Skip to content

2026‐06

Jump to bottom
Vector edited this page Jun 18, 2026 · 5 revisions

June 2, 2026

Caribou Call — Recording · HearHear transcript

Attendees: far1no, kbmollysuh, errrks.eth, alperenag, zeynepb5793

  • CBC PCB / Enclosure Model Handoff

    • Julius said the CBC PCB should be ready for enclosure work and believes the relevant model is in Fusion, but KBM saw an older C90/CBC version and missing top-edge clearance in the current Fusion assembly.
    • Julius said the old PCB model is still usable for some enclosure-design work because the missing top clearance does not change the basic enclosure shape, but KBM may upload/update the latest PCB part himself.
    • KBM estimates the enclosure work will take roughly one full week after the model is updated.

  • Enclosure Design Constraints

    • Waterproofing is not required for the first prototype; Julius said dust protection is enough because Caribou will not be flown in rain.
    • KBM flagged sealing, heatsinking, and maintenance access as likely design challenges.
    • The PCB component side currently faces the airframe, making maintenance harder if the enclosure must be opened.
    • KBM suggested flipping the PCB so components face the battery side and can be accessed through a lid; Julius said this could be changed later, but the first prototype can continue with the current orientation.
    • Direction for PT1: continue current PCB orientation, leave extra space around the heatsink area in case fan/passive cooling changes are needed, and avoid over-optimizing waterproof access for this revision.

  • Connector / Sealing Details

    • KBM asked how the large output connector seals to the enclosure.
    • Julius explained the connector has a sealing/gasket face intended to seal against the enclosure, using screw holes for compression.
    • The enclosure may need upper/lower split geometry or a lid split around the connector area if the team wants stronger sealing later.
    • For PT1, the connector can remain somewhat maintenance-unfriendly if it is still workable.

  • CBC PCB Review

    • Erick has reviewed about half of the CBC PCB so far, starting with the power-regulator section.
    • The regulator section looks good and appears to follow datasheet example layouts; nothing urgent has stood out yet.
    • Erick will focus next on the kill-switch / latching / trigger circuitry and then continue through the rest of the PCBs.
    • Julius explained the kill-switch latching mechanism is intended to keep the main MOSFETs engaged even if the ESP32 reboots, and to prevent the ESP32 from independently disabling the MOSFETs. Disabling should only happen through the 12 V kill-switch signal from the main PCB or the battery button.
    • Battery workflow: plug in all batteries, enable them one by one, regulators start, ESP32 closes the main MOSFETs after a few seconds, precharge is disabled, then the battery can only be disabled with the battery button or key switch.

  • Main PCB Power Architecture

    • Julius is mostly working on the main PCB and hopes to have an initial version ready this week.
    • The main PCB will combine 12 V sources from the batteries into three redundant 12 V sources, each combined from two batteries.
    • From those three 12 V sources, the main PCB will create three separate 5 V circuits that can be assigned to different devices or sensor sets.
    • The flight controller can use two of the 5 V circuits for redundancy, leaving an optional third 5 V rail for other sensors/peripherals.

  • May Report / Contributor Updates

    • Julius still needs to create the May Caribou report and plans to do it this week.
    • KBM can send screenshots/monthly records of his work to make the report clearer.
    • Julius said KBM can share PCB updates with Vector for GitHub import, or create a branch/zip for Julius to review before a PR.
    • KBM asked whether Vector can export a full PCB STEP file for Fusion; Julius said yes, that workflow should work.

  • Additional Clearance Concern

    • KBM flagged a possible main-PCB output-cable clearance issue where a metal beam may block a large connector/cable path.
    • Height clearance is roughly 8–9 cm and may still be workable, but the team should check with the updated PCB inserted.
    • KBM suggested that the next prototype may need flipped PCB sides and possibly shorter main-PCB dimensions.

  • Open Items

    • Julius/KBM: confirm Fusion contains the latest CBC/C90 PCB model or upload the updated part.
    • KBM: begin/continue CBC enclosure design once the model is updated; rough estimate one week.
    • KBM: design PT1 enclosure for dust protection rather than full waterproofing, while reserving space for future gasket/sealing features where practical.
    • KBM: leave extra heatsink/fan clearance in the enclosure design.
    • Julius/KBM: keep current PCB orientation for PT1, but consider flipping component access toward the battery side for the next prototype.
    • Erick: continue CBC PCB review, focusing next on kill-switch/latching/trigger circuitry.
    • Erick: continue review of other Caribou PCBs after CBC review.
    • Julius: continue main PCB work and target an initial version this week.
    • Julius: update README/documentation items that are now stale after Vector’s earlier work.
    • Julius: create the May Caribou progress report this week.
    • KBM: send screenshots/monthly records of his Caribou work for the May report.
    • KBM/Vector/Julius: use Vector to import KBM PCB updates to GitHub or create a branch/zip for Julius to review.
    • KBM/Vector: export PCB STEP files for Fusion if needed.
    • KBM/Julius: check the possible main-PCB output-cable / metal-beam clearance issue with the updated PCB inserted.

