GAB Step 2

Description 

One of our biggest challenges right now is building a prototype that truly represents our project goals. We need to buy a thermal drone or at least a thermal camera and add it to our prototype as soon as possible. We already made a sample propeller, which helped us understand power usage, but now it’s time to build a full drone prototype.

The problem is that thermal cameras are expensive and often heavy. Our current drone is very lightweight, so adding a thermal camera would make it too heavy to fly. In our tests, we found that adding more than 30 grams stops the drone from lifting off properly.

Our next step is to figure out how much power each propeller needs to carry the extra weight of the camera. We’ve also been advised to find another mentor with tech experience. We’re looking for someone who can help answer many of the technical questions we still have.

Content/Presentation

Progress #2

Reflection

During this part of the project, I’ve learned a lot about teamwork and overcoming challenges. I think one of my strengths was collaboration—I helped divide up tasks and kept our team on track. I also worked to make sure we stayed productive each day. My problem-solving skills were helpful, especially when our prototypes didn’t work as expected or when we had issues like the drone’s weight. I suggested doing flight trials with added weight to figure out how much it could handle and still fly.

One area I know I need to improve is time management. I usually complete assignments, but they’re often late. I think setting smaller internal deadlines could help me stay on schedule. I’ve also found that communicating about who’s doing what can be tough, so I want to work on clearer communication with my teammates. For future assignments, I plan to share my ideas more and be more active in group discussions. Overall, I think we’re headed in the right direction—we just need to stay focused and keep pushing forward!