics types could design a
altimeter sensor for Mindstorms. Then we could deploy the chute just
in time... That would make for really exciting and very scary drops!
Any LEGO fans also into ballooning?
Thoughts?
I'm definitely going to give this a go next spring. Just have to find
an accommodating balloonist. Or build a large RC trainer.
<ICS>
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Message has 5 Replies:
 | | Re: LEGO RCX Skydivers
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| I'm not sure which is scarier... the concept of dropping an RCX or the fact that you would have to "test" the design. I'd really be interested in seeing details of your results, but only if you succeed. hugging my RCX, :?) bishop Ian Sinclair wrote (...) (25 years ago, 5-Nov-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: LEGO RCX Skydivers
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| (...) One might recall the old engineering class competition (MIT? somewhere else?) that involves dropping a protected egg some distance onto a hard surface or the one where the egg is catapulted. In any case, if one presumed that an egg was at (...) (25 years ago, 5-Nov-99, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: LEGO RCX Skydivers
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| (...) I know an accomodating balloonist in the Seattle area. He always has people flying interesting things from his balloons... Let me know if anyone is interested in contacting him. - Christian ---...--- Christian Jacobsen Net-Collect.com (...) (25 years ago, 5-Nov-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: LEGO RCX Skydivers
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| The tough parts are going to be getting the RCX to sign the legal form and pack its own parachute (-: (...) Another idea you should consider, if you are at all up to the technology, is to build a balloon (or blimp) that can lift the RCX/Cybermaster (...) (25 years ago, 6-Nov-99, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: LEGO RCX Skydivers
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| (...) Ummmm... I am acutally finishing an RCX controlled hang-glider at the moment. (Well, maybe "controlled" is pushing it a bit far, but it does bank it right and left.) The RCX is heavy because you have the six alkaline AAs in it, so I took the (...) (25 years ago, 6-Nov-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.robotics)
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