What was accomplished

This week, the physical prototype of the Drop System was 3D printed and assembled. To confirm the mechanism functions practically, a real-world load test was conducted using the system to suspend a water bottle. The test was successful, proving that the servo and spool can hold and manage actual weight.

Challenges and solutions

The main challenge was determining the correct gear ratio for the mechanism, ensuring the rope would not unspool too quickly under the weight of the load. By testing and adjusting the gear ratio, the team achieved smooth, controlled rotation and a suitable descent speed for the payload.

Next Steps Plan

The Drop System is now functionally complete and on standby. There are no specific tasks for this subsystem next week — the team will wait until the main quadcopter airframe is fully constructed before physically integrating the mechanisms.