June 9, 2026

Caribou Chat — Recording · HearHear transcript

Attendees: errrks.eth, far1no, thomasg, kbmollysuh

  • Main PCB / Battery Connector PCB

    • Julius is still working on the Caribou main PCB. The schematics are finished and he is now aligning/placing everything on the PCB.
    • He expects it will not take much more time and wants it ready in the next few days.
    • The main PCB will be populated with many waterproof vertical connectors, similar in concept to a modified Quiver PCB that sits centrally and connects outside sensors/peripherals.
    • Besides the connectors, the board mainly contains voltage regulators and battery/ESC connector interfaces.
    • Julius found small improvements needed on the battery connector PCB routing.
    • He found at least one capacitor with the wrong voltage rating and wants to change two MOSFETs used around the isolated DC-DC converter to smaller/more appropriate switching parts.
    • The current design reused MOSFETs similar to the larger solid-state switch MOSFETs, but those are not ideal for the isolated DC-DC converter because they are relatively old-school / slower switching.
    • Julius plans to document the specific part issues and changes.

  • Peripherals / Enclosures / Sensor Mounting

    • Julius has received the flight controller and GPS hardware, and ordered another camera and HM30 unit.
    • The first prototype will reuse several Quiver-style peripherals because that is the fastest path to testing.
    • KBM asked about vibration isolation for the flight controller; Julius said the approach is like Quiver, where damping would need to happen at the big PCB/enclosure level.
    • KBM suggested a future small PCB for the flight controller/sensitive sensors connected flexibly to the main PCB, but Julius said that will not be done in this version.
    • KBM said the CBC enclosure is about 90% done.
    • Julius said the main PCB enclosure still needs to be designed after the battery connector case is finished and parts can be ordered.
    • The frame also needs mounting points for the F9P GPS units and at least the two radar sensors used on Quiver.
    • KBM asked about an aircraft-wide covering/enclosure for dust/splash protection from the ground; Julius said most sensitive components are already in enclosures, so there is no full-aircraft enclosure plan for now.

  • Foldable Arms / Payload Integration

    • Thomas asked about foldable motor arms. Julius has not made more progress since identifying RGA-X Hobby as the likely candidate.
    • RGA-X Hobby has a 50 mm horizontal folding mount and a 60 mm downward-folding mount; Julius wants to ask whether they can make a 60 mm horizontal version.
    • Cost is high, roughly $350–$500 per unit.
    • Thomas also asked about cargo/agricultural payload integration.
    • Julius has not designed mounting points yet beyond the early render with two tanks.
    • Thomas noted agricultural payloads such as grain/liquid likely need bottom dispensing and top loading, while cargo may need a study of expected payload types.
    • Julius agreed it would be useful if someone could spend time on payload integration, but his focus is currently on PCB/airframe work.
    • Thomas said Arrow may need to recruit for that kind of work.

  • Longshot Bounties / Contributor Sourcing

    • Julius said the Longshot bounties have not attracted much response after more than two weeks, so he reached out to someone on Upwork.
    • He found someone willing to take on the 3D-printed parts and expects those bounties can be marked claimed/in progress.
    • PCB-related bounty work remains open.

  • GPS / Heading / Compass Strategy

    • Julius ordered two F9P GPS units; the vehicle can use one like Quiver or use two for GNSS heading by mounting one at the front and one at the back.
    • KBM said a front/back dual-F9P layout gives a long baseline and reliable heading source.
    • Thomas noted compass calibration will be harder on a large aircraft, but dual GPS yaw should reduce compass-interference risk.
    • Direction: mount two F9Ps front/back for heading and also keep the Matek compass, likely disabling the Matek GPS itself.
    • Thomas recommended keeping a usable compass fallback because GPS loss without a good compass could be dangerous.
    • Large Vehicle MagCal plus MagFit from flight data was mentioned as the likely ArduPilot compass workflow.

  • CBC Kill-Switch / Latching Circuit Review

    • Erick asked Julius to clarify the CBC kill-switch / latching circuit.
    • Julius explained the 12 V trigger signal path: the main PCB routes 12 V from the battery through a relay path, and when switched it returns 12 V as the control/trigger signal.
    • Erick confirmed the Schmitt trigger input cleans/noise-filters the signal and adds delay, then drives MOSFET control logic.
    • The key clarification was that U10 is normally closed; the trigger signal deactivates/opens the MOSFET switch. Erick had assumed it was normally open, which caused his confusion.
    • Julius also explained that the latch holds state if the ESP32 crashes and that startup reset defines the power-up state so the circuit boots in the off/safe position.
    • Julius and Erick agreed notes should be added/copied into the PCB documentation to make the normally-closed behavior clearer.

