Final Blog assignment

Critical Reflection

Enrolling in USC1001, taught by Professor Blackstone, was an immensely enriching experience and one that I will remember fondly. In my letter to the professor, I shared that I had spent five years working in the army as a regular. During my time in the military, I was trained to be a robust and disciplined individual who followed orders rather than questioned them. However, after leaving the force, I recognized that the mindset and skills developed in the military were not fully transferable to civilian life. Under Professor Blackstone's mentorship, I aimed to pivot from a military mindset to becoming an effective communicator in university and a competent professional in the industry.

One of my goals was to improve my communication skills, particularly in reducing filler words and refining my letter-writing abilities. Professor Blackstone taught us the importance of proper citation for our reader responses, following APA style. This skill is crucial when writing reports and theses, as it trains writers to reference official sources and give due credit to authors.

What I found most enriching was the segment on effectively utilizing generative AI for optimal results and learning how to properly cite AI-generated content. This proved invaluable for writing reports and other documents. I applied these skills when composing a 1,500-word essay for a scholarship application, which involved identifying the core values and goals of the organization and articulating how I could contribute. Thanks to this module, I have enhanced my ability to think critically and convey messages in a clear, diplomatic, and impactful manner.

Project Learning

For our research project, my team chose to focus on a drone tether system. We conducted extensive research on the equipment and explored how it could prevent drone-related incidents in Singapore. As a drone pilot, I contributed my personal and professional experiences to the research, culminating in a comprehensive and informative presentation. Through this process, I discovered my ability to translate technical knowledge into well-structured written reports. Additionally, I learned to use citations from relevant articles to strengthen key points in our argument.

For the oral presentation, I had the honour of representing the class in an IMechE challenge as a presentation candidate. This opportunity allowed me to hone my presentation skills, including maintaining eye contact, modulating my tone, and pacing my delivery. However, I failed to consider the nature of my audience. I used an analogy involving a “fat girlfriend transformation” to illustrate the serviceability and longevity of the product, which was perceived as offensive by the judges. As a result, I did not win the competition.

While this was disappointing, it was a significant learning moment. I understand the importance of being mindful of my audience and ensuring that my content is appropriate and respectful. Moving forward, I will strive to deliver presentations with greater sensitivity, neutrality, and professionalism.

Project contributions

7th of November 2024

•  meeting minute secretary 
• contributed to the idea of using a drone tether system. 
• Research on current ABS braking system for the motorbike in the market. 
• Research on current drone and building facade inspection and the implemention on tether system.
• define problem statments of tether sytem uses. 
• source out Subject matter experts for expert advice of tether sytems

14th of November 2024 

• finalise research topic on the drone tether system. 
• sourced out research materials and video footages on drone tether system to prepare for oral presentation. 

21st of November 2024

• Contacted CEO of NACT engineering to gain insightful technical data of the product.
• Completed presentation slides to prepare for Oral presentation 
• Draft out technical report on the introduction, importance of the tether system and current issues of drones in singapore and solution.  
• represented class for Imechi presenters of the future competition. 

Reader's response Draft 4

 

N3 DJI Flight Control Unit (FCU)

The DJI website (DJI, N3 Designed for reliability, n.d.) features the N3 flight controller which is part of the NAZA series of DJI family of control units that caters to both industrial and hobbyists drone applications. The function of the flight control unit is the overall flight system and command of a drone that replicates the controls of the pilot. The N3 system consists of a flight control unit, GPS compass antenna and Power Management Unit (PMU).

The N3 flight controller (DJI, N3 Designed for reliability, n.d.) supports a wide spectrum of upgradability with DJI’s eco system of products such as camera gimbals like the DJI Ronin-MX series (DJI, RONIN-MX, 2024) and flight devices such as Lightbridge 2 (DJI, LIGHTBRIDGE 2, 2024) and TAKON™ series (DJI, TAKYON SERIES , 2024) for electronic speed controllers. 

 Its software feature is a fault tolerance control that allow UAS to execute a controlled decent in an event of an imminent crash. This is a notable safety feature that is built into the flight controller that will not only minimize damage during crash but would also prevent drones from gaining lethal momentum that could lead to casualties.

 

The DJI N3 flight controller is a reliable, robust, safe platform for custom built drones, and it is highly recommended in operating in a densely populated country like Singapore. However, a successful flight mission would still depend on skills and intuitive judgement of a drone operator albeit the sophistication of the FCU and its safety features.

The flight controller contains a dual Inertial Management Unit (IMU) for built in redundancy which enhances flight reliability.  For example, if one of the IMU is down the secondary unit can regain control which prevents the UAS from crashing or moving in an undesired direction.

