WTB: Parachute.

[Mako79]

Sounds silly doesn't it?
The top of the unit has some decent real estate.
The parachute won't block the GPS antenna assuming it won't be made of metal.

I'm only tossing this in the air...
Hypothetically, a deployment parachute triggered based on these events would be nice:
Low zero battery warning if greater than a certain height (say 5 feet, gimbal arm tolerance).
Hard impact (like an airbag, if acceleration is this and deceleration is this, please deploy).
Loss control from prop damage or loss (say the IMU cannot balance fix itself for greater than 3 seconds).

Little warning appears on the FPV. Turn on "find my phantom". Happy customer

I guess DJI have more on their plate..

 

[varmint]

Definitely doable and for not a lot of weight, assuming there's no ballistic mechanization. A simple drag-latch would work, and there are plenty of light-weight parachutes available from the model rocketry circles. With the equipment getting more and more expensive, I'm very surprised there isn't something out there by now. DJI doesn't have ANY incentive to do it themselves, especially for what they charge for parts (if you can get them), or another bird (which they'll gladly sell you). The harder you fall the more money they make.

Here you go: http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/diy-p ... ulticopter

 

[yawnalot29]

Sounds silly doesn't it?
The top of the unit has some decent real estate.
The parachute won't block the GPS antenna assuming it won't be made of metal.

I'm only tossing this in the air...
Hypothetically, a deployment parachute triggered based on these events would be nice:
Low zero battery warning if greater than a certain height (say 5 feet, gimbal arm tolerance).
Hard impact (like an airbag, if acceleration is this and deceleration is this, please deploy).
Loss control from prop damage or loss (say the IMU cannot balance fix itself for greater than 3 seconds).

Little warning appears on the FPV. Turn on "find my phantom". Happy customer

I guess DJI have more on their plate..

I have often thought this would be nice. How would you go about avoiding tangle with the props?

 

[Mako79]

Sounds silly doesn't it?
The top of the unit has some decent real estate.
The parachute won't block the GPS antenna assuming it won't be made of metal.

I'm only tossing this in the air...
Hypothetically, a deployment parachute triggered based on these events would be nice:
Low zero battery warning if greater than a certain height (say 5 feet, gimbal arm tolerance).
Hard impact (like an airbag, if acceleration is this and deceleration is this, please deploy).
Loss control from prop damage or loss (say the IMU cannot balance fix itself for greater than 3 seconds).

Little warning appears on the FPV. Turn on "find my phantom". Happy customer

I guess DJI have more on their plate..

I have often thought this would be nice. How would you go about avoiding tangle with the props?

I'm no chemist...
Use thick metal Guage cables.
Maybe shut the motors off then deploy.
or use a mini guide chute that pulls out the main chute. The main chute can be a singular string in the center.

I think an external component should be made separate to the phantom. Has its own altitude/accelerometer/gps beacon and battery since it's a failsafe.

 

[DBS]

Already available from DroneSystem

http://videos-b-15.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xaf1/10445274_1519454181607715_668882944_n.mp4

 

[Double-D]

Great idea and thanks for the links guys

 

[Helveticus]

Great idea !

But how do we trigger the "ejection" of the parachute on a Phantom... :?:

 

[ladykate]

Great idea !

But how do we trigger the "ejection" of the parachute on a Phantom... :?:

Either use a smart system (some sort of Arduino setup) or rob a channel and trigger it with that. If you use an after-market tx/rx then use an 8th channel.

Interesting video - it was mounted on the bottom, it deployed and the rotors filled the chute and then it was shut off. I would want that to happen automagically.

 

[Mako79]

Great idea !

But how do we trigger the "ejection" of the parachute on a Phantom... :?:

We don't.
Rather have it mounted on the phantom as a seperate bolt on with its own brains and power. If the phantom has no battery, then the NAZA to control the channels to deploy will be pointless.

You could fit a water resistant stand alone GSM GPS tracker that also has the smarts to figure out that its falling too fast or a stabilisation/gyro that compares to the horizon. ie, If it senses an abnormal/abrupt flight pattern because it struck an object or lost a prop, it can self deploy. Watching the phantom descend at 2m per sec means that anything faster than that may as well be the deployment criteria.

When the chute deploys, the GSM GPS tracker then can turn on and send intervalled SOS to a nominated number of its location.

 

[Helveticus]

Well, then it's mostly pointless as far as I'm concerned... I love the idea of a parachute BUT I want to be able to trigger if/when it's deployed !

A separate RC is too heavy and adding a servo on a channel (7-8 etc) may not be possible on a standard P2, P2V or P2V+ with stock controller...

So, looks like we're screwed :|

 

[yawnalot29]

Take a look at this (for purchase)

http://www.banggood.com/Mars-Mini-Parac ... ntent=Aldo

 

[Helveticus]

Yeah, looks nice and not too heavy.

But, how and where do you connect the servo on a P2V+ and then : how do you trigger from stock controller :?:

 

[yawnalot29]

Yeah, looks nice and not too heavy.

But, how and where do you connect the servo on a P2V+ and then : how do you trigger from stock controller :?:

I don't have one. There's a "Live Chat" button on upper right hand corner of the product page. Maybe they can help you. Or maybe go to the manufacture's web site and look for manual.

 

[yawnalot29]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuXKntd70r4

http://www.marsparachutes.com/

 

[varmint]

The Mars parachute system looks great, but I think the "mini" is a little bit too "maxi" for our 350 size Phantoms. Over 3oz is non-trivial.

 

[Helveticus]

For me, not being able to trigger a parachute, or something else, with the stock controller of the Phantom is a good reason to start looking for a more "pro" drone, an hexa or even an octo able to carry a DSLR plus a parachute and a tracker may well be my next target

 

[maher]

I don't really see the need for a parachute but if there is a power failure that cause a total loss of control. Hitting a tree doesn't clear the Phantom enough to make a parachute deploy really effective.

So, may be the chute could be deployed automatically in the event of a loss of power. A mechanism that is directly powered by the battery push a pin that prevent the chute to deploy. No power and a spring release the pin forcing the emergency landing.

Maher