  • Decisions / Direction

    • Main PCB schematics are effectively finished; Julius is now focused on placement/alignment and wants the PCB ready in the next few days.
    • Battery connector PCB will get small quality/routing and component changes, including capacitor voltage correction and more appropriate MOSFETs for the isolated DC-DC converter.
    • PT1 will keep the flight controller/sensitive sensors integrated with the main PCB/enclosure approach; a separate flexible flight-controller PCB is deferred to a later version if needed.
    • No full-aircraft dust/splash enclosure is planned for now; sensitive components should be protected by their local enclosures.
    • Foldable arm direction remains RGA-X Hobby if they can provide a 60 mm horizontal folding mount, but cost is high.
    • Payload mounting/integration is an open design area and likely needs a dedicated contributor or study.
    • Caribou should use two F9P GPS units front/back for GNSS heading, while keeping the Matek compass as a fallback and likely disabling the Matek GPS.
    • CBC kill-switch documentation should be improved to explicitly call out normally-closed behavior and startup/off-state logic.

  • Open Items

    • Julius: finish main PCB placement/alignment and target a ready-to-review version in the next few days.
    • Julius: update battery connector PCB routing/components: capacitor voltage rating and isolated DC-DC MOSFET choices.
    • Julius: document the battery connector PCB changes / parts that caused issues so Erick can track them during review.
    • Erick: continue reviewing the CBC and related PCBs, including the kill-switch/latching circuitry.
    • Julius/Erick: add clearer notes to PCB documentation explaining normally-closed MOSFET switch behavior, 12 V trigger path, latch behavior, and startup reset/off-state logic.
    • KBM: finish the CBC enclosure from ~90% to ready state.
    • Julius/KBM: after the battery connector case is finished, plan/order parts and begin main PCB enclosure work.
    • Julius/KBM: add/plan mounting points for F9P GPS units and at least two Quiver-style radar sensors.
    • Julius: contact RGA-X Hobby about whether they can provide a 60 mm horizontal folding motor-arm mount.
    • Thomas/Julius: consider recruiting or scoping a contributor task for Caribou cargo/agricultural payload mounting and dispensing/loading integration.
    • Julius: mark the Longshot 3D-printed-parts bounty as claimed/in progress with the Upwork contributor, if appropriate.
    • Thomas/Arrow: help amplify remaining open Longshot PCB-related bounties if still desired.
    • Julius: implement two-F9P front/back GNSS heading layout and keep Matek compass fallback while disabling Matek GPS if appropriate.
    • Thomas/Julius: use Large Vehicle MagCal and later MagFit from flight data for compass calibration strategy.

June 16, 2026

Caribou Chat — Recording · HearHear transcript

Attendees: errrks.eth, far1no, kbmollysuh, thomasg

  • Main PCB Status

    • Julius reported that the Caribou main PCB is now fully routed with no DRC faults on his side.
    • He still wants to review and clean it up, but the board is effectively routed.
    • The board has many waterproof connectors plus power-supply circuitry and otherwise resembles the Quiver-style central electronics approach.
    • Julius imported the main PCB into the Fusion assembly so enclosure work can start.
    • Julius’s latest routed main PCB is not yet in GitHub because the prior archive/import attempt had file problems.
    • Julius will zip and send the updated files to Vector again so GitHub can be updated; Erick will review after that.

  • Main PCB Enclosure / Damping

    • KBM will continue enclosure work using the Fusion assembly.
    • The main PCB is roughly 210 × 220 mm, plus extra space for connectors and adjacent units.
    • Julius said it should still fit on the printer in one piece and does not need to be watertight around every connector.
    • The mounting holes match the Quiver enclosure pattern, so KBM may reuse/extend the Quiver enclosure concept with a different lid or expanded body.
    • The enclosure should mount around the center/crossing beam, likely using the existing four holes and possibly a clamped half-section printed part with rubber in between.
    • Current clearance between PCB and beam is about 3 cm, but Julius said it can be modified.
    • For damping, Julius is thinking about rubber dampers between enclosure and frame plus smaller/softer dampers between PCB and enclosure, similar to Quiver.
    • KBM suggested damping-board or gimbal-style isolation for the PCB and continued to prefer a future standalone/floating flight-controller structure.
    • Julius agreed that can be considered later, but PT1 should use enclosure/frame damping plus PCB damping.