 In addition, the flight control unit also has a robust 8GB industrial black box that records performance and real time flight data. This allows pilot to troubleshoot potential issues and fine tune the aircraft for a safer flight. The aircraft can be configured using software such as DJI Assistant 2 or phone application DJI GO. Singapore is known for to be a concrete jungle that is densely packed with buildings hence it could risk a signal lost or GPS jamming due to metal structures. Having a dual redundancy system on a drone would be an important asset in drone operation in Singapore.

  The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) can use the GPS GNSS antenna to gain a reference to maintain a stable flight path during operations.  It is a CAAS requirement for operators to provide details of drone flight path when applying for permit. A GPS system would mean that drone would have a reference on its positioning which would allow it to actively traverse its planned flight path.

Hence, this makes the N3 DJI flight controller a formidable choice for drones to operate in Singapore and adhering to the guidelines of CAAS.

A Straits Times news article reports a drone had deviated from its planned route due to a faulty positioning sensor which resulted in a crash on the grounds of One-North Residences.

(Lim, 2024) reports a company suspended from drone operations after device crash-lands on one-north condo grounds. The Straits Times.

Being a drone operator myself incidents like these deeply resonates with me as this undesired situation can happen to both new and highly experienced pilots. DJI’s N3 flight controller has a feature called fault tolerance control which allows the drone to execute a controlled decent in an event of a crash due to propulsion lose with one or two of its rotors. The caveat is that this feature would only work on hexacopters and octocopters as these drones have sufficient rotors to stabilize themselves in an event of a propulsion failure.

If the pilot experiences a propulsion failure while flying a quadcopter, he or she would experience an inevitable crash. As drone systems get progressively sophisticated packed with features like autonomous flying, tracking and the ability to avoid objects with its sensors. A drone may still lose GPS signal due to interference from jammers or metal structures of the building that causes the drone to switch from GPS mode to altitude mode. Hence companies providing UAV services cannot rely entirely on the autonomous features of the drone for a safe flight mission.  A certified drone operator is trained to execute necessary protocols in an event of sensors failure and lose of GPS signals.  he or she can control the drone in adverse wind conditions to stay within safe flight path.  The skillset and training of the pilot will be critical in piloting the drone during an emergency to ensure a safe landing to prevent crashes which results in serious incidents. This makes a drone operator imperative when conducting any flight operations in Singapore.

In conclusion, the technology behind the FCU packed with safety features may be impressive. But the vigilant of a drone operator and their skillset is what stand between a successful flight mission or a crash incident

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Copilot. (n.d.). Microsoft Copilot: your AI companion. Copilot genarative AI. https://copilot.microsoft.com/?dpwa=1

DJI. (2024). LIGHTBRIDGE 2. DJI. https://www.dji.com/sg/lightbridge-2

DJI. (2024). RONIN-MX. DJI. https://www.dji.com/sg/ronin-mx

DJI. (2024). TAKYON SERIES . DJI. https://www.dji.com/sg/takyon-z14120

DJI. (n.d.). N3 Designed for reliability. DJI N3. https://www.dji.com/sg/n3

Lim, K. (2024, July 24). Company suspended from drone operations after device crash-lands on one-north condo grounds. straitstimes. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/company-suspended-from-drone-operations-after-device-crash-lands-into-one-north-condo-grounds

UAVDRONE. (2024). DJI N3 flight controller NAZA. UAVDRONE. https://www.uavfordrone.com/product/dji-n3-flight-controller-naza-series/

 

Reader Response Draft 1

Research pathways edited on the 3rd of October 2024

1) Did a search using google Gemini AI on the key functions and features of the DJI N3 flight controller. 

2) Visited the DJI product information website to research on specifications of the flight controller. 

3) visited DroneDeploy website to understand the function of an IMU Intertial Measurement Unit and the importance of calibration before flight. 

4) Formulate thesis statement. 

5) Visited the strait times website to look up on past drone incidences. 

6) Relate on my own experience as a drone pilot for the protocols and procedures the pilot needs to follow. 

The DJI N3 flight controller is a reliable, robust, safe and upgradable platform for custom built drones, and it is highly recommended in operating in a densely populated country like Singapore.

The DJI website (n.d) features the N3 flight controller which is part of the NAZA series of DJI family of control units that caters to both industrial and hobbyists drone applications. The N3 system consists of a flight control unit, GPS compass antenna and Power Management Unit (PMU).  On the website DroneDeploy (n.d) the Inertial Management Unit (IMU) serves as a sensor that detects the movements of the drone such as its acceleration, rotation and orientation. Calibrating the IMU is imperative to ensure a safe and stable flight in every drone operation.

