NikoFilmz – Speed Demon Heavy Drone

Context:

Niko Anishchenko owner of Nikofilmz, is a professional drone pilot, cinematographer and director who I worked with to develop a drone platform capable of high-performance while carrying a cinema-grade camera like the RED Komodo 6K. Many of the other platforms had high costs but lacked the performance to chase and capture video of full-sized aircraft while in flight.

Brief:

Investigate, design and build a performance-first drone platform capable of capturing footage while chasing a full-sized aircraft in flight for a reasonable amount of time.

  • Targeted speed: 90 mph for 2 minutes of chase time (time not including intercept time)
  • Targeted Max speed of 140mph
  • Carry a RED Komodo 6k
  • Utilize two 6s lithium polymer battery packs of 4500mah or 5100mah capacity.
    • A 6s 4500mah at storage voltage (3.7v) is the largest allowable Wh battery acceptable on commercial airlines at a value of 99.9 Wh.
  • Utilize a range of specified off-the-shelf components to meet the performance requirements.

I used these requirements to spearhead the mechanical design and design for manufacturing development of an air-worthy, structural frame and platform.

Challenges:

  • Communication with international manufacturers and language barriers can be challenging no matter how great your communication skills are, but it is always made easier working with incredibly skilled and passionate people.
  • FEA and modal analysis suggested that commonly utilized, tube-arm geometries are not sufficiently stiff enough to avoid problematic resonant frequencies between the expected motor-rpm operating envelope. As a result a redesign was necessary to fix this issue and better validate the parameters used in the modal analysis.

Results:

  • A drone platform with an incredible performance envelope while carrying a RED Komodo camera.
  • Special emphasis was placed on utilizing the most function-first and simplistic designs to meet the needs of potentially demanding on set conditions.
  • The over all size was controlled to maximize the ease-of-travel.

Above is the Speed Demon – Heavy drone brandishing 13 inch propellers (left) next to the original Speed Demon which utilizes 7 inch propellers (right).

Leave a comment