Context
The Gimbal project is handled by the Aerospace & Defense industry and also the Fablab Team. It is a subsystem of the 3DExperience demonstrator called « 3DS Quad Flying Wing » which is an UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or drone).
This system combines the VTOL capabilities of a Helicopter with the autonomy & cruise speed of an Aircraft, that means it could take off and land from a ship deck and cover vast areas for inspecting an offshore wind farm.
What it is
The gimbal project has several targets; the first is to design a device which stabilizes two cameras (day and night) installed below the UAV. The second target is to make a real model of the gimbal in the Vélizy’s Fablab.
It’s important to highlight how the 3D printing changes the way of making object and how it modifies the way of designing as well. This project is a perfect example of the 3D printing benefit.
The bill of material is composed with:
- a few structural parts who are going to be 3D printed,
- some electronics components bought online,
- several regular bolts and screws,
How it works
Cameras are stabilized in 3 axis (tilt / raw /pan) due to 3 brushless motors (closed loop system) correcting every movement from the UAV instantly. As a result, the camera broadcast high quality images to a ground control station.
Follow the link to see an example of such stabilization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s37NM9a4eiQ
