SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492024-03-28T11:29:39-06:00SparkFun ElectronicsToni_K on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionToni_Kurn:uuid:3bc277ff-ba40-fa4c-4b6d-28136fedbfcf2012-08-10T14:28:14-06:00<p>You can try checking out the preview video at http://www.sparkfun.com/news/871, which should have some of the rules. I'm not sure why the other links don't direct to live pages. We'll look into that!</p>
Customer #23025 on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionCustomer #23025urn:uuid:895570f4-618f-09a9-a546-60395a9470da2012-08-08T22:27:27-06:00<p>http://www.sparkfun.com/products/11069 just takes me to http://learn.sparkfun.com/- is there a live page that still has the rules on them?</p>
MichaelShimniok on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionMichaelShimniokurn:uuid:1fdcab92-5980-2565-cb21-25517c96e12b2012-01-06T12:45:45-07:00<p>Err... except I'm on the backorder list :( I hope 5 of you fail and give up soon. :D :D :D</p>
TeslaFan on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionTeslaFanurn:uuid:6be67101-0eec-cf0e-f9ac-c348d2f658ca2011-12-19T15:08:47-07:00<p>Ok... So the UPS truck drives up this afternoon and delivers unto me a package... with...<p>wait for it...</p><p>Nothing in it.</p><p>Just a packing slip for qty (1) CLS-11069 Autonomous Vehicle Competition, 2012.</p><p>Methinks your shipping system needs some tweaking. LOL. Usually, when the effort to ship something is warranted, an actual item to ship is associated with that effort.</p></p>
IllogicGate on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionIllogicGateurn:uuid:134da384-ac5b-1ace-d738-e1d0975fe36e2011-12-17T15:02:15-07:00<p>whaaaa... entry limit was reached... I thought I might be able to think about registering this year... no fair... I didn't see this until today... whaaaaaaa...</p>
IllogicGate on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionIllogicGateurn:uuid:26435573-95e8-6feb-8476-9817d77ea4382011-12-17T14:47:19-07:00<p>And that was why homeschooling was invented.</p>
MichaelShimniok on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionMichaelShimniokurn:uuid:97680e4c-5f6c-e519-8ac3-53a12a8a22b82011-12-16T14:30:38-07:00<p>Sweet! Thanks for the early notice. Data Bus was excited when I told him. We're both happy to know it's during a warm/dry time of year, too.</p>
Stev067 on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionStev067urn:uuid:40c60bf8-6e86-0b4d-b759-5f1ebeb697522011-12-16T08:58:57-07:00<p>Don't forget the tail rotor!</p>
Pete-O on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionPete-Ourn:uuid:237a89c1-b628-6b1d-6b03-0291dd174d392011-12-16T08:39:14-07:00<p>Wha...? Already? Key-ripes. I better send out an email today.</p>
GreenLite on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionGreenLiteurn:uuid:2d540d56-8b19-397c-a98f-303445ed7af72011-12-16T08:20:05-07:00<p>only two seats left?</p>
Pete-O on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionPete-Ourn:uuid:ab51259d-2feb-38aa-d8c1-edc53ea4e05e2011-12-16T07:44:47-07:00<p>Hovercraft = ground vehicle, and I did approve the Horizon Hobby version of the Pogo for someone yesterday. But yeah, we're trying to have as few blades running at crowd level as we can.</p>
scharkalvin on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle Competitionscharkalvinurn:uuid:0aa2b0dc-0fe8-7291-ab1e-990d6638776c2011-12-16T06:58:01-07:00<p>Yeah great video but I guess you missed my hint or I've dated myself here. Guess no one here has heard of Tezuka.</p>
RichardK_Solar on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionRichardK_Solarurn:uuid:b2e80381-f20f-6710-a87f-d402d6cc0e2c2011-12-16T06:38:54-07:00<p>.</p>
RichardK_Solar on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionRichardK_Solarurn:uuid:0f8f1ba3-5ac6-c98c-89e7-5b593415f3cc2011-12-16T06:38:54-07:00<p>.</p>
RichardK_Solar on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionRichardK_Solarurn:uuid:e7f6c6a9-4c47-0529-8402-37fa524a92572011-12-16T06:38:53-07:00<p>The problem with blade gards is that it makes the vehicle heavier, therefore you need bigger motors and props..and batteries.. you see where i´m getting.
The second and bigger problem is that prop gards usually cover only the edges of the blades, not the middle.