The flight controller contains a dual IMU for built in redundancy which is a unique safety feature if one of the IMU is down the secondary unit can regain control which prevents the UAS from crashing or moving in an undesired direction. The FCU can be upgraded with the A3 package which adds an industrial grade IMU to the already robust dual-IMU system for triple redundancy during flight. This significantly reduces the risk of IMU failures and increase the reliability of the system.

 In addition, the flight control unit also has a robust 8GB industrial black box that records performance and real time flight data. This allows pilot to troubleshoot potential issues and fine tune the aircraft for a safer flight. The aircraft can be configured using software such as DJI Assistant 2 or phone application DJI GO.

The N3 system also takes its GPS reference from the GPS GNSS antenna which requires a lock on at least 16 satellites for a good GPS signal.  The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) can use the GPS GNSS antenna to gain a reference to maintain a stable flight path during operations.  The customizability of the N3 would also allow pilots to add other GPS compasses as a redundancy feature so that if the first GPS compass loses signal, the secondary unit can quickly activate to prevent the drone from deviating for its flight path.

The PMU functions as a regulator that supplies the correct thrust for operator induced thrust and compensates for adverse weather conditions. The PMU can be tuned to accommodate various flight modes such as GPS, altitude and sports mode.

The N3 flight controller supports a wide spectrum of upgradability with DJI’s eco system of products such as camera gimbals like the DJI Ronin-MX series and flight devices such as Lightbridge 2 and TAKON™ series for electronic speed controllers. 

The Roning-MX is a professional gimbal for movie grade cameras that is built for man portable operations and optimize for filming on a drone. The gimbal has algorithms that would stabilize according to the flight path of the drone instead of compensating for the pilot’s movement.

Lightbridge 2 is Radio Control receiver that transmits and receiver signals from the transmitter for up to 5km. it is also able to stream and broadcast High-Definition quality videos feeds back to the operator.  

The TAKON™ ECS is a module that supply continuous power to the drone motors for longer flight endurance. It is compatible with 4 to 14 cell Li polymer batteries.

The N3 features advanced vibration dampening, which allows input sensors to read more accurately, reducing sensor-induced control oscillations and improving overall performance. Its software features include various fail-safe protocols such as fault tolerance control that allow UAS to execute a controlled decent in an event of an imminent crash. This makes the N3 flight control a robust and reliable package.

A Straits Times news article reports a drone had deviated from its planned route due to a faulty positioning sensor which resulted in a crash on the grounds of One-North Residences.

Lim, K. (2024, July 24). Company suspended from drone operations after device crash-lands on one-north condo grounds. The Straits Times.

Being a drone operator myself incidents like these deeply resonates with me as this undesired situation can happen to both new and highly experienced pilots. DJI’s N3 flight controller has a feature called fault tolerance control which allows the drone to execute a controlled decent in an event of a crash due to propulsion lose with one or two of its rotors. The caveat is that this feature would only work on hexacopters and octocopters as these drones have sufficient rotors to stabilize themselves in an event of a propulsion failure.

If the pilot experiences a propulsion failure while flying a quadcopter, he or she would experience an inevitable crash. As drone systems get progressively sophisticated packed with features like autonomous flying, tracking and the ability to avoid objects with its sensors.  Safe operation and flying of the drone boil down to the skill of the pilot. A drone may still lose GPS signal due to interference from jammers or metal structures of the building that causes the drone to switch from GPS mode to altitude mode.

Flying in altitude mode would mean that your drone would be easily influence by wind conditions which would flying more challenging.  This makes the skills of the pilot the difference between a successful flight mission or a crash incident. As the saying goes its not the plane but the pilot.

References:

1.      Lim, K. (2024, July 24). Company suspended from drone operations after device crash-lands on one-north condo grounds. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/company-suspended-from-drone-operations-after-device-crash-lands-into-one-north-condo-grounds

 

2.      DJI. (2019). N3 Flight Controller. [Website]. Retrieved from https://www.dji.com/n3

3.      Google AI. Gemini AI. Language Model. Accessed September 16, 2024.

4.      https://deepmind.google/technologies/gemini/

5.      N3 designed for reliability and upgradability” by DJI 2024

6.      Source: Conversation with Copilot, 17/09/2024

7.      DJI website

8.      N3 - DJI. (n.d.). DJI Official. https://www.dji.com/sg/n3

9.      (3) DJI N3 product information  - GetFPV. https://www.getfpv.com/dji-n3-flight-controller.html.

