UFO
Team Members: Zihao Ding, Michael Mong, Jake Zimmer
Summary:
Our toy, UFO, is an easy to assemble do it yourself mono-copter. Our flying toy requires no external controls to fly it so it is usable by all ages and skills, with supervision for younger children to avoid injury. To play with this toy some assembly is required but it is not complex and part of the fun. After assembly of the toy it can be charged to achieve a short flight before losing power and coming back down to the ground.
Learning Goals:
- Following Assembly Directions
- Following the directions in the build guide will teach the children how to follow directions to achieve a goal.
- Basic Construction Techniques
- Through the assembly of the mono-copter the children will learn basic construction techniques such as box joints and wood glue.
- Basics of Aerodynamics
- By watching the flight of the copter the children will learn about lift and other basic aerodynamic principles though experience.
Once constructed, the motor slots into the top hole to be fastened by glue. The construction is meant to be simple enough that a child familiar with Legos could build it; however, some parental assistance may be required. Then the toy can be charged then you point it and turn it on to watch it fly away. Some parental supervision might be required here for safety purposes.
BOM:
Cardboard: $1.50
Motors + Propeller: $2.00
Lithium Battery: $17
Total: $20.50
Extensions:
Given more time we would have made a fun charger for kids. Additionally most of our cost comes from our battery. Given more time we could find a better way to power the copter which would make it smaller and therefore lighter as well as be a cheaper alternative to allow us to reduce our price.