Brainstorming/Research

Introduction

            Cole Reimann goal is to design and build frame for a remote controlled land sailer that is meant to be used competitively or leisurely depending on the user.  During testing, the frame must hold the land sailer steady and help the system achieve its maximum possible speed while producing minimum drag.  The land sailer must also be able to operate on flat terrains and in dry conditions.  The land sailer as a whole must also be entirely wind driven and remotely controlled, allowing it to qualify and perform well in tournaments or during recreational use.  With these goals in mind, the final design of team’s land sailer should be able to perform all of these specifications as intended and achieve the highest score they can during the final testing stages.  

The Problem/Opportunity

            In extreme conditions, land sailors have been documented to go as fasts 30.3 miles per hour, and at this pace, rough surfaces can cause resonation and bumping on the land sailor.  This jostling could be enough to knock vital components loose or at least hinder performance and is something to take into consideration when choosing designs.  Depending on the wheels and suspension, land sailors needs to travel on a variety of surfaces, including stone, assault, or concrete in a variety of weather conditions.  Additionally, the land sailor must follow all specifications and limitations outlined previously. With all of these problems, the group has many opportunities and possibilities to find solutions, making your final design adaptable and able to handle a variety of problems as documented throughout the blog.

The Climate/Atmosphere/Environment                       

            The climate during the use of the land sailer must be relatively dry with moderate to high winds. Any less wind and the design will have trouble propelling itself, and any more wind will risk performance as well as structural integrity.  The average wind speed recently is around 14 mph, which is no problem if the land sailer is well constructed.  Additionally, moisture will interfere with the electronics onboard, so rain and days with high humidity would be detrimental to vital apparatuses.  Terrain must be flat for the most affective acceleration and speed during the final stages of testing, and uneven terrain could flip the land sailor.  Also, large obstructions of the wind, such as buildings or trees, will cause choppy wind and consequently poor performance. 

Conditions of Use

            The RC land sailor should be used in windy environments with little to no obstructions to the wind.  The land sailor would perform best where the wind blows constantly and powerfully.  The land sailor is to be used on flat ground, as uneven terrains may be enough to flip the model during testing.  The user should also have experience on how to drive the land sailor and knowledge on the principles of sailing. The design will be used most effectively if the controllers know what they are doing.

The End User

            The end user should be skilled at driving the land sailer, as described in the Conditions of Use section.  The user must know how to steer and position the sail without tipping the land sailor of luffing.  The end user could come from a variety of cultural demographics, some of which may have no knowledge on sailing at all.  It would be difficult for some users to learn over the others.