Flight Payload Hardware and Software

[rgsparber]

Some of you may have thought that the guys in the white coats had taken me away. Nope. I've spent most of the summer updating my Flight Data Recorder with new options.

The orange box is a RunCam camera. The small board with the patch antenna is a GPS. The larger board with a patch antenna is an Iridium Modem.

Attached to the Iridium Modem is a small board that supplies power. It connects via a ribbon to a "shield" which contains a Sparkfun Pro Micro system.

The Flight Data Recorder also has a Pro Micro which is in charge.

Under software control, I can take still pictures or videos. The GPS (or GNSS) receiver feeds me time, lattitude, longitude, and alititude. Those were the easy bits.

The Iridium Modem took most of my time. It permits me to pass data between the Flight Data Recorder and a similar modem anywhere in the world via the Iridium Satellite System. To do this, assuming there are no faults, takes just a few lines of code. To handle the many fault cases and decide what to do about them took 16,000 bytes of code. This is why I needed to add a second processor.

Some of this system will be flown up to around 100,000 feet this fall. The rest will go up in the spring.

My brain hurts...

Rick

[DIYer]

Thanks rgsparber! We've added your Flight Data Recorder to our Electronics category,
as well as to your builder page: rgsparber's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Flight Data Recorder by rgsparber

tags: electronics

[hemmjo]

Ok, so I went through a bunch of your previous posts, looking for a clue what you are going to put this device into. From the title I have to assume it is planned for a flying device since it has something to do with a "flight payload".

100,000 feet is no small task, you can't leave us hanging here, what is the rest of the story?

[rgsparber]

Payload ties to a weather balloon that starts out about 15’ in diameter. When it gets to about 50’, it pops. The balloon is managed by ANSR (Arizona Near Space Research). A typical flight lasts 90 minutes and we drive about 100 miles to retrieve it. The record is 2200 miles (didn’t go after that one). The minimum distance record is 20’. It went up, circled, and came down.

The program is for college students and is sponsored by NASA. The program, Arizona Space Grant Consortium, is “hands on” and has been very effective at drawing students into engineering. It is also great fun to teach. Been doing it for 10 years now.

[Jon]

Congratulations rgsparber - your Flight Data Recorder is the Homemade Tool of the Week!

This is a detailed and complex project that we first heard about here last November, and hopefully we'll get more updates about it in the future. Very nice to see it being developed further.

Some more good builds from this week:

Sheetmetal Cutting Vise by liberal
Die Filer Attachment by David Piper
Olive Wood Awl by Art of Boat Building
Machine Tool Dial Making Fixture by ddickey
Belt Grinder by House_Work
Optocoupler Tester by darkoford
Scraper by Jdplus3
Disc Sander by cuttransformglue
Woodworking Workbench by threesixesinarow
Portable Bandsaw Stand by Savage11
Tilting Vise by Kwandotechnic
Router Table by mariost
Panel Clamps by Make Things
Paring Gouge by Philip Davies

rgsparber - you'll be receiving a $25 online gift card, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and gift card choice and I'll get it sent over right away.

More importantly, this is your 5th Homemade Tool of the Week win! I've just added the silver wrench-on-pedestal graphic to the awards showcase in your postbit, visible underneath your avatar.

Great job, and you're in excellent company joining these other 5-time winners: rossbotics, Christophe Mineau, Brendon, mklotz, Vyacheslav.Nevolya, brianhw, LMMasterMariner, Tuomas, olderdan, and tonyfoale.

Here are all of your wins. Congrats again

CNC Controller by rgsparber

tags: CNC, controller

Irrigation Flow System by rgsparber

tags: farm and garden, electronics

Software Defined Edge Finder by rgsparber

tags: electronics, edge finder

Drill Press Clamp Modification by rgsparber

tags: drill press, clamp

Flight Data Recorder by rgsparber

tags: electronics

[bruce.desertrat]

Well deserved Rick!

[Duke_of_URL]

At 100,000 feet the outside air temperature will be -55C (-67F), so cold soak testing those "commercial-off-the-shelf" items would be advised.
I like it though... great job of integrating it!

[bruce.desertrat]

Typically these packages are enclosed in a thick-walled styrofoam container for both insulation and crush protection. Usually the heat generated from the electronics themselves keep them from getting too cold.

[rgsparber]

We have flown a total of 20 times. Internal temp never below +30 degrees F. Enclosure is made from paper covered 3/8” thick foam board. Amazing stuff.

Rick