Dirigibirble
®
A Project By:
Soumyo Dutta, Scott Frazier, Nataly
Sumarriva, Kevin Yount and Matt Reasor
Introduction
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The need of innovative
transportation devices with cheap
materials spurred our interest.
Initially the design was for a hot-air
balloon.
The lack of igniter and the expense
of a hot-air balloon created the
necessity to change plans to one for
a blimp.
Problem Statement
To design a dirigible capable of:
(1) Self-propelled vertical lift
(2) Propulsion while in air
(3) Capable of landing on a target
Research
The
components
weighed
approximately
0.9 lbf
Copied from: http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/uham/lift.html
Components
Setup
Model
Materials:
• Helium Balloon
• Basket (made of plastic)—
salvaged from plastic tray
compartment
• 9 V batteries (2)
• Servo (2)
• Radio-controller and receiver
• Battery case for Servo and 4
AAA batteries
• Computer fans (2)
• Circuit switches (2)
Model contd.
Testing
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The weight of the components was
counterbalanced by the buoyant
force of the helium balloons.
A neutral buoyancy was reached.
The fans (at an angle) allowed both
upward lift and forward thrust.
Conclusions
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Making a blimp from scratch is
expensive and requires an
assortment of parts.
Research into the actual lift
provided per volume of helium
simplifies the construction process.
Possible improvements include “fun”
additions, such as a pellet gun that
drops “bombs” on targets.