Flying the Oktokopter for Radio Astronomy Research
Channel: CAASTRO
Date: 2012-02-06

Radio Astronomy Research in Western Australia will soon make use of an 8-bladed aircraft, the Oktokopter. Mounting a radio transmitter on the Oktokopter and flying it in a pre-defined path over the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) radio telescope, researchers will be able to calibrate the instrument for increased sensitivity to radio signals from the early Universe.

Oktokopter
8 brushless motors, 4 counter- and 4 clockwise propellers (alternating)
powered by two 5000mAH LiPo batteries
GPS+compass navigation accurate to 1m
programmable waypoints, including altitude
maximum (legal) altitude 120m/400ft
flight time 30min, payload 1kg

Camera
Sanyo Xacti HD2000
resolution 1920x1080, 60fps
mount rotation 180degrees
allows tracking to Point of Interest

Acknowledgements
at the controls: Dr Natasha Hurley-Walker, ICRAR/Curtin University
Science support: Prof Steven Tingay, ICRAR/Curtin University, CAASTRO
Engineering support: Brian Crosse, ICRAR/Curtin University
Technical support: Aerobot.com.au and Mikrokopter.de
Financial support: Curtin University, Perth, Australia

Video production: Dr Wiebke Ebeling, CAASTRO Education & Outreach Coordinator http://www.caastro.org