Project Proposal

[2/4/17]

[Ben Timm]

Proposal: Drone Build

Building a drone from nothing but old RC parts

Needs and Opportunities

This project will be a learning experience for me, because it will help me become more familiar with the circuitry required for machines to function properly. My goal is to create a drone that can fly, steer, and land successfully.

Audience / Clients / Users

Many different types of people could benefit from this project. For example, people who accidentally broke their drones, and are looking for help, or someone who just wants to k now how to make a drone. Other people might include, people interested in some kinds of engineering, or physics.

Mentors

In this particular project, some people who I could ask to mentor me could be someone who is good in RC projects. Someone like an engineer. One of my dad’s friends is an engineer who is very good at the construction of RC contraptions. His name is Brian Waller. I would ask him to give me the basics of circuitry, and show me how to make an RC toy work properly.

Timeline

What is your monthly timeline for this project? I want to see a list of deliverables with deadlines. You may find that the timeline needs adjustment during the course of the year, which may be fine. Check in with me if that’s the case.

February 17	First Sketches and Prototypes being drawn
February 24	Prototypes are being constructed
March 3	Choose the best design for the project
March 10	Start building the best design
March 24	Finish building the best design
March 31	Begin testing of design, and critique if necessary
April 7	Finish critiques
April 14	Take design out for final test
April 21	Make final critiques to design
April 28	Test for the final time
May 5 (Prep for Presentation Day)	Drone is complete
May 12 (Presentation Day)	Presentation

Product

The actual product that I will be showing in the spring is a fully functioning drone, that can be controlled remotely.

Technology

I will use technology in my presentation by showing videos in the background of me flying my drone, and obviously the drone itself.

Reality Check

I have most of the parts that I need in order to create a drone, since I have an excess of RC parts laying around, I only anticipate as much as $20 max to create this drone. If that indeed happens, I will use that $20 to but the part that I need.

Possible Roadblocks

Some roadblocks that I could possibly come across are part failures, not enough parts, or I might just not have enough time. I can overcome these roadblocks by buying the parts that I need and make time in my schedule by planning ahead so I therefore have time.

Conclusion

I am very excited about this project, and I think I can do it. This project would not only be a great learning experience for me, but it would help me later in life to have this experience so I could fix things with electricity, make things, and possibly help others.