  • CBC / Battery Holders / Peripheral Mounts

    • Julius plans to test-print the CBC case soon and test fit when ordered parts arrive next week.
    • Julius ordered stainless-steel battery holders for the first prototype because he was concerned aluminum might be too soft or otherwise unsuitable.
    • KBM noted stainless will be heavier, but Julius said weight is less critical for this prototype and stainless is safer for the first test.
    • After CBC/main PCB enclosure work, next packaging tasks are front/back F9P GPS holders, radar mounts, and camera mounts.
    • KBM said those peripheral mounts should be easier than the CBC enclosure and will collect the relevant 3D models and documents.

  • Foldable Beam Connectors

    • Julius found foldable beam connectors on Alibaba and ordered six pieces.
    • They are cheaper than the RJX Hobby options discussed earlier.
    • KBM still noted that this class of hardware can be expensive.

  • Camera Mounting

    • Camera mounting should stay lower priority for now.
    • Julius initially wanted the SIYI A8 mounted higher on a tower-like structure for better view over the aircraft.
    • Julius also wanted two fixed cameras so operators can see motor arms or other views in the dashboard.
    • KBM raised vibration/oscillation concerns with a tall camera tower and suggested a GoPro/selfie-stick-style mount or broader aircraft extension bar.
    • Erick and Thomas pushed toward not over-investing yet; Erick suggested a GoPro-style test camera unless a video stream is immediately needed.
    • Thomas said camera mounting is probably not the most important item right now and has spare R1M cameras available if Julius wants free cameras.

  • PCB Review Handoff

    • Erick feels mostly good about the CBC PCB review.
    • He still wants to double-check traces and pin connections to avoid past mistakes, but otherwise CBC review is nearly done.
    • Erick opened the main PCB CAD files, but will wait for Julius’s latest routed files to be imported to GitHub before reviewing the main PCB.

  • Decisions / Direction

    • Caribou main PCB is fully routed with no DRC faults on Julius’s local copy, pending cleanup and GitHub import/review.
    • Main PCB enclosure work can start from the Fusion assembly; it does not need full watertight connector treatment for PT1.
    • Use a practical damping stack for PT1: enclosure-to-frame damping plus PCB-to-enclosure damping; defer a standalone/floating flight-controller PCB concept to a later version.
    • Stainless battery holders are acceptable for PT1 even if heavier than aluminum.
    • Peripheral mounting priorities after the CBC/main PCB enclosure are front/back F9P holders, radar mounts, and simple camera mounts.
    • Avoid over-optimizing camera tower/video-stream integration right now; GoPro/R1M/simple test-camera mounting is enough unless a specific dashboard/video need appears.
    • Erick’s CBC PCB review is nearly done; next major review is the updated main PCB once Julius gets the routed files to Vector/GitHub.

  • Open Items

    • Julius: review/clean up the fully routed Caribou main PCB, then package and resend the updated files to Vector for GitHub import.
    • Vector: import Julius’s updated routed main PCB files to the Caribou repo once received and resolve any file/archive issues.
    • Erick: finish CBC PCB review by double-checking traces, pin connections, and any missing/unconnected items.
    • Erick: review the Caribou main PCB after the updated routed version is in GitHub.
    • Julius: test-print the CBC case and test fit once the ordered parts/battery holders arrive next week.
    • KBM: continue/design the main PCB enclosure using the Fusion assembly and Quiver-compatible mounting-hole pattern where useful.
    • Julius/KBM: decide the PT1 damping layout: enclosure-to-frame rubber and PCB-to-enclosure softer damping.
    • KBM: collect 3D models/documents for front/back F9P mounts, radar mounts, and camera/peripheral mounts.
    • KBM/Julius: design front/back F9P holders and radar mounts after or alongside enclosure work.
    • Julius: test the ordered stainless battery holders when they arrive and confirm fit/stiffness.
    • Julius/KBM/Thomas: keep camera mounting simple for now; consider GoPro/R1M/selfie-stick-style temporary mounts before designing a tall dedicated camera tower.
    • Julius: evaluate the ordered Alibaba foldable beam connectors when they arrive.

  • Open Questions / Risks

    • Will the updated routed main PCB archive import cleanly into GitHub/KiCad without the file problems from the previous attempt?
    • Does the PT1 damping stack provide enough vibration isolation for the integrated main-PCB/flight-controller approach?
    • Are the stainless battery holders stiff enough and geometrically correct despite the weight penalty?
    • How much clearance should KBM reserve between the main PCB/enclosure and the center beam once damping and connectors are included?
    • What minimum camera setup is actually needed for first tests versus later dashboard/video-stream goals?

Clone this wiki locally