10.    UAVFordrone. (2020, May 17). DJI N3 flight controller DJI N3 flight controller for agriculture drone. https://www.uavfordrone.com/product/dji-n3-flight-controller-naza-series/

 

11.  How do I calibrate my drone’s Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in DJI fly?(n.d) – IMU https://help.dronedeploy.com/hc/en-us/articles/13805047676823-How-do-I-calibrate-my-drones-IMU-in-DJI-Fly#:~:text=IMU%20(Inertial%20Measurement%20Unit)%20calibration,acceleration%2C%20rotation%2C%20and%20orientation.[TT1] 

12.  DJI. (2024). N3 - product information - DJI. DJI Official. https://www.dji.com/sg/n3/info#video

13.  DJI. (n.d.). Ronin-MX - DJI. DJI Official. https://www.dji.com/sg/ronin-mx

14.  DJI Lightbridge 2 - DJI. DJI Official. (n.d.). https://www.dji.com/sg/lightbridge-2

15.  Takyon z14120 - DJI. DJI Official. (n.d.-c). https://www.dji.com/sg/takyon-z14120

 

Draft 1 Summary + Thesis DJI N3 flight controller

DJI N3 Flight Controller 

The DJI N3 flight controller is a reliable, robust, safe and upgradable platform for custom built drones, and it is highly recommended in operating in a densely populated country like Singapore.

The DJI website (n.d) features the N3 flight controller which is part of the NAZA series of DJI family of control units that caters to both industrial and hobbyists drone applications. The N3 system consists of a flight control unit, GPS compass antenna and Power Management Unit (PMU).  On the website DroneDeploy (n.d) the Inertial Management Unit (IMU) serves as a sensor that detects the movements of the drone such as its acceleration, rotation and orientation. Calibrating the IMU is imperative to ensure a safe and stable flight in every drone operation.

The flight controller contains a dual IMU for built in redundancy which is a unique safety feature if one of the IMU is down the secondary unit can regain control which prevents the UAS from crashing or moving in an undesired direction. The FCU can be upgraded with the A3 package which adds an industrial grade IMU to the already robust dual-IMU system for triple redundancy during flight. This significantly reduces the risk of IMU failures and increase the reliability of the system.

 In addition, the flight control unit also has a robust 8GB industrial black box that records performance and real time flight data. This allows pilot to troubleshoot potential issues and fine tune the aircraft for a safer flight. The aircraft can be configured using software such as DJI Assistant 2 or phone application DJI GO.

The N3 system also takes its GPS reference from the GPS GNSS antenna which requires a lock on at least 16 satellites for a good GPS signal.  The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) can use the GPS GNSS antenna to gain a reference to maintain a stable flight path during operations.  The customizability of the N3 would also allow pilots to add other GPS compasses as a redundancy feature so that if the first GPS compass loses signal, the secondary unit can quickly activate to prevent the drone from deviating for its flight path.

The PMU functions as a regulator that supplies the correct thrust for operator induced thrust and compensates for adverse weather conditions. The PMU can be tuned to accommodate various flight modes such as GPS, altitude and sports mode.

The N3 flight controller supports a wide spectrum of upgradability with DJI’s eco system of products such as camera gimbals like the DJI Ronin-MX series and flight devices such as Lightbridge 2 and TAKON™ series for electronic speed controllers.  

The Roning-MX is a professional gimbal for movie grade cameras that is built for man portable operations and drone uses.

Lightbridge 2 is Radio Control receiver that transmits and receiver signals from the transmitter for up to 5km. it is also able to stream and broadcast High-Definition quality videos feeds back to the operator.  

The TAKON™ ECS is a module that supply continuous power to the drone motors for longer flight endurance. It is compatible with 4 to 14 cell Li polymer batteries.

The N3 features advanced vibration dampening, which allows input sensors to read more accurately, reducing sensor-induced control oscillations and improving overall performance. Its software features include various fail-safe protocols that allow UAS to execute a controlled decent in an event of an imminent crash. This makes the N3 flight control a robust and reliable package. 

 

Reference,

1.      Google AI. Gemini AI. Language Model. Accessed September 16, 2024.

2.      https://deepmind.google/technologies/gemini/

3.      N3 designed for reliability and upgradability” by DJI 2024

4.      Source: Conversation with Copilot, 17/09/2024

5.      DJI website

6.      N3 - DJI. (n.d.). DJI Official. https://www.dji.com/sg/n3

7.      (3) DJI N3 product information  - GetFPV. https://www.getfpv.com/dji-n3-flight-controller.html.

