Website Redesign
I redesigned my website this week, separating pictures into self-directed projects and updating my about page. While I've received positive feedback, there is still some work to do, especially on the contact page. My site is built using Adobe Portfolio, which is great for a portfolio site but lacks the capabilities I want. For instance, I am interested in connecting an e-commerce shop or booking tools but Adobe Portfolio does not allow for that. I’m researching my options and considering using PhotoShelter as it seems to have everything I want to be built into it. However, as someone with programming experience, I should also consider using a tool that allows me more customization.
Component Highlight - Motors
Drone motors come in two varieties: brushless and brushed. Brushless motors are more powerful and efficient, ideal for larger drones. Brushed motors, while less efficient, are much cheaper. This is why many hobbyists use brushed motors on their micro-quads. However, the majority of what I personally use are brushless motors due to their efficiency and increased lifespan from not having brushes to wear down.
How do they work?
The motors have coils that become energized, creating a temporary magnetic field that repels or attracts against the permanent magnets inside the motor. The magnetic force creates a repulsive force in the coil that spins the shaft.
What does “kV” mean?
Motor kV is the increase of rotor rotations per minute when voltage is increased by 1V. Brushless motors are typically marked with a 4-digit number: XXYY. “XX” refers to the stator width and “YY” is the stator height, determining the torque. The wider and higher it is, the more thrust it can generate.
A week with Turtle
This week has been a struggle. I lost a couple of friends to accidents that really should not have happened, and I spent a lot of my time helping their families organize the funerals. To celebrate their lives, I screamed my heart out at karaoke.
Unfortunately, the weather was not kind to UAV pilots this week, with rain, wind, and more rain. As a result, I did not get any new shots. Looking ahead, it seems that I have another week of rain incoming. While California needs the rain, I also need to fly. I may start flying indoors to avoid going nuts.
To make some startup capital, I have started driving with DoorDash. My hope is that once the weather clears up, I can fly and shoot between deliveries. Additionally, I can justify driving further from home since I can make back my gas money while I'm out.
This upcoming week, my focus will be on researching options for my website. I've been hanging out with a friend who is very business-savvy. He's the same friend who got me into drones, so thank you, Sparky! He's helped me ask important questions while also dissuading me from taking actions that won't yield any results aside from an empty pocketbook.