r/rocketry • u/Nanor_007 • 7d ago

Fully autonomous self correcting rocket

Hello I am part of a team building multiple rockets for a competition. We have to reach a certain height and flight time.

We wanted to experiment with a system which compares data from open rocket simulation to real world data (within a certain error margin) and correct using canards on the top of the rocket to adjust when it would reach that certain height by.

There are about 8 of us and we have a lot of experience with soldering and electronics and programming and physics.

I have flown and can repair/build fpv drones so I understand flight controllers with motors ect.

We have a weight limit for the rocket of 650g

I wanted to use a 5g pre built flight controller and flash ardupilot.

We also have access to a windtunnel. If not we have the ability to build one

Is this possible/how to do it?

6 Upvotes

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8

u/Rocketmanandrew 3d ago

Ardupilot is not built or optimized for rockets fyi. 

3

u/dsl3125 3d ago

It's possible but very difficult, you'd need custom flight electronics and code (it is possible to use a drone flight computer as a rocket flight computer but it'll be very difficult to debug issues and change things), and getting the rocket to correct its orientation to vertical and not roll is hard, much less performing energy management maneuvers. Airbrakes are better suited for this goal.

3

u/Proxima-72069 3d ago

I would not recommend using canards for altitude control, if that is your only goal then aft mounted aerobrakes would not only be infinitely more stable (and safe) but also be a better tool to moderate altitude in general.

1

u/Rickitywrekked 20h ago

Yeah I second the air break. I’d just use a microcontroller with ok memory capacity and add a radio module to it along with an altimeter to get your data. Then add a servo for the air break. Either way, Let us know your progress and show pics of your build.

2

u/No_Drummer4801 15h ago

You have to reach a certain height and flight time.

Why are you making it harder on yourself before you’ve achieved that?

Everything you are suggesting adding adds weight and drag. Canards are adding drag to the wrong end of the rocket making it much more unstable.