Field Activity #7: Copters, Kites and Rockets

Field Report:

The conditions for this day were nearly perfect for. The sun was out with clouds high in the upper atmosphere. The winds were around 10 MPH which is great for kite flying. The temperature was also prime since it was almost 50º F.

On Monday, March 10th our field methods class took a trip to the EC outdoor sports center to launch some of the equipment that can be used to take aerial images. Professor Joe Hupy provided us with two multi-armed copters (one paid for with his own money and one made by a student in the Physics department named Max), a large kite, and a rocket. Max was a very capable pilot and explained, in very basic terms, how the copters worked.

Blake Johnson and Tanner Borgen were the kite experts for the second half of the trip. Blake put the kite together and got it into the sky. Professor Hupy then added a hanging camera with a gimble device to the string and let the kite fly higher in order to get good aerial images.

The final portion of the afternoon consisted of putting the rocket together and launching it. The rocket experiment didn't quite turn out the way that we had planned since one of the engines were placed in upside down. Along with that the top of the rocket is supposed to deploy a parachute. Two cameras were placed on the rocket, but our footage probably wasn't great because the rocket came crashing back to the earth.

Image 1: The image above shows Professor Hupy's Y6 multi-armed copter. The controller for the remote control portion of the copter can be seen just to the right of the copter. 

Image 2: This image shows the copter with a closer view. Several important pieces to this device are present in this image. The cameras that are attached are used for aerial image capturing.

Image 3: The image shows the cameras up close. There is one camera that faces "forward" while the other on the gimble always faces toward the ground.

Image 4: This image shows the copter in flight.

Image 5: The image above shows the controller for the copters.

Image 6: This is Max's copter which has several more arms than Professor Hupy's.

Image 7: This image shows Max preparing his copter for flight.

Image 8: This is Max's copter in action hovering just above the snow.

Image 9:  This is another image showing Max's copter and his computer brain.

Image 10: Drew Briski holding Max's multi-arm copter.

Image 11: This image is of Joe's kite. It is supported by two main bracing poles.

Image 12: Blake Johnson here is holding the kite in preparation for flight.

Image 13: Tanner Borgen and Blake Johnson are tying the cords to the kite.

Image 14: Here is the kite about 100 feet in the air.

Image 15: Here Professor Joe Hupy is putting a camera on the kite's string for aerial images.

Image 16: The camera here is about 30 feet in the sky.

Image 17: The image above shows the kite and camera around a couple hundred feet up.

Image 18: Here Professor Joe Hupy is preparing the rocket's engines.

Image 19: This image shows the rocket on the launch pad. 

Image 20: Here is Professor Hupy strapping the cameras onto the rocket.