Field Report 1

 Intro

    Prior to our field operation we went over through the process of setting up the bramor and we were given the bramor checklist in our lecture. This step was vital to allow each member of the flight crew to understand what the process should look like and a comprehension of the more intricate steps. A checklist is vital for any aviation related procedure because it promotes the safest and efficient way to complete the designated task. The order of the checklist is especially vital because completion of steps not in the designated order can lead to damage to the aircraft and introduce additional hazards to the flight operation. The operation at the flight location could be broken into four broader steps. The first step was designating the launch location and direction according to weather and obstacles. The second step was the setup of the catapult and drone for flight condition. The third step was designing a flight plan that presented limited hazards to the aircraft. The final step was the planning and deployment of the chute for recovery of the aircraft.

Mission Environment

    The Operation Area was the Martell forest which provided the flight crew many advantages and possible hazards. The advantages of the location were: a large open area, lines of short grass, and tree line that blocked low level winds. The hazards of the location were: line of cars parked alongside road, tree lines presents many obstacles, and poles displaced through the fields. Separate from the location was the affects of weather on the mission. A northwesterly wind meant the catapult was placed facing the entry road that had cars parked alongside it. The sky was completely clear of clear of clouds or any precipitation and therefore it did not play a factor in mission planning or actual flight. The temperature was 16 Degrees Centigrade which is well within the aircrafts operating limitations but likely affected the battery duration. 

Figure 1: Picture taken from POV of the Catapult

Flight Details

1. Equipment readings
1. 12 satellites on the GNSS
2. 12 volts on the COM BOX
3. Communication – 30 decibels
2. Summary of Flight
1. Date of Flight
1.  9/23/2021
2.  Launch Time
1. 10:30 AM
3. Landing Time
1. 10:45 AM
4. Duration
1. 15 minutes of flight 

Newly Learned Procedures

1. Initializing Sensors using: OAT (Outside Air temperature) 
2. Parachute Hatch
1. Closing and deploying to confirm servos
3. Manual Mode
1. Used to check flight controls and their proper operation and readings to GCS
4. Motor Test
1. Held firmly away and tested using GCS tablet
2. Return to Safe mode 
5. Bungee arming
1. crank to red line 
6. Deployment
1. Pull pin hard and away from your body
2. Brace Catapult with your foot

Issues Encountered

An important part of aviation is perpetual improvement and it often comes off the back of errors and accidents. During the parachute phase of this flight a gust of wind carried the aircraft into the tree line. The aircraft was undamaged and easily reachable but a lesson was still learned. The crew learned to provide more area for wind drift when selecting the landing point and to monitor changing weather conditions prior to landing. 

Figure 2: Aircraft Seconds before landing in the Tree Line (Actual resting point not shown)