What was accomplished

The mechanical department shifted focus to the lower deck, engineering the battery payload housing. A custom battery holder was designed to house two battery packs, each measuring 143mm x 108mm x 75mm, fitting cleanly within the base plate's footprint. Unlike the fully enclosed upper deck, the lower deck retains a standard vertical-standoff configuration, keeping the section lightweight and open. The Power Distribution Board (PDB) was integrated directly above the battery pair, positioned to interface cleanly with the standoff-mounted lower deck structure.

To secure the battery pack against the lower deck's standoffs, the department designed a custom 3D-printed battery holder made from durable plastic. This holder was engineered with specific side slots and cutouts designed to wrap around and hug the vertical standoffs directly, creating a mechanical, form-fitting lock that holds the battery tray firmly in place without relying on additional straps or fasteners.

Challenges and solutions

A key challenge was designing a holder compact enough to house both battery packs side by side within the drone's central footprint without adding unnecessary bulk to the lower deck. The team resolved this by shaping the holder walls tightly around the batteries' actual dimensions, leaving minimal clearance while still allowing the packs to be inserted and removed cleanly.

A further challenge was designing a battery retention method that would resist flight vibrations without adding the weight or complexity of a separate locking mechanism. The team resolved this by shaping the 3D-printed holder's side slots to match the exact profile and spacing of the lower deck's vertical standoffs — once the holder is slid into place, the standoffs pass directly through the holder's cutouts, physically locking the tray against any lateral or vertical movement during flight.

Next Steps Plan

Continue validating the two-battery holder's fit and retention performance, and finalize the lower deck integration ahead of upcoming structural simulations.