Toby Lankford, also known as tlankford1, is a farmer based in Amarillo, Texas. In addition to his agricultural work, he's also an inventor and developer who's currently working on an innovative project: the Icarus 3.0, a fully 3D-printed drone. This aircraft can be powered by solar energy or hydrogen, and Lankford aims to use it for anti-poaching efforts, such as monitoring and tracking illegal hunters. The drone was even entered into the 2015 Hackaday competition, an event that challenges inventors to create creative and impactful solutions.
Lankford participates in this annual competition every year, emphasizing the importance of open-source development and practical applications. Living in an area with no internet connectivity for years, he has had to develop systems that function independently, without network access. “We've been completely offline for over three years,†he explains. “Our hacking space and all our developments are isolated from the network.â€
His latest project, Icarus 3.0, is an open-source 3D-printed drone designed for long-range missions. It features automatic takeoff and landing, and claims to have one of the longest flight times under 5g. Some key features include:
- Fast energy switching between solar and hydrogen
- Capable of flying 200 kilometers in just 180 minutes
- Supports "disregard after launch" for full autonomy
- Offers cloud-based control with support for multiple users
- Equipped with custom image recognition software and TCP/IP cloud control
For ground operations, Lankford’s design includes portable or fixed base stations, antenna tracking, and communication capabilities. He also integrated high-end camera modules for infrared, multispectral, and visible imaging, ensuring real-time encrypted data transmission through long-distance networks or GSM modules.
The Icarus 3.0 is built using a range of advanced components, including an Odroid U3 embedded processor, a Range Video RVJET Flying Wing fuselage, a Cyclops C UAV body, a Piksi RTK GPS for precise navigation, and a Pixhawk AP autopilot system. Additional hardware includes a DroneDeploy cloud communication module, an Iridium 9252 satellite modem, a machine vision USB camera, a thermal imaging camera, RFID tags, and flexible gallium arsenide solar panels.
Lankford’s ultimate goal is to combat poaching of rhinos and elephants using this drone technology. “I want to use drones as a tool to improve society and the environment,†he says. “Poaching is a critical issue, and we're at a point where we need effective solutions to prevent these species from going extinct.†He hopes the Icarus 3.0 will provide a powerful answer to the growing threat of wildlife crime.
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