Project Update
Our project description has slightly changed to an updated version.
“The St. Vrain Valley School District Innovation Center InvenTeam invented the Beacon Rescue Drone (BRD) system to aid first responders in finding missing or trapped persons during natural disasters. It is an independent system that operates without using cell towers. The system consists of three components: a beacon, a drone attachment, and a main station. The beacon is for the general public’s use, with one beacon typically allotted to one household, It is also small enough to be easily held by an average adult with a plug in 9 volt battery. This part of the system is also roughly $150 less than other commercial beacons. Once activated by the homeowner in the event of a disaster, the beacon periodically sends out short-range GPS coordinates to be picked up by the receiver transmitter on the drone attachment. The beacons sends out GPS signals to the drone attachment which transmits a signal to search and rescue crews located at the main station. The station logs the coordinates of each beacon so less time is wasted searching for people and more lives are saved.”
Progress Report
This month our team geared up for the CU Design Expo on the 28th. The design team was able to convert GPS coordinates into a text file, which is a huge step toward finishing the project. We tested the beacon at multiple locations around the Innovation Center and were able to send out coordinates from the Baby BRD. The first half of the coordinates from the Baby BRD are being transmitted to the Mama BRD but the rest still needs work. More mentors were reached out to in order to help with the code.
Sustainability finished designing and printing the final design for Baby BRD. This features a sliding lid system split into two parts for the battery compartment and the electronics compartment.
Communications/Administration gathered media for the Expo, including the poster that we will take to Eureka Fest and invitations to our mentors to attend.
CU Design Expo
The CU Design Expo is an annual event held for high school engineering students and CU engineering students to show off their year-long projects. We were set up on the upper floor next to another Skyline school and a college team. The judges came around from 9-10 am and gave us pointers for the next time we do a presentation. Our team wore the Lemelson-MIT polos and brought our business cards and stickers to spread awareness of our project. We also won an award at the expo along with 3 other Skyline teams.
Goals for the Next Month
Design
Transmit full text file from Baby BRD to Mama BRD to BRD Nest
Sustainability
Print out cleaned up version of the case
Drone casing for the attachment
Communications
Create a video demonstration of our project for Lemelson-MIT
Plan out another presentation/demonstration