[aprssig] APRS Drones

[Robert Bruninga]

Generally I have had no interest in drones and kinda figured they will be
nothing but trouble.for all of us....

But then, they are here, so what APRS applications are there?  I have
thought of three, Hover, Squat and Deliver.

1) Hover - How long could a special event APRS digipeater drone remain
aloft if it was assisted by a few party balloons so that it was slightly
negative lift.  How long could the drone extend its mission with the lift
motors on their lowest practical speed?  and still do station keeping. An
hour?  Then all you would need are two drones, one charging, and one aloft
and swap every hour...  Duh, wind of any kind would carry it away...

2) Squat - I have seen some event venu's where "it sure would be nice if we
could get a digi up there"....  SO send a drone with APRS digi on it and
squat on top of something very tall.... Probably against every rule written
and un-written.

3) Deliver - We have this 600' tall tower in Annapolis that I spent years
trying to prevent the Navy from demolishing...  we saved it.  But then I
got too old to climb it.  I'm excitied at playing with designs of a thingy
that could be deployed by drone and hooked to the very top!

All this playing with lightweight solar powerd digiepeaters (Satllites,
etc) has always made me want to build one for the top of that tower...  It
would do a LOT more than just the basic ARPS fucntinos...  but just lke
space, getting it u p there is thee hard part...

Anyway, just some mind candy to chew on.

Bob, Wb4APR
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