SOLO FUNERALS..!

[Gren]

This is a follow-on from a posting I placed on the FB Solo Group today. I was asked on the weekend if my drone could drop someone's ashes out to sea, which is quite popular here along the Australian coast. I couldn't really answer, but it was a serious question. So thinking about it, whilst being a morbid subject, dropping ashes after the cremation would be simpler and cheaper than hiring a boat and could be made into a nice event with video and music etc. Anyway, some interesting replies came back to my posting and I've looked at how DJI Phantom flyers are using their drones to drop things and some pretty innovative ideas are out there. My question is (before I start inventing) has anyone come up with a drop mechanism for the Solo..? I can see how tilting the gimbal could work if it could bear the weight of someone's ashes.

PS. I haven't yet called an undertaker to establish the market need or establish the weight. But others have now suggested this may not be a bad idea. There just might be room for grandma under my Solo yet. Maybe I'll contact 3DR for suggestions. But your serious ideas would be welcomed.

Thanks..!

 

[Chuck]

You have to remember that the Solo gimbal was designed to function with the weight of specific GoPro cameras in it. Seems to me that the added weight of "grandma" would possibly cause damage to it. Also it might hinder any footage you may want to shoot of "grandma's" final disposition. I bet you get a lot of ideas from the guys and gals on here. They love challenges. Good luck.

 

[Gren]

You have to remember that the Solo gimbal was designed to function with the weight of specific GoPro cameras in it. Seems to me that the added weight of "grandma" would possibly cause damage to it. Also it might hinder any footage you may want to shoot of "grandma's" final disposition. I bet you get a lot of ideas from the guys and gals on here. They love challenges. Good luck.

Hi and yes, I imagine the gimbal isn't up to it. The average weight of an adult male's ashes is around 1.4kg or just over 3 pounds.
Need to copy what the DJI Phantom guys do I guess with a release mechanism instead of the gimbal. Thank you for your comment.

 

[linsey]

The Fishermans's version of Splash Drone by Swell Pro is designed to drop stuff like a life preserver. (It purportedly can also land in water, take an underwater shot, and take off again...).

In Seattle, not all of the Seaplane Airlines are licensed to scatter ashes, so the FAA must require something extra for this.

 

[Gren]

The Fishermans's version of Splash Drone by Swell Pro is designed to drop stuff like a life preserver. (It purportedly can also land in water, take an underwater shot, and take off again...).

In Seattle, not all of the Seaplane Airlines are licensed to scatter ashes, so the FAA must require something extra for this.

Hi Linsey. I don't particularly want to buy another drone. I just want ideas about a release mechanism for a Solo. But thank you for pointing out the Swell Pro. By the way, why can't private drones be used to scatter ashes in your neck of the woods without govt intererence..? Beats expensive sea planes.

 

[Dogman1973]

I'm sure you could fashion up something with a servo... use one of the pixhawk pwm outputs, and configure it as the camera shutter in Mission Planner... do a manual camera trigger when you want to dump, or even better, a planned mission

 

[linsey]

Private drones can't do anything in my Seattle neighborhood without a FAA waiver due to class B airspace.

Being deployed by seaplane was the wish of my departed Loved One so I wouldn't have baited and switched to a drone due to expense, not to mention his wish also specified "over the Enchanted Valley" which is in Olympic National Park (illegal to fly lower than 2000 feet not to mention needing permission to do so). Since my Loved One was a stickler for regulations, we wanted to do everything by the book.

 

[Gren]

I'm sure you could fashion up something with a servo... use one of the pixhawk pwm outputs, and configure it as the camera shutter in Mission Planner... do a manual camera trigger when you want to dump, or even better, a planned mission

Sounds like a potential plan. Would have to get pixhawk and another pad and then a servo with the means to fix underneath. Thank you for your reply..!

 

[Dogman1973]

Sounds like a potential plan. Would have to get pixhawk and another pad and then a servo with the means to fix underneath. Thank you for your reply..!

You'd need to solder a wire from a pin on the mainboard to get access to ch7 PWM from the pixhawk. Not rocket science, but requires some basic electronics proficiency.
There's a few threads on here discussing it for servo's and camera triggers... either directly or via accessory bay IO.
Try searching the forum for PWM.
some useful info in this thread:
How to assign RC buttons to RCx (PWM output)

If you're in AU, I've got some spare accessory bay connectors... happy to flick you one for nix

 

[SARDG]

Our U.S. Coast Guard Aux local Flotilla's Honor Guard handles several burials at sea each year. They normally go out to sea 3 miles (with ashes), for the ceremony. I don't know if Australia has any minimum distance restrictions, but assuming the same typical 3 miles as US burials, and with a 3 lb payload, it doesn't sound too feasible. Also well-past VLOS at that point, and I don't know of any mods that can take Solo that distance reliably.

 

[Gren]

Our U.S. Coast Guard Aux local Flotilla's Honor Guard handles several burials at sea each year. They normally go out to sea 3 miles (with ashes), for the ceremony. I don't know if Australia has any minimum distance restrictions, but assuming the same typical 3 miles as US burials, and with a 3 lb payload, it doesn't sound too feasible. Also well-past VLOS at that point, and I don't know of any mods that can take Solo that distance reliably.

A good point and this would have to be checked-out. Not so straight forward but worth checking with local authorities and various funeral businesses. Watch this space..! Thank you for your input.

