Payload Drop System

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What is the project

I designed a custom CAD beacon capsule holder for our drone competition payload system, mounting it to the drone underside for secure carry and controlled release.

• For this project, I engineered a dedicated payload-drop subsystem centered around a custom beacon capsule as the mission payload.
• I created a new CAD beacon holder specifically sized for the capsule geometry and integrated it onto the underside of the drone frame.
• The underside mounting strategy was designed to preserve propulsion clearance, maintain center-of-mass balance, and avoid interference with landing behavior.
• I iterated on mounting geometry and retention features to keep the capsule stable during flight maneuvers while still supporting reliable payload deployment.
• The final assembly translated the competition payload requirement into a manufacturable, repeatable hardware module that could be installed and tested quickly.

What I learned

• Payload hardware design is tightly coupled to flight behavior; even small mounting changes can affect drone balance, vibration response, and handling.
• CAD for aerial systems requires designing for both structural retention and operational access, especially when parts must mount to constrained underside space.
• Fast prototyping cycles are essential: fit checks, clearance validation, and repeated mechanical tweaks are what turn a concept into a field-ready subsystem.
• Designing for repeatable assembly matters in team builds; simple attachment interfaces reduce setup errors and speed up pre-flight preparation.
• I learned how to translate competition constraints into practical mechanical requirements and execute them through CAD-to-prototype iterations.

Skills Learned

• Mechanical CAD for UAV Subsystems
• Payload Mount Design
• Underside Frame Integration
• Design for Manufacturability
• Rapid Hardware Iteration
• Mechanical Fit and Clearance Validation
• Prototype Testing and Refinement
• Systems Thinking for Drone Hardware