Gimbal

thingiverse

This is a custom leveling gimbal designed for a drone, specifically created to house a GoPro camera in a protective safety box. The gimbal attaches at the bottom of the drone and extends downward, utilizing the weight of the camera and gravity to self level with precision. Robust .125" axles enable smooth pivoting action, ensuring stable and accurate camera movements. The design was crafted using Autodesk Inventor 2015 software, a powerful tool that enabled me to bring this innovative concept to life. With careful attention to detail, I successfully created a gimbal that exceeds expectations in both functionality and reliability. Print settings were optimized for the Stratasys uPrint SE Plus 3D printer, which produced a high-quality model with excellent accuracy and surface finish. The benefits of using a 3D printed design are numerous, including reduced weight, increased strength, and enhanced durability. The story behind this project began when my classmates and I embarked on an engineering class challenge to build a drone. Our objective was to capture captivating video footage from the drone's point of view, but we lacked the resources to purchase a leveling gimbal. Taking on the task myself, I worked tirelessly for approximately 2.5 days to design, prototype, and refine this remarkable gimbal. The end result is a testament to my dedication and creativity as an engineer.