The Brave1 technocluster, as part of the Brave Students engineering challenge “Drone with Paws”, tested mounts for reconnaissance and FPV quadcopter drones, which were created by student teams from Ukrainian universities. Such devices allow drones to be fixed on tree branches or poles and remain in standby mode until a target is detected and attacked.
Five designs, selected from 33 teams from 19 educational institutions across the country, participated in the final stage of testing. The finalists worked with the support of Ukrainian defense tech companies that helped implement the projects.
The student teams had two months to create working prototypes of mechanical attachments for FPV drones. To do this, they used their own developments and the production capabilities of partner companies. The iKOZAKY team from Donetsk National Technical University presented a hook-shaped attachment that allows the drone to cling to horizontal tree branches.
The attachment is printed on a 3D printer in about five hours. It is designed for drones weighing up to 20 kilograms. During the tests, a drone with a 10-inch frame was used.
“During these tests, we presented version 3.5 of the product. At first, we made a nozzle in the shape of an umbrella, then we settled on the shape of a hook with a clip. Now we have added modularity. If in the first versions our product was “welded” to the drone, now it shoots at the operator’s command,” said DonNTU student Kirill.
According to the developer, such a system can be used in drones-waiters with an artificial intelligence module. After detecting a target, the AI will be able to activate a drone that will detach from the branch and attack the enemy.
Another team — Easy Grip from Zhytomyr Polytechnic — created a mount in the form of legs that perform two functions at once. During launch, they work as supports for the FPV drone, and after landing, they allow you to grab the branch from both sides.
The body of the structure was made of several types of plastic using 3D printing. The fixation is provided by TPU tapes that combine the properties of plastic and rubber.
“We developed a mount for a 10-inch drone. With the weight of our module of 600 grams, the drone will be able to lift a warhead of about 1.5 kg, which must be fixed upwards. Landing on a branch requires skills, but taking off is quite simple, you just need to set the normal power”, – said Daniil, a student of Zhytomyr Polytechnic.
The iKOZAKY and Easy Grip teams worked with the support of a Ukrainian manufacturer, the name of which is not disclosed. The students noted that the company provided drones, assistance with 3D printing, and expertise in the placement of fasteners and the design of parts.
Another team presented a development called “Deer Antlers” – a pincer-shaped attachment that is installed on top of the drone and grips the branch with compressive force.