8.        UAVFordrone. (2020, May 17). DJI N3 flight controller DJI N3 flight controller for agriculture drone. https://www.uavfordrone.com/product/dji-n3-flight-controller-naza-series/

 

9.      How do I calibrate my drone’s Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in DJI fly?(n.d) – IMU https://help.dronedeploy.com/hc/en-us/articles/13805047676823-How-do-I-calibrate-my-drones-IMU-in-DJI-Fly#:~:text=IMU%20(Inertial%20Measurement%20Unit)%20calibration,acceleration%2C%20rotation%2C%20and%20orientation.[TT1] 

 

10.  DJI. (2024). N3 - product information - DJI. DJI Official. https://www.dji.com/sg/n3/info#video

 

11.  DJI. (n.d.). Ronin-MX - DJI. DJI Official. https://www.dji.com/sg/ronin-mx

 

12.  DJI Lightbridge 2 - DJI. DJI Official. (n.d.). https://www.dji.com/sg/lightbridge-2

13.  Takyon z14120 - DJI. DJI Official. (n.d.-c). https://www.dji.com/sg/takyon-z14120

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A self introduction formal letter to my Professor

 

Dear Professor Blackstone,

I hope this email finds you well.

I wanted to thank you for using this assignment as an opportunity for me to formally introduce myself to you. My name is Emmanuel Jonathan Yap, and I am first year student from mechanical engineering in Singapore Institute of Technology. My education path is described as a long but fruitful journey as I studied in the Institute of Technical education (ITE) to attain a Higher Nitec certificate in mechatronics engineering. My results were optimal enough for me to enter Nanyang Polytechnic where I attained a Diploma in Mechatronics and Robotics engineering.

As I write this letter to you an epiphany hits me as I realized that I have finally made it to university. In this arduous academic journey, one valuable lesson I have learnt is the process of endurance is as important as reaching the destination. What has kept me going is my relentless passion for engineering and its applications for a better future.

I was formally an army engineer in the Singapore Armed Forces for 5 years. During my tenure I was an expert in the maintenance of the suite of combat wheeled vehicles that the army had ranging from Infantry Carrier Vehicles and Protected Armored Vehicles ensuring their sustainability in peace, reliability in operations.

Making the bold decision to leave the army to pursue further studies has taught me that the regimental and conscripted culture that defines the military would not be as applicable in university. Critical thinking and change are what a university would encourages but it also may be seen as insubordination to superiors in the context of the army.

My friends and superiors describe me as an outgoing, well-spoken and approachable person. I often get invited to be an Emcee for various voluntary events and selected as a groom of honor to give a wedding speech to newly wedded couples. One weakness that I hope to address is to expand my vocabulary list to articulate right words to bring a message across more effectively. In your module I hope learn how I could keep my letters and speeches to be concise and precise. During presentations I hope to enhance my presentation skills in public speaking in reducing the use of pause fillers and to speak the right words for effective communication. 

Aside from work and academia,

I have a few notable hobbies,

In fitness I do a lot of running and high intensity exercises to keep myself fit and my mind sharpen. My fitness has allowed me to score a gold standard in military fitness assessment 6 years in a row. I am also competent in building Unmanned Arieal Vehicles (UAV) and flying them.  I am proud of this hobby as I have managed to earn some profits by being a drone flight instructor in teaching WSQ courses in UAV systems. While I may not have a strong foundation in engineering math yet, I am someone who has the hands-on skills to integrate various engineering technology to be put into application. I am just missing the technical writing skills that completes me as a full fletch engineer.  I know I will do well under your mentorship, Professor.

 

 

Best regards

Emmanuel Jonathan Yap.

Reflection on Quote

 

Without clear lines of communication, our ideas would stay within our own small development teams instead of becoming mature products. While this is obvious to those of us who have become experienced engineers, the real question is: Why is it lost to us when we are engineering students?

 Akbar R Khan, Software Systems Engineer, USA, “Good Communication Is Essential…” (2014)

This quote discribes the fundamental component for innovation to thrive is to have effective communications. In every successful product be it the latest smart phone to AI development , we have often marvelled at technologically advancement and functionality of the product which is made possible through much discussion and thought. this is done with commuunication. 

Akbar's quote resonates that studying in an engineering course isn't just confined to the ability to solve complex problems but emphasizes the  ability to communicate solutions in the most layman term for all to understand regardless of their engineering background. It is about convincing  the vast majority of the present problem and what can be done to make life easier for majority of the people to benefit from it. Good communication is the ability pursuade. A successful engineer might not be the guy who is the most technical or knowledgable. He is someone who knows how to communicate the problem effective for others to solve them.