03 Feb 2023  |   05:32am IST

Building up for the future

A young Goan engineer is helping expand the knowledge of the technology behind drones

Team Café

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imply put, a drone is a flying robot that can be remotely controlled or fly autonomously using software-controlled flight plans in its embedded systems, that work in conjunction with onboard sensors and a global positioning system. It has caught the fancy of various industries. It is used in the service industry and yes the armed forces to deliver bombs on locations not easily accessible by the human element. Drones are also used to record memories like weddings and other happy and sad occasions. These robots are now available in Goa and Mayur Deshpande, the young man has the vision and foresight to train other people interested in increasing their knowledge.

Deshpande who graduated in electronics in 2019 has a start up which is involved in creating smart phone accessories used to build drones as a hobby. This interest in drones came about after he attended a couple of workshops and perused various videos on Youtube. He also made the effort to read and learn as much as possible due to this interest. His background in engineering helped him understand the mechanics of it all. He said, “I was always fascinated by aerial vehicles. I decided to move into making drones and with my knowledge base, designing circuits was not a problem”. He built two drones and learned about drones used for spraying in agriculture. Deshpande gained actual experience when he did an internship in a company that was in the business of drones in Hyderabad.

He is presently content with keeping it a hobby and is focused on his start-up which is Belgaum. He is however keen on conducting training sessions for people interested in drones. The first session, which will be over two days, will be held this weekend. In this workshop the focus will be on drone designing and calculations according to the application requirements like payloads, flying time, smart features, control scheme, drone construction including materials, safety in construction and piloting skill including pilot safety, rules and regulations, and simulations. In workshop students will start with micro-controllers, understanding the role of microcontrollers, introduction to ATMEL controllers, types and specifications, Intro to Arduino Boards and IDE, programming, Arduino inputs and outputs, simulation, real time projects and tasks followed by a final self-made project.

Asked what his future plans were he said he hoped to get a certified pilot licence so that he would be able to operate the drones. He said he was focused on his start-up and was not willing to commit to saying that perhaps he would take a hard look at the drone business in the future. But now he is focused on educating young people on the technology behind drones.