Radio-Controlled Duck Decoy

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Radio-Controlled Duck Decoy

• May 03-25
• April 30th, 2003
• Team Members Faculty Advisors
• Jason Freerksen Prof. Robert Weber
• Kooi-Tjek Lau Prof. Clive Woods
• Evan Smith
• Vladimir Stevanovich Client
• Kyle Wetjen Senior
  Design

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Presentation Outline

• Terms Used
• Acknowledgement
• Problem Statement
• Operating Environment
• Users and Uses
• Assumptions and Limitations
• End-Product Description
• Accomplishments
• Approaches

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Presentation Outline (continued)

• Project Definitions
• Activities
• Human and Financial Budget
• Evaluation of Project Success
• Commercialization
• Recommendations for Further Work
• Lessons Learned
• Project Risks and Concerns
• Closing Summary

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Terms Used and Defined

• DNR Department of Natural Resources
• RF Radio Frequency
• Tx Transmitter of radio signal
• Rx Receiver of radio signal
• PIC Programmable Integrated Circuit
• PWM Pulse Width Modulation

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Acknowledgement

• A M
• Waterfowl, Inc.
• www.therealdecoy.com

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Problem Statement

• General Problem Statement
• Users desire complete remote control of decoy
• Decoy must look, act, and sound like a real duck

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Problem Statement

• General Solution-Approach Statement
• Motorized duck decoy
• RF Tx/Rx system
• Speed controller
• Steering control system via servo and rudder
• Long lasting battery packs
• Garage door Tx/Rx system for sound activation
• Programmable sound chip
• Sound amplification system
• Compact audio speaker

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Operating Environment

• In water such as ponds and small lakes
• Hunters will hunt in all weather conditions
• Decoy will likely be dropped or abused

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Intended Users and Uses

• Intended Users
• DNR personnel
• Duck researchers
• Duck hunters
• Intended Uses
• Studying ducks and their migrating patterns
• Hunting ducks for sport
• Attracting ducks for any other reason

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Assumptions and Limitations

• Assumptions
• 2-channel RF Tx/Rx system enough to give
  life-like movement to decoy
• Noise of motor will be negligible
• Batteries will provide sufficient power
• The RF Tx/Rx system will have minimal
  interference from motor

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Assumptions and Limitations (cont.)

• Limitations
• Limited experience with wireless technology
• Limited time and funding for project
• Decoy must be the same size as a real duck

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End-Product Description and Deliverables

• Decoy that looks, acts, and moves like a real
  duck
• Easy to control using RF Tx/Rx controllers
• Moves forward, reverse, and turns
• Battery powered with minimal power consumption
  for long operating time
• Sound reproduction implemented external to decoy

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Present Accomplishments

• Decoy finished according to specifications
• Sound reproduction finished according to
  specifications
• Project completely finished

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Approaches Considered

• Decoy
• Standard vs. Motorized
• RF Tx/Rx Controls
• Preassembled vs. Design from scratch
• Drive System
• Dual motor vs. Motor/Rudder System

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Approaches Considered (cont)

• Speed Controller
• Design H-Bridge/PIC vs. Speed Controller
• Sound
• Pneumatic vs. Electronic
• Power Supply
• Rechargeable vs. non-rechargeable

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Project Definition Activities

• Decoy that looks, acts, and moves like a real
  duck
• Easy to control using RF Tx/Rx system
• External sound implementation due to legality
  issues

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Research Activities

• Duck Decoys
• RF Tx/Rx systems
• Speed Controllers
• Power consumption
• Batteries

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Design Activities

• Design Constraints
• Power consumption
• Size of duck decoy
• Testing and operating conditions
• Buoyancy

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Design Activities
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Implementation Activities

• Problems encountered and how they were overcome
• Converting PWM from receiver to supply motor
• Reducing interference from the motor
• Receiving unusable parts
• Suggestions for improved implementation
• Use standard decoy and add motor
• Use a more compact and/or efficient Tx/Rx system
  for sound reproduction

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Testing and Modification Activities

• 2 Channel RF Tx/Rx controller
• Both channels working properly
• Duck decoys motor and speed controller
• Proportional movement, forward and reverse
• Servo and Rudder
• Rudder steers in both directions via the servo
• Sound chip, amplification system, and speaker
• Plays and amplifies recorded sound
• Fully assembled decoy
• Forward and reverse movement along with steering
  capabilities

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Other Significant Project Activities

• Significant accomplishments (not covered
  elsewhere)
• Obtained free motorized duck decoy
• Researched hearing frequency of waterfowl
• Final status of major components of the end
  product
• Motor Control (100 done)
• Steering Control (100 done)
• Sound Reproduction (100 done)

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Personnel Effort
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Financial Budget
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Evaluation of Project Success

• Milestones
• Finalize design (fully met)
• Order and receive parts (fully met)
• Assemble and test steering system (fully met)
• Assemble and test sound system (fully met)
• Assemble all functional parts (fully met)
• Test and finalize complete product (fully met)

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Commercialization

• Estimated cost to produce product
• Single product 125
• Mass production 50
• Estimated street selling price
• Estimated at 90-100
• Potential market for product
• DNR employees
• Duck hunters and researchers

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Recommendation for Further Work

• Commercialized version of the product
• AM Waterfowl could potentially commercialize the
  radio-controlled swimmer duck decoy with only a
  few additional parts

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Lessons Learned

• Things that went well
• Ordered and received parts ahead of schedule
• Motorized duck decoy donated
• Things that did not go well
• Received decoy that was Styrofoam and unusable
• Project specifications were illegal

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Lessons Learned

• Non-Technical Knowledge gained
• Communication is most important part of a team
  project
• Research every aspect thoroughly before coming to
  any decisions
• Technical Knowledge gained
• Understanding PWM
• Wireless communication

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Risk and Risk Management

• Anticipated Potential Risks
• Parts breaking inside decoy
• Duck sinking during testing
• Electrical parts getting wet
• Improper assembly of parts
• Change of project specifications
• Ordered parts do not arrive on time
• Loss of team member

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Risk and Risk Management

• Anticipated Risks Encountered to Date
• Project specification was illegal
• Unanticipated Risks Encountered to Date
• Received the wrong parts (unusable parts)

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Closing Summary

• Problem There currently is a shortage of remote
  controllable duck decoys available on the market
  for hunters and DNR rangers
• Approach Used Start with a motorized decoy and
  add remote-control functionality
• Resulting Solution Low cost, high performance
  decoy that definitely has a market in hunting
  retail stores

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Questions/Comments?