When there´s an out-of-control multirotor craft flying towards you, you naturally tend to protect yourself with your hands and they are 80% likely to hit a 10kPRM+ rotating prop, since the area on a multirotor is mostly ..rotating props.
I almos lost a finger like that. I´ve built a hexacopter and had it on top of a table for testing while i was facing the blades from above. Accidentaly a friend of mine hit the start switch while the throttle was set over 50%. Imagine 6 blades coming toward my face in half a second all of a sudden. It wasn´t pretty but thank God nothing to serious happened.
I like the idea of building a "cage-like-arena" of some sort, tho.</p>
Wylly on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionWyllyurn:uuid:845853d3-5de7-8cd5-9b9d-57f9412983eb2011-12-16T02:34:13-07:00<p>I'm trying to build a quadcopter and I'm already planning on a blade guard. That was my first thought when doing a thrust test. I thought that blade would chop my head off if the prop went missing, and it was not a nice thought. As you mentioned the easiest way to do it is similar to the fan ones. I'm using a metal mesh to build it but it would be a pretty cool product to buy.</p>
Ben121 on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionBen121urn:uuid:7e201eb3-8a9a-4a7b-07b3-c303fa6726602011-12-16T02:05:51-07:00<p>Yup Support no quads;
until the designs become sane - and yes, there are some fully enclosed designs.</p>
Customer #25355 on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionCustomer #25355urn:uuid:3690f3e2-089f-40af-f6ee-e7e3140a293a2011-12-16T00:32:22-07:00<p>Aww.. We are already 90% done with our quadcopter! ... ... meh</p>
schlick on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle Competitionschlickurn:uuid:8dd93eda-84f5-b4fa-47b5-8b0f631dc7f42011-12-15T23:40:18-07:00<p>Boooo!!! no copters!!!! booo!!!<p>You should just require a safety inspection to enter. Pass/fail to enter.</p><p>there are reasonably safe designs!</p><p>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RK_rl6oXfo</p></p>
elmer_fud on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle Competitionelmer_fudurn:uuid:2dd3b8f0-6d75-07a7-379b-99af14deabb12011-12-15T20:56:35-07:00<p>I like the idea of requiring a blade guard on the aircraft and then allowing quadracopters.</p>
ScottH on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionScottHurn:uuid:3f9fed94-e11d-96db-c88b-df480e9314072011-12-15T20:13:13-07:00<p>So are hovering aircraft allowed? I.e. if the vehicle doesn't have a tail rotor (not a helicopter) and only has one or two props (not a quadcopter), is that OK? Would something like the Convair pogo (http://youtu.be/Nh9dhBJY010) be allowed?<p>Or is the intent to ban eye-level, hovering vehicles so that most of the race is conducted at a "safe" altitude?</p><p>Finally, does a hovercraft count as an air or a ground vehicle?</p></p>
Jesse214 on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionJesse214urn:uuid:02103978-e512-5597-5cd4-d368cb1590c32011-12-15T19:50:39-07:00<p>How about just ONE engine... we'll call it a "helicopter".</p>
BB on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionBBurn:uuid:d05fa523-b7d4-65b1-15bd-6ee6659f80df2011-12-15T19:48:51-07:00<p>Am I missing something? Isn't the prospect that the audience can be gored by a frenzied, autonomous, airborne death-bot one of the main <em>draws</em> of this competition?<p>It's like those bullfights in Spain, where you only go there to see the matador get ripped to shreds by the bull, uh, right?</p></p>
Robdrech on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionRobdrechurn:uuid:0508baf2-f55c-de36-ad63-99139844db1e2011-12-15T17:19:42-07:00<p>Darn... I need to move to CO... :(</p>
rcheli on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle Competitionrcheliurn:uuid:6e4e817c-8270-2eb1-22d3-0b672ff427ba2011-12-15T16:46:47-07:00<p>yes, tricopters do exist, I made one....
