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Building a GPS locating Rocket. — Parallax Forums

Building a GPS locating Rocket.

HsschiefHsschief Posts: 5
edited 2012-10-09 19:59 in Robotics
Hello all, I am very new to this website/forum and I was wondering if you guys could help me.
I am interested in building a model rocket, that when launched, flies to a specific location (GPS). I have no idea where to start, but I did draw up some pictures of what I think might be a good design. If you have any suggestions on what to buy, where to buy it, and how to build one I'd be happy to hear it. I've dabble in rocketry before, but only as a kid, and I'm pretty good with computers and I know a bit of code, I also am very interested in engineering, so i thought this would be a good, hard, fun project to do.
So... Thanks!
Hsschief

Comments

  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2012-09-30 19:37
    Hsschief,

    Welcome to the Parallax Forum!

    You're cognizant, I hope, of the very obvious security implications of your project, and why there might be some reluctance to lend assistance. Can you provide more details regarding your ultimate objectives?

    Thanks,
    -Phil
  • HsschiefHsschief Posts: 5
    edited 2012-09-30 19:52
    Hahahaha, I see now the implication. Well, I am doing it for a fun project, also for college, it looks great on a college application. Also, I was thinking of entering it in a contest, If i put an egg in the middle and it lands without breaking, I can win about $20,000. But, mostly for the fun, and to see if I can do it.
    Thanks!
    Hsschief
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2012-09-30 20:08
    Hsschief wrote: »
    Also, I was thinking of entering it in a contest, If i put an egg in the middle and it lands without breaking, I can win about $20,000.

    I'm curious who is sponsoring this contest? 20 Grand is a pretty heafty prize.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2012-09-30 20:20
    I think you will find that guided rockets are outside the bounds of what is legal.

    You could have the rocket deploy a steerable parachute though.
  • HsschiefHsschief Posts: 5
    edited 2012-09-30 20:43
    W9GFO wrote: »
    I think you will find that guided rockets are outside the bounds of what is legal.

    You could have the rocket deploy a steerable parachute though.

    Well, I think I found a loophole. What if it launches like a normal model rocket, but then then it has wings, like an airplane, and glides down to it's destination? Then it isn't a powered guided rocket, only a guided glider? Oh, and I do not know who is sponsoring it, my physics teacher just showed me the website and I was too careless to write it down. But i'll ask him next time I see him.

    Thanks!
    Hsschief
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2012-09-30 20:51
    The first step would be to choose a microcontroller you want to use and learn some programming basics. My suggestion would be to use a Propeller chip. A QuickStart board is an easy way to get started with the Propeller.

    Once you have some experience with a microcontroller you'd want to get a GPS module that it can communicate with. Parallax sells several modules. SparkFun also has a bunch of GPS modules to choose from.

    You'll be off to a good start once you have your microcontroller talking with the GPS module.
  • HsschiefHsschief Posts: 5
    edited 2012-09-30 20:56
    Ok, well I was thinking there is no need for a propeller. If I have flaps at the back of my wings (like a real airplane), then it could steer with that, and ride off of the wind and the momentum it had from launching.It would have the center of a rocket, like a normal rocket, but then wings attached to the sides, and a tail wing coming off the back end, but above where the combustion comes out. It's a rough idea, but I think it might work.

    Hsschief
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2012-09-30 21:59
    Hsschief wrote: »
    I was thinking there is no need for a propeller

    A Propeller chip. My favorite microcontroller.
  • sylvie369sylvie369 Posts: 1,622
    edited 2012-10-01 05:39
    You will do far better to ask this question first over at The Rocketry Forum. Put it in the Rocketry Electronics and Software section.

    A lot of what you're talking about here has been tried and refined over a few decades by hobbyists. However, you'll find that even among the folks who have been building and flying electronic payloads for decades, no-one has managed a reliable system for what you're proposing here. If you haven't already been flying rockets and gliders and rocket gliders, you're going to have some years' worth of work and testing in front of you.

    There are also some well-informed discussions of the legality.

    I have been involved in a contest to do this with steerable parachutes on two separate occasions. None of the teams succeeded in either contest.
  • Dave HeinDave Hein Posts: 6,347
    edited 2012-10-01 05:49
    Check out Dave Lindberg's project at http://nerdfever.com/?page_id=695 . He started out doing a parasail and then switched to a glider.
  • John KauffmanJohn Kauffman Posts: 653
    edited 2012-10-01 06:55
    Another way to break down the project into phases is to first earn success in two dimensions instead of three. Develop a Boe-Bot that will go to a designated place.
    Unless you are already competent in airplanes you have a one-year project just to learn to fly and modify an RC plane / glider. The experts here are telling you, politely, that your idea is going to be really hard to carry out.

    My advice is that your education will be better served to pick an easier project where you can be sure of success. Some ideas for first projects:
    Do every exercise in the BoeBot text. This gives you an intro to solving many motion problems. You can riff on the autonomous nav at the end to come up with some projects worthy of an admissions example.
    BoeBot with encoder has some directions that include light calculus for predicting radii of curves.
    Parallel parking a Boe-Bot will give a good video and block of code for your college app.
    For a very first project try a study of calibration for sensors or servos under different conditions - you can design a good one and do it in a day. You can get plenty of help here on that because any problems will be easy for us to spot. You can see some calibration curves at www.BoeBotTeacher.com. If you do a good study I will post it there and you can have a sort of "referred and published" project.

    A tip on college apps - build a complete and working project then ask a prof at the university if he would give you 15 mins of office time to critique your work. That contact can get back to the admissions office.

    Overall: Pick an intro project that matches your intro skills. And keep on the engineering track - we need guys like you that are willing to dive into projects early in their life.
  • HsschiefHsschief Posts: 5
    edited 2012-10-01 19:04
    Ah, so no actual propeller?
  • John KauffmanJohn Kauffman Posts: 653
    edited 2012-10-01 19:38
    I was saying BoeBot but PropBot would be better. All code for using prop board with boebot has been worked out.
    If money is tight you might be able to get from ebay or other just the bot chassis and use a prop board directly on that rather than pay for (and not use) the BOE that comes with the BoeBot.
  • AImanAIman Posts: 531
    edited 2012-10-09 16:51
    If this is simply how to get an egg to go the farthest without breaking it go buy a weather balloon, fill it with helium and cradle the egg in something at the bottom.
    If you need to control direction get a micro controller, attach a digital compass, a servo and a DC motor. Hook the DC motor on the servo with the motor turning a simple rc airplane prop that points in the direction you want to go. Make a stablizer for behind the propeller and there ya go.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2012-10-09 19:59
    AIman wrote: »
    If this is simply how to get an egg to go the farthest without breaking it go buy a weather balloon, fill it with helium and cradle the egg in something at the bottom.
    If you need to control direction get a micro controller, attach a digital compass, a servo and a DC motor. Hook the DC motor on the servo with the motor turning a simple rc airplane prop that points in the direction you want to go. Make a stablizer for behind the propeller and there ya go.

    Easier typed than done.
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