Swim Fly Drone

This project addresses the need for a versatile drone that is capable of operation in both air and water environments, with potential applications in infrastructure inspection, defense, search and rescue, and ocean exploration. This project focuses on the design and development of a waterproof aerial drone capable of floating on the water surface and submerging underneath to controlled depths with the integration of a custom detachable buoyancy chamber. The buoyancy chamber design utilizes syringes to compress and decompress air inside of the chamber, changing the volume of the chamber, with an actuation system controlled by a closed-loop control system that uses a pressure sensor for feedback.\nThe project involved the integration of mechanical, electrical, and software components and successfully demonstrated the system’s ability to transition between floating to submersion phases. However, the flight testing remains incomplete. The detachable buoyancy chamber could be especially beneficial for heavier drones transitioning between the two mediums, which might otherwise require significant motor energy to stay afloat in the water. Continuation of the project could provide valuable insights into the advantages of the design feature through comparative testing of the drone’s performance with and without the buoyancy chamber, including efficiency analysis during takeoff and keeping the drone afloat on the water surface.