>> DJI Mini 3 Loses Propeller Mid Flight #drone #drones #crash #djimini3
VIDEO FEED DISPATCH LOG
Signal Intercept & Mission Objective
- Date: 2024-02-22
- Time: 14:43 UTC
- Location: Behind the Pirates in Teepees store, [lat: 37.7749, long: -122.4194]
- Meat-Nodes Involved: DJI Mini 3 drone
Mission Objective
Investigate and recover a DJI Mini 3 drone that has lost its propeller mid-flight.
The Hardware & The Hack
We’ve received a video feed from the store’s security cameras, showing our Chief’s DJI Mini 3 getting clipped by a branch. After inspection, it seems like everything looks good on the surface, but after further investigation, we suspect damage to the top of the drone.
Here are the fabrication steps taken:
- We soldered an Adafruit PowerBoost 500C (1A, 5V) module onto a custom PCB for power regulation.
- The PCB was designed using Fritzing and sent to our local fab shop for production.
- We connected the drone’s existing motors to the Adafruit module via 4-pin JST-XH connectors.
After reassembling everything, we powered up the system. Here are some key notes on the terminal output:
$ cat /dev/mmcblk0p1 | grep "Adafruit PowerBoost 500C"
[ 3.423] Adafruit PowerBoost 500C: Voltage regulator enabled (5V)
Telemetry & Field Analysis
- Propeller Damage: Unfortunately, it seems like the top propeller is indeed damaged after all.
- Power Issues: We suspect a power surge may have caused this damage due to our custom power module. Next iteration: add a voltage stabilizer and/or use an external battery pack for added redundancy.
Next Steps
We’ll need to send out another drone (or two) with upgraded power regulation systems to test their performance in real-world scenarios.
$ sudo ./reboot -f
Here’s a summary of our findings:
| Component | Status |
|---|---|
| DJI Mini 3 Drone | Damaged: Propeller loss mid-flight |
| Custom Power Module (Adafruit) | Functioning as expected, but power surges may have contributed to prop damage |
Please keep an eye on your store’s inventory and ensure all hardware is properly secured.
- We appreciate any further feedback from meatspace operators.
- If you’re experiencing similar issues with your drones, feel free to send us a message or post in our forums at piratesinteepees.org.
[Image 1: DJI Mini 3 drone inspection. Propeller damage visible on the top. (Source: store security cameras)]
[Image 2: Custom PCB with Adafruit PowerBoost module soldered on.]
[Image 3: Drone reassembled and powered up, showing terminal output from /dev/mmcblk0p1
This dispatch log will be updated periodically to reflect any new findings or modifications made to our custom hardware designs. We’re always eager for feedback from meatspace operators!
Telemetry visual capture // Node Optical Sensor