 

[RickP]

Why not make it a one-way mission? No concern about dropping mechanisms etc. Still cheaper than hiring a boat and crew. Build a custom drone with sufficient payload; barebones on everything else.

 

[Gren]

Great thanks. Ideally, it would be good to video the ashes as they get released which means keeping the GoPro in the gimbal. So thinking about some kind of means of suspending the load in the middle of the legs and then using the gimbal to pull out a pin from something that would release the load and then be filmed. I wonder what the max load can be to fly between 50 and 100 feet for 10 minutes. Gotta keep thinking on this one. Cheers..!

 

[Gren]

Why not make it a one-way mission? No concern about dropping mechanisms etc. Still cheaper than hiring a boat and crew. Build a custom drone with sufficient payload; barebones on everything else.

Depending on how busy the business became, could be lots of drones down there after a while. Good idea though - thanks.

 

[SPP]

Gren, why would you worry or need of a special drop mechanism needing extra servo and etc etc ?

Use simple hook system, where its angle of release ( its bend shape ) is say equal to the tilt you can do with solo.
So you release the ash ( assuming within the payload limit of Solo , say 300 grams is do-able ), by doing kind agressive manuver. Ashes to sea is symbolic, its does not have to be 100% remaining after cremation.

Or you can do small plastic bucket system for the ash, where the bottom part of the bucket is made of paper and sticked-on using adhesive, which its adhesive will self dissolve in water ( because it is not waterproof adhesive ) after say 30 seconds immersion in water. The bucket may hang say 4 meters down from your Solos center of gravity, you fly carefully and with proven high gain antena, 800 meters out to sea is not a problem. Again if the law permits within 500 meters to throw human remains ash to sea, distance at sea is just symbolic.

Do the battery life calculation for the trip out to sea + waiting for 1 minute hoovering and back to beach to land, with enough reserve. I recalled that some higher speed of Solo is actually more efficient per meter travelled vs watts consumed. You need to work out that one. SNAIL mode is not efficient for Solo, that I know.

Make sense ?

 

[Gren]

Gren, why would you worry or need of a special drop mechanism needing extra servo and etc etc ?

Use simple hook system, where its angle of release ( its bend shape ) is say equal to the tilt you can do with solo.
So you release the ash ( assuming within the payload limit of Solo , say 300 grams is do-able ), by doing kind agressive manuver. Ashes to sea is symbolic, its does not have to be 100% remaining after cremation.

Or you can do small plastic bucket system for the ash, where the bottom part of the bucket is made of paper and sticked-on using adhesive, which its adhesive will self dissolve in water ( because it is not waterproof adhesive ) after say 30 seconds immersion in water. The bucket may hang say 4 meters down from your Solos center of gravity, you fly carefully and with proven high gain antena, 800 meters out to sea is not a problem. Again if the law permits within 500 meters to throw human remains ash to sea, distance at sea is just symbolic.

Do the battery life calculation for the trip out to sea + waiting for 1 minute hoovering and back to beach to land, with enough reserve. I recalled that some higher speed of Solo is actually more efficient per meter travelled vs watts consumed. You need to work out that one. SNAIL mode is not efficient for Solo, that I know.

Make sense ?

Thanks SPP. Yes what you say makes a lot of sense. Some of the feedback I'm also getting fully agrees with what you say. Families of diseased generally like their loved-one's ashes distributed in more than one location. At sea is one popular place, gardens and other places such as favourite walks are common. So will look at what you suggest with a paper bottomed vessel slung within the center of gravity across the legs. A bit of experimenting involved. But thank you for your ideas..! Better antenas would be better and will look at the paddle type available from Amazon.
Cheers.

 

[Frank Foster]

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[Dash Hewes]

I'm doing this summer in Montana under my father's wishes who passed away last month.
I'm removing the gimbal and camera and building a rigid cardboard hanging platform. The forward movement will displace the ashes. One I get there I'll test the weight to lift ratio and tweak, I believe I will be flying two Solo's in tandem and set up routes in tower, I've flown two at once before with no issues, even if it takes three Solo's I'll give it a shot. more to come...

 

[Gren]

I'm doing this summer in Montana under my father's wishes who passed away last month.
I'm removing the gimbal and camera and building a rigid cardboard hanging platform. The forward movement will displace the ashes. One I get there I'll test the weight to lift ratio and tweak, I'm sure it will take at least two flights.

Hi Dash. Firstly sorry to learn of your Father's passing. But then how nice that you can fulfill his wishes and spread his ashes across the land he probably cherished. Yes, so this whole thing about using the drone as a carriage for ashes is a good thing. Once you have finished making the rigid platform, I'd be keenly interested to see a couple of photos (how..?). Thinking about it from offering it as a service, it would be good to have more than one contraption options of delivering the ashes. Remaining male ashes can weigh more than 31/2 pounds, therefore two flights are probably necessary. Good luck and thanks for sharing this.

 

[Gren]

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Many thanks Frank. Yes, I'd seen footage of the Phantoms being used for this. So really and as I'd thought, tension release on something could be the way to go. What kind of contraption did you assemble to enable your weighted line to drop..? Do you have a short YouTube on that..? Must remember that a persons ashes can be pretty heavy, but then can be divided and spread in different locations. Hope you're now getting the big ones..! I'll have to get my rod back out. Cheers.