Kickstarter campaign to fund my portable & smart landing pad for micro/nano/mini quad

[FlyingMonkey]

Subscribed...

 

[RC Lover]

Thanks for your suggestions.
I've edited the page on Kickstarter, adding more information about the game.

The thing is that I did a bit of research and I've realized that the current landing pads on the market are (mostly) mats, or square pieces of fabric, or rigid platforms with a lot of flashing LEDs.
Therefore I've thought it would have been a good idea to create something more interactive.

I understand your criticisms, but as I've mentioned in the previous posts I'm new to crowdfunding, therefore I need help/suggestions to create my campaign.

There is no controller (Arduino/Texas Instrument. etc. etc.) inside the play set.
I've assembled the most of the electronics from scratch (yes, it was lot of hard work).

By the way if you judge the quality of my project, please do take a look at this...
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...g-platform-delivery-business-h?ref=nav_search
or this...
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/661844952/every-drone-deserves-a-good-landing?ref=nav_search

When I saw these projects on Kickstarter, I thought: "Well, mine is definitely better, therefore I'll give it a go."

If the funding fails, I'm going to make a tutorial on Make/Instructables, asking to a Company which sells electronic stuff, to sponsor me. Anyway, I believe that all the trial and error I do, is better that leaving the play set on the shelf of my bookcase (when I do not use it for playing).

Ok...maybe I jumped to fast...
From your YouTube videos...you obviously have something that works.

You should try to flesh out the Kickstarter offer page with the videos showing yourself in person, details of the product, specific spelling out of the rewards...and your bio.

Maybe even hint at the inner workings...arduino geeks want to know what's inside.

So attach your personal offer video along with the prototype in action videos directly in the Kickstarter page.

Look at other Kickstarter offers and see how they are presented.

You have this explanation on one of your YouTube Videos.
Why not put it on the Kickstarter Page.

Patent pending prototype of my Magnetic & Electronic Smart Landing Pad. This version gives a better idea how the game is going to be structured.
1st Landing, rank Lieutenant
2nd Landing, rank Major
3rd Landing, rank Captain

This game has been created to give to the beginners a goal, instead of spinning around the room the quad.
The game begins when the timer (set for a duration of 6 min flight) starts the countdown.
The game has a beginner level which consists in landing the micro/mini/quadcopter as quickly as possible.
(The fastest player who lands successfully on the pad, will be the winner).
When the quad lands on the platform, a recorded voice will say: "Congratulations Lieutenant, mission accomplished!"
The 7 segment digit will turn to 1.
When the player will be more confident in landing repeatedly the quadcopter, the digital counter connected to the weight sensor will record how many times the player has successfully landed the quad rotor (within 6 minutes).
Therefore a recorded voice will say: "Congratulations..." mentioning the rank reached, according to the number of landing

One thing to consider is the educational possibilities something like this could provide. I don't know what kind of Microcontroller you are using, but it is obviously something powerful enough to playback speech.

You could include a guide on how each component works and open source the code. A lot of arduino projects are a standalone board with standalone components...leds, segment displays, momentary switches, a pressure sensor....etc.
Other than for the educational purpose...they don't conclude with a satisfying end result.

Here your end result is the game...with all the educational opportunities added in.

 

[RC Lover]

Thanks for your tips.
I've edited my project on Kickstarter and soon I'll add a new video.
I tried before to upload it on my project page (in the format/size requested), but I've ended up in having this error: "I can't upload this file", that's why the video is on Youtube.

I've also updated the pledges.
Initially I put £100, not realizing that it would have been better to choose the Dollars, not the British Pounds!
According to this article to make a prototype would cost me between 10,000$ to 100,000$.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/80678

Even staying at the bottom of these prices, I need to raise enough money to make the final prototype that later will be used for the manufacturing process and at the same time I'd like to give something "tangible" to my backers (the play set).

The weight of the micro/mini/nano fluctuates between 11.3g and 12.7g

Hobbyzone Faze 12.2g
Hubsan Q4 11.5g
Revell Nano Quad 11.5g
Wltoys V272 12.75g
Estes Proto X 11.3g
Wltoys V646 12.7g
Cheerson CX-10 11.5g

The touch sensor I designed, can accept the 1.4g tolerance.

1. You should include this information on the KS site.
2. You should rename the device so that it is clear it is a game solely from the name itself. This is not just a landing pad. This is a little moon that you can use to train yourself to land with precision! Don't bother mentioning that it is portable. It goes without saying.
3. You should have a video of the game being played.
4. The timer should be integrated into the internal electronics of the device like your pressure-sensitive trigger and "counter" display are.
5. You should itemize the costs your are predicting. As of now it just looks like you grabbed a random number from the air. Why do you need 20,000 pounds? Include specific estimates from prototyping/manufacturing/design companies.
6. I assume those little metal disks taped to the landing area are weights that are required to be calibrated for different quads, so that the weight of the quad triggers the connection. If I am correct, these should be moved to a less visible location OR that type of calibration should be handled electronically via a button-press-initiated "setup" phase. (press calibