Just in time before the Easter weekend, team PERIPHAS has successfully completed their first cargo flight! The goal was to test the structural integrity, the wireless connection and the separation.
We started with system assembly early in the morning. Connecting all components to their racks, preparing our Carbon Dioxide separation mechanism and wiring the Printed Circuit Boards to the system. To simulate the weight of the motor section and the fin’s aerodynamic drag, we attached a steel tube with wooden dummy fins to the end of our recovery system. After the assembly was finished, we entered airfield Dübendorf, where we had a short lunch break before completing the final setup. Soon, our pilots and the ground crew arrived as well. After a round of introductions, a thorough briefing was held. All procedures were discussed and the exact communication protocols between us and the helicopter crew were repeated.
The system was then connected to the helicopter through a longline, and took of for the first time (lifted by the helicopter)! We first confirmed structural integrity and tested the stability of the telemetry connection. We were pleased to see our hard work paying off, as the system’s wireless connection with us was quick and reliable. Due to the pointy nosecone and the aerodynamic drag of the fins, the system was also very stable in the air, always pointing in the direction of travel. We designed for this to happen, but were nonetheless positively surprised at how steady it was throughout the flight!:helicopter:

 

Once we felt comfortable to move on, we entered the next phase of our test: Sending the system’s software commands. We remotely armed and disarmed it repeatedly via the telemetry connection and always received quick feedback on our groundstation! With this test completed, we moved to our final task: separating the nosecone.
All our eyes were fixated on our system as the Arming Officer pushed the button to send the separation command. Our pulse was steadily rising as nothing happened for a few seconds when suddenly…. it separated! What a milestone!

The helicopter landed again, allowing us to disassemble the system, and load it into the transport van. We said our goodbyes to the helicopter crew and returned to the Innovationspark Zürich for a debrief and celebration for this very successful testing day.
While there is still work to do we feel ready to tackle our next challenge; our first droptest next week!:rocket: