Blogs
Hi all,
Testing the polar for the Wx routing using historical grib from ECMWF freely available at https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/cdsapp#!/dataset/reanalysis-era5-single-levels?tab=form
on the previous legs :
For leg 1, I choose polar IMOCA full option from toxcct website...
Hi all,
Update from tonight 02-26-20z.
Boats are sailing close hauled in a lightening SE breeze as expected.
Holcim tacked once to get closer to shore and to have a little less wind & waves.
- Situation at 1920z:
The cold front is approaching the fleet.
The * routes are calculated with a max...
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its...
Finally real success! I got back out there this week with a fully waterproofed servo, an added lidar sensor and a major code overhaul based on Test Flight 1's test data. Observations were:
1) Pitch control is now much better. While I still think the control loops could be better tuned, I am...
I got out Monday for a first flight for my digital flight control system. Overall it was a big success! The one thing I cut corners on to get out there was fully waterproofing the servo. I felt that the likelihood of a turtle capsize was low (my last one was months ago). Of course, what did...
Hey team, just shot a quick video on my solution to adjusting altitude and some of the other prototype variables. First flight is TODAY!
Electronics module and servo now fully mounted on spirit and actuating the flap with torque to spare! First flight in mid June is on track! Last steps are some linkage adjustments and test tank time (in my hot tub)!
See the linkage working with the servo and altimeter to control the bell cranks and foil flap. First flight should be sometime in June!
Another update from the land of digital flight control systems!
Integration
I now have all sensors talking to the Grand Central board and the algorithms (PID loop, ultrasonic sensor filter and smoothing, etc.) performing as designed. The wireless remote is also working and allowing the user to...
Good news! I just received PCBs back from the fab house and all parts fit. This simply means I know how to be very detail-oriented with a pair of calipers and my CAD software. I mentioned in a previous post that mounting all of the modules to a single PCB was easier and more electrically...
A few more updates on the project with the selection of a servo and battery.
Servo Sizing:
I decided to actually measured the torque required to actuate the flap. I did my measurement out of the water and therefore I only measured the resistance of the linkage and the resistance of the rubber...
Time for another blog installment of the Digital Flight Control System for my UFO. I have been busy at work on the project and making good progress toward a first flight in early 2020! Also attached is an updated block diagram with details on various subjects below:
Data Logging:
In my last...
With much of the code and working and sensors talking to my Arduino board, it was time for some real world testing this past weekend. I always try to find as much information online regarding sensor characteristics or what has worked for others, but at some point there is no substitute for...
Another quick update,
A productive weekend ended up with an IMU (BNO055) and a waterproof sonar range sensor (JSN-SR04T) being integrated to my Arduino Mega board. Both are yielding good data and easy to work with. I also am able to write commands successfully to a spare servo I from an RC...
Ok team, here goes my first blog post. My goal here is to build a Digital Flight Control System (DFCS) for my UFO using a sonar range sensor as opposed to the wand. The design needs to completely mimic the performance of the wand system currently in the boat. The system needs to be fully...
I am entertaining offers for my boat.
3200 lbs of fast 26' boat. We win enough for it to be routine when we go out.
Contact me at [email protected]
It is getting just too hard for me as a disabled person to maintain and sail the boat. Plus I am not getting any younger.
Well anarchiests, I have tried spring sailing at the Mediterranean Sea. It means first warm sun of spring and last strong winds of winter.
We passed app.400 miles from the shore of Croatia to the Italian border where are located 2 islands. They are called small and big Palagruza. Big one has...
Ok. Here is a shot story about my first offshore racing experience.
It was difficult to choose race because of the standart long distance 600nm. A lot of people said that it's boring. Who knows if I don't like first 100nm how can I get out at last 500nm. That's right I will not be able. So I...
Man, I dig nationality when it comes to the America's Cup. When I first became aware of the America's Cup back in 1987 national pride dominated those of us in America who were rooting for Dennis Conner to bring the Cup back home from Australia. DC's boat was even named "Stars and Stripes" for...
