During my time with Guardian Agriculture, I worked on many projects in support of our existing fleet of crop-spraying drones, as well as designing elements of a future model. These projects included sourcing manufacturers, designing parts for various different fabrication methods, and iterative design.
Carbon Fiber Payload Tank
For this project, I was tasked with designing and sourcing a manufacturer for a carbon fiber tank to hold the drone’s liquid payload in order to save weight. This entailed a tank capable of holding 20 gallons of fluid that could weigh up to 10 lbs/gal, fit within a specified length and width, and have features for the mounting of various accessories and the mounting of the tank to the drone. Since this was the first fiber reinforced composite I had designed, I met with many companies and individuals who fabricate custom carbon fiber parts in order to better understand the limits and restrictions of this material, as well as vet them as manufacturers of the part.
The part was designed as two pieces that would come together at a seem in the middle of the tank in order to make manufacturing possible. The two pieces could then either be bonded together or bolted together with a gasket. The vertical ribs on each side of the tank were added to increase the stiffness of the tank.
Lever Wheels System
One of the larger projects I was given during my time with the company was designing a mechanism to lift the drone off its two carbon fiber skids, and onto wheels in order to make it maneuverable over various terrain. The system had to be easily deployed and carried around, allow the skids to be easily removed from the landing gear if damaged, and able to support a load of around 600 lbs. During the design of the system I went through multiple design reviews and prototypes in order to optimize the system for the operators and ensure durability under harsh use. The major design areas included the part that would remain on the landing gear that the mechanism would attach to, the body of the mechanism which consisted of the lever arm, attachment feature, and wheels, and the latch which would secure the system in the lifted position. This project introduced me to designing parts to be CNC machined, the difficulties of managing heavy loads, and the rapid prototyping of designs using 3D printed parts.