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Engineering project for school

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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,103
we have to create a lander that can deliver an rc car from a fixed point 5 feet from the ground to the ground, then we'll have to drive it to a spot 10 feet away from the landing site. right now i'm thinking baloons under the car or two pieces of material with springs between them to soften the landing. i don't know how i can slow it down while it's falling tho. any ideas
Jan 28 2014 11:52AM
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HungryHypocrite
Posts: 765 - Karma: 939
can it me a fixed station thing that lovers the car?
if so, platform that lowers the car on a spool which has a resistive force, bam. marks on marks on marks
Jan 28 2014 11:56AM
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Tinga
Posts: 11349 - Karma: 2,333
just make a bad ass tough rc car that can be dropped from 5 feet.
Jan 28 2014 12:46PM
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PaleCelery
Posts: 7228 - Karma: 609
Do you get bonus points if you gap directly to the landing zone?
Jan 28 2014 12:57PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,103
the car is provided. the point where it's dropped is a simulated parachute release. i don't know if we can do the lowering thing. although that would be super easy with a friction pulley. the budget is $150. bonus for minimized mass, ability to do higher drops, and a means to measure the force encountered during impact.
Jan 28 2014 1:21PM
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cool_name
Posts: 4295 - Karma: 3,131
Tape eggs underneath the car, they will break and slow down the car
Jan 28 2014 3:44PM
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The_Polock
Posts: 345 - Karma: 1,280
Click for larger imageThis dude will soften your landing.
Jan 28 2014 3:50PM
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-WZ-
Posts: 3600 - Karma: 6,582
dildo landing pads
Jan 28 2014 3:56PM
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Bar_Down
Posts: 5896 - Karma: 395
Put a giant sponge under the car lol
Jan 28 2014 4:18PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,103
genius. the problem then will be keeping them together during the fall, somehow have it let go of the car when it lands, and making it land right side up
Jan 28 2014 4:25PM
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Tinga
Posts: 11349 - Karma: 2,333
well if you want the car to land right side up all you need is some buttered toast or a cat.
Jan 28 2014 4:28PM
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~~~~~~~~
Posts: 2345 - Karma: 2,104
some kind of crate on top of cushioning material. somehow make the walls of the crate fall on impact giving you a ramp to drive off of.
Jan 28 2014 4:34PM
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Bar_Down
Posts: 5896 - Karma: 395
Build a box of sorts, put the car inside the box. Attach a bunch of helium-filled balloons to the top of the box in an attempt to slow down the fall and deal with the whole landing right side up issue. Have a bunch of sponges attached to the bottom of the box. Leave one of the sides of the box open so once the box lands, just put the pedal to the metal and the car will fly out of there and land on the ground, at which point you drive it to the finish spot.
Jan 28 2014 4:41PM
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prosnurfer
Posts: 1842 - Karma: 83
how big and heavy is the car to be used? if its small and light id try the box parachute idea, also does it have to drive off the drop or is someone dropping it? another thing you could try is to make a big wheel casing the car sits in for the drop maybe the car could power the wheel to the finish zone. put it in a mini zorb ball it will be unstoppable.
Jan 28 2014 5:27PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,103
it's about the size of your palm, can't be too heavy. since we're making a "rover lander" i'm guessing it has to be out of its container when it gets to the target
Jan 28 2014 5:34PM
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prosnurfer
Posts: 1842 - Karma: 83
ok are you driving it off the start point or is it dropped by hand?
Jan 28 2014 5:41PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,103
we don't know yet but we don't have to drive it off for sure. it will just be dropped
Jan 28 2014 5:45PM
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triss
Posts: 1293 - Karma: 2,916
its simple like how a bullet can have the same Momentum as someone throwing a brick.

P(momentum) = mass * velocity

a bullet will have a faster velocity but smaller mass
a brick has larger mass and lower velocity

in the end they can equal

soooooo

u have to use a cushion that will slow down the car when it falls. Something that will slowly release air when pressed upon.

Its the same shit why stunt guys use foam mats to slow velocity.


in the end i would use a woopie cushion ( no joke )

science betch
Jan 28 2014 6:06PM
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cool_name
Posts: 4295 - Karma: 3,131
Eggs my friend, they will break when it lands and then you just drive off and the extra weight of the eggs on the bottom will keep it falling straight
Jan 28 2014 7:04PM
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DIPED_IN_SAUCE
Posts: 858 - Karma: 2,256
Mars rover style air bags. Put small holes in them so they slowly deflate under pressure and the wheels will touch the ground. Material could be some bicycle inner tubes or something.
Click for larger image
Jan 28 2014 8:44PM
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Tasche
Posts: 5422 - Karma: 99
Need more info about the car.

Are you designing it?

Is this fully automated or RC?

5' isn't that high for something small. If you are building the car just put really big wheels on it. Wheels so big it doesn't matter which side it ends up on when it lands.

Click for larger image
Jan 28 2014 8:49PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,103
i only got to see a pic of it. it's a little truck with small wheels. i guess we can put bigger wheels on it when we get it
Jan 28 2014 8:55PM
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KrazyistKarl
Posts: 1725 - Karma: 599
Strap and avi airbag to it and pull the cord, then drop it and let it deflate
Jan 28 2014 9:15PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,103
oh the device needs to be able to fit in a foot cube
Jan 28 2014 9:51PM
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