Capacitor Plane

Designing Capacitor Plane

The wings of the capacitor plane were cut out of foam and sanded down to create an aerodynamic airfoil

The horizontal stabilizer was designed and cut out of foam and then sanded down to create a model that would easily glide through the air. It was attached to the back bottom of the plane body with glue.

Arduino Circuit with CO2 Sensor

The SGP40 sensor works with the Arduino to detect levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC Index). This index includes levels of CO2 in the air. However, this sensor does not store the index values unless connected to a laptop. This is a limitation of the technology.

Testing Capacitor Plane

The plane was tested outside the MakerLab and was able to fly about fifteen feet before losing its glide and colliding with the upcoming wall. The weight of the motor and the capacitor in the front of the plane made the center of mass greatly unbalanced which is why the plane was unable to fly farther.

This second plane test was done in the field in USC Village and had about the same results as the first test. There was little to no flight and also the plane was flying against the wind when outside.