Drone Design Introduction

While ARUW is still operating almost entirely remotely, we are already hard at work designing our robots for the 2021 competition. With the start of the new season, we are excited to introduce our next robot: The Aerial!

The Aerial is a large (10 kg payload) remote controlled drone that provides information and support for the team. The unique rules governing the projectile system of the Aerial allow it to launch projectiles at a higher rate than any other robot in the competition. As the only flying robot, the Aerial’s bird’s-eye-view can be used to provide information to the operators. On the Aerial, stability and reliability are key.

For the upcoming season, the design team is looking to improve both the airframe and projectile storage system by optimizing arm length and weight distribution for stability. A new projectile feed design will improve reliability, reducing breakdowns during matches. With these improvements, we expect this season’s drone will have better accuracy and be much easier to control.