and the avatar thing:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJCgVdv6U0I&feature=plcp&context=C2ac25UDOEgsToPDskKwgT1HJomntTQnmpLAUk7H" rel="nofollow">AWESOME</a>
click on the link it is really cool!</p>
Miskatonic on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionMiskatonicurn:uuid:b496935d-79e8-f79b-c4d2-fb6ea949ec032011-12-15T15:47:52-07:00<p>Registered.</p>
Schomethemoney on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionSchomethemoneyurn:uuid:28cfb805-db97-f5fb-c7ea-ba86a70343ed2011-12-15T14:58:24-07:00<p>WHAT?! JUNE?! Now I don't get to miss school! Oh well, the bright side is I will actually get my homework done this year instead of using the excuse "I was too busy programming my robot"</p>
WimL on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionWimLurn:uuid:5e2a3bed-de93-5259-501c-337f4f21bb322011-12-15T14:44:56-07:00<p>Even-numbered copters are easier because you can balance out the rotor torques (half the blades turn CW, half turn CCW). But tricopters exist too; they use a small servo to angle one rotor to adjust overall torque. William Thielicke's "Shrediquette" copter is a good DIY example.</p>
KirAsh4 on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionKirAsh4urn:uuid:2a130063-b05c-45e0-851f-c17825d7e1b12011-12-15T14:38:17-07:00<p>Funny you should mention that. There actually was a plane that hit a stroller at last year's competition ... :) And I know someone took pictures, I just don't see them posted in the Flickr stream.</p>
Frencil on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionFrencilurn:uuid:8abac339-dd01-e71a-f413-5361b44a72752011-12-15T14:27:41-07:00<p>Well, ideally. I grew up in Colorado and throughout my existence I've seen snow happen in every month of the year at elevations similar to SparkFun's. Also, June is prime thunderstorm/hail season. Be prepared for anything.</p>
ctceismc on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle Competitionctceismcurn:uuid:35af7d16-07a7-2d90-0692-c448ce9b6bff2011-12-15T14:16:10-07:00<p>Just wait until an Airplane with a prop out front decides to kamikaze a baby stroller. It really doesn't matter whether it is a multi-copter or heli - anything in the air can do some serious crowd damage in the blink on an eye. Even if the prop is in the back of the plane or covered a nosedive from 30-50 feet can do significant damage to a crowd in a hurry. To be safe, flying bot competitions need to be held somewhere away from a crowd. Take a look at the safety regulations for the AMA or Aerial Robotics Competition.<p>http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf
http://iarc.angel-strike.com/index.php</p><p>Autonomous flying objects of any sort are potentially dangerous IMHO. Especially the ones I build ;-)</p></p>
KirAsh4 on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionKirAsh4urn:uuid:d01113fc-d9ae-16c4-9326-3a6c88f87a862011-12-15T13:49:58-07:00<p>Yes, pun intended. :)</p>
JRThro on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionJRThrourn:uuid:71e9ae8a-c03f-2bec-dd95-d8d6e342b8cd2011-12-15T13:17:08-07:00<p>"Shear danger"? Get it?</p>
AngusP on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionAngusPurn:uuid:db4fe46e-0f5c-8408-357e-e384d0bf9d142011-12-15T12:49:09-07:00<p>I think you have answered your own question, i.e. it is too much effort for us lot, who are inherently lazy, to go from x-y to whatever you need for three motors. :-P</p>
scharkalvin on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle Competitionscharkalvinurn:uuid:a140258c-d11f-f4e8-5f4c-6450dd0036192011-12-15T12:27:56-07:00<p>It's possible to make a quad copter safe by surrounding the props with a blade guard (like your generic Hunter desk type fan). HINT: new Sparkfun product ... quadcopter fan blade guards!<p>BTW, I've always wondered why they have to be QUAD copters, couldn't you get one with THREE engines to fly? (An array of three could still balance though the software would be a bit different as you have work out the four to three dimension conversions).</p><p>Also ... would a biped robot be considered an AV? Look at my avatar to see where I might like to eventually be going with this idea (though not anytime real soon!).</p></p>
Gravis on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionGravisurn:uuid:eb151d76-8f3f-073d-cde4-e8caece586da2011-12-15T12:19:26-07:00<p>yay for finally getting a sunny day! :D</p>
Nick Poole on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionNick Pooleurn:uuid:af75c9a3-1af0-76cc-b711-38abd6ffbc022011-12-15T11:52:20-07:00<p>Yeah, there's something I rather like about the "floating blender of doom" aspect of quads. I've been working on and off on one myself. But we want people to have a good time at the AVC and if there are any painful experiences they should be the learning kind like "My bot went in the pond! Well... maybe I'll put floats on it next year..."<p>There isn't much to learn from getting sliced by a copter except never leave home without your umbrella.</p></p>
HelicopterGuy on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionHelicopterGuyurn:uuid:18dd8172-0e9c-2bdb-b47b-59acf368cb9e2011-12-15T11:30:59-07:00<p>Boo for not so early in the year. I'll be away the second half of June, so I'm going to miss this one. I've really enjoyed it the past few years, and not just the day of fun, competition, and accidental pond encounters; but also chatting up the great Sparkfun folks at the Dark Horse afterwards. I definitely recommend all attend this who are able!</p>
KirAsh4 on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionKirAsh4urn:uuid:15d658d5-bc9f-807b-79ee-96c01190fbb52011-12-15T11:26:55-07:00<p>Personally, I applaud the no quad (prop/rotor/spinning blades of death) vehicles. It's not that I don't like to see them and/or participate (some day), but it's the shear danger level with them. Sure they are meant to fly up and above the spectators, but having seen last year's competition, I knew something needed to be done. It's like a bee hive when one of those things take off, both adults and children, especially children, will chase these things down and come within FEET of them. They can reach out and touch the darned thing. Sure, they can be programmed to fly a minimum of 30 feet in the air .. doesn't matter. As Pete pointed out, if anything happens with the vehicle, guess where it is more likely to go: DOWN. And with hundreds of fleshy bodies around, it could spell disaster for some poor kid or adult.<p>Maybe in the future we can come up with a better solution and bring them back, but I'd say for now we should limit them. Good decision.</p></p>
TeslaFan on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionTeslaFanurn:uuid:c879bb85-8eee-fbd3-15cc-a0df8a6632702011-12-15T11:16:14-07:00<p>I fully support the no quads decision, the arena is just too small. Tiny brushless motors that weigh less than a pound and put out over a horsepower are just too dangerous this close to the spectators. It's possible to build a quad that's capable of lifting a child off the ground with just electric motors.<p>I'm stoked! I'm into the motor testing phase for my robot, I think Team Tobor is going to be in for some competition this year!</p><p>Will I be contacted via e-mail for the particulars, like my team name, etc?</p></p>
Customer #148562 on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionCustomer #148562urn:uuid:64679164-4e9d-177b-838e-5ab9740af1692011-12-15T11:15:50-07:00<p>Damn, I was looking forward to taking my copter to compete.<p>Oh well.</p></p>
NorthStreetLabs on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionNorthStreetLabsurn:uuid:9b4f7f7b-4cbd-27fe-f456-dda76f3eff8b2011-12-15T11:15:09-07:00<p>Do it battlebots style, buy a few hundred sheets of 1/4" plexiglass and encase the spectators/playing arena, like in hockey and nascar, haha... maybe one day AVC will be lively enough to afford that!</p>
JayKominek on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionJayKominekurn:uuid:5b044599-3117-2537-7be9-5bb50bf382872011-12-15T11:11:05-07:00<p>there are plenty of places nearby where folks could organize a separate quadcopter/heli race, and have the crowds kept at a safer distance.</p>
Mace Freeman on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionMace Freemanurn:uuid:990d4449-d51d-ed15-5757-9d2e0614e9ba2011-12-15T10:51:53-07:00<p>It is too bad no quads. They seem to be the best possible vehicle for this competition. The short distance and precise movement involved screams for quads. Airplanes would certainly be better if long distances were involved but that is not the case here. Wouldn't the quads be safe if they had protection over the blades? Maybe some type of ducted fan setup would be safe?</p>
Pete-O on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionPete-Ourn:uuid:da05d05f-ec0a-15f1-acb7-d23aa7f66b282011-12-15T10:36:10-07:00<p>OK, let me address this before it gets out of hand. An electric motor/prop will chop the bejesus out of somebody. So picture hundreds of people within 30 feet of an electric quad/heli (about what the starting line looks like) that's deciding for itself how to fly. If it somehow fails and starts flying erratically (like we saw last year), nobody's going to have time to protect themselves. If my kid got mauled by that, God help SparkFun because I'd be coming for them, waiver or no. I've been hit by electric planes before, though missed the prop. I've walked away from those incidents. You're much less likely to walk away from a quad/heli, and you'll have much less time to react.</p>
justpushdebutton on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle Competitionjustpushdebuttonurn:uuid:dae61fc8-64b4-8618-57b5-dfde46478eba2011-12-15T10:28:11-07:00<p>I'm excited, but no quadrocopters? That was my favorite part last year. And seems like the planes were much more dangerous as far as crashing into the crowd.</p>
MTMentat on Announcing the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle CompetitionMTMentaturn:uuid:097dcb80-0e12-b139-9ae8-463313daba152011-12-15T10:15:22-07:00<p>Hurray for NOT so early in the year (last year was a bit windy and cold)! Looking forward to some awesome robots and hopefully some good weather to go with it!</p>