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$96 3D-printed rocket that recalculates its mid-air trajectory using a $5 sensor

github.com

211–220 of 561 posts

Re: $96 3D-printed rocket that recalculates its mid-air trajectory using a $5 sensor

#211
post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lasers won’t effectively work, it’s a two part equation, detection and targeting. To neutralize a target using a ground-based laser, you need an enormous power, and still it won’t penetrate a high distance/altitude in the sky, environment factors also to be considered. The detection part is even harder, these small 8in drones are almost impossible to detect unless you can hear it, aka it’s over, because they can fly…

The small weaponized drones do not fly 250 km/h.

They can fly at 350kph, check this redbull drone that was used in Olympics, acceleration of 100-300kph in just two seconds faster than any F1 car. Now add a bit of payload and you get the 200-250 speed range, still crazy fast.

https://www.redbull.com/id-id/worlds-fastest-filming-drone-b...

Re: $96 3D-printed rocket that recalculates its mid-air trajectory using a $5 sensor

#212
post #6

This is bonkers. Video on GitHub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDO2EvXyncE I'm impressed by the kid's engineering and gumption, but I think he's a bit.. misguided, if you'll pardon the pun. The video ends with shots of Russian drone war, and, bizarrely, photos of David Koresh. I don't think this ends well.

The fact that Koresh and his group held off Federal officers who stormed their building with simple guns that anyone can buy, is likely the point. Out of five and a half minutes of video, David Koresh appears for perhaps three seconds. It does put a new twist on the recent controversy about 3d printers needing to be licensed, however.

Yeah the solution is simple.

Just licence everything private people can buy except (healthy food). /S

Microcontrollers and electric motors are too dangerous for the general public.

Re: $96 3D-printed rocket that recalculates its mid-air trajectory using a $5 sensor

#213
Impressive. But:

-Is a 3D printed assembly really going to withstand the heat of the rocket motor? Or is that going to be replaced with metal?

-The solid motor grain shown looks pretty janky. I definitely wouldn't want that any near me when it fired, let alone on my shoulder.

Re: $96 3D-printed rocket that recalculates its mid-air trajectory using a $5 sensor

#214
post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Part of it is the sophistication. Take the Tomahawk: assumed range of ~1000 miles , estimated accuracy of 30 feet. Can launch from above or below water. Etc. The other part is the limited production runs. Until last month, the DoD was generally purchasing ~100 of these annually. There's no scale economy in making these, so those 100 missiles need to support the entire production & R&D of the product.

I imagine part of it is also zero acceptance for failed launches. It needs to always work

Missiles definitely do not always work. I have seen film of a Sea Slug missile (with war head) falling over the side of a Royal Navy ship, without the motor firing properly. Apparently there was a void in the solid propellant.

Re: $96 3D-printed rocket that recalculates its mid-air trajectory using a $5 sensor

#215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> curious lack of any data regarding the actual accuracy of the system No lack of entrackment data generated by [edit] d̶i̶g̶i̶t̶a̶l̶ ̶t̶w̶i̶n̶ github repo of "the system".

"digital twin"? Is there a simulation that has been documented to have the identical behavior and flight characteristics as the real thing? Does not seem like it. If there is a difference, it is not a twin.

Thanks for the correction.

Re: $96 3D-printed rocket that recalculates its mid-air trajectory using a $5 sensor

#217
post #182
post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always wonder why rockets are millions of dollars each, that seems insane to me.

Part of it is the sophistication. Take the Tomahawk: assumed range of ~1000 miles , estimated accuracy of 30 feet. Can launch from above or below water. Etc. The other part is the limited production runs. Until last month, the DoD was generally purchasing ~100 of these annually. There's no scale economy in making these, so those 100 missiles need to support the entire production & R&D of the product.

It's worth reading up on the history of the Sidewinder development for the other side of this coin. Radically cheaper than the conventionally-developed alternatives at the time. It's grown legs in more recent marks but the first few variants were really not sophisticated at all.

Re: $96 3D-printed rocket that recalculates its mid-air trajectory using a $5 sensor

#218
post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Realistically, I doubt there’s ANY system out there will be able to counter small weaponized drones that are flown manually " Why would lasers not work? Those cheap drones are made from plastic, if you have a laser powerful enough and a target guidance system (like a camera and a PI) - then you would just need enough of them.

Lasers won’t effectively work, it’s a two part equation, detection and targeting. To neutralize a target using a ground-based laser, you need an enormous power, and still it won’t penetrate a high distance/altitude in the sky, environment factors also to be considered. The detection part is even harder, these small 8in drones are almost impossible to detect unless you can hear it, aka it’s over, because they can fly…

8 inches drone cannot carry much of explosive at all. In order to dump 10 kg load of explosives, you need an “agricultural drone” one that can carry 45kg, since the additional mechanisms and their batteries (and the drone’s backup batteries) are heavy.

Those are bigger and noisier.

DJI ARGAS Series are good starting point.

https://ag.dji.com/mobile

Re: $96 3D-printed rocket that recalculates its mid-air trajectory using a $5 sensor

#219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if the correct sensor could be chosen (whatever it is), unlikely is attainable by consumers and the technology would definitely be export controlled in the US.

You'd be AMAZED what you can find on eBay. I saw this pop up alongside its video thumbnail and nearly shit myself watching it and going "damn, that looks exactly like what's on those RU/UA drones going at each other"... https://www.ebay.com/itm/197224214645 "HS AI Vision Cube For Ultra-long-range Target Recognition tracking & Thermal" for as low as $175. I am feeling the potential ITAR violations straight through my…

The funny thing is, at least as I understand it, ITAR only applies to things produced in the United States. As example, you can't buy very good FLIR IR cameras in the United States without a lot of paperwork, but you can trivially buy much better (higher resolution, faster frame rate) and cheaper IR cameras that are produced in China.

Re: $96 3D-printed rocket that recalculates its mid-air trajectory using a $5 sensor

#220
post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lasers imo don't really have IRL advantages over machine guns and rockets, and their line of sight nature is a huge limitation.

Laser: - are cheap to shoot - do not fall on someones head if they miss (unlike firing bullets and rockets at a drone that will come down again) - do hit the target immediately if aimed right Problems with lasers are, cooling, power consumption limiting mobile use - and indeed targeting and fog and clouds.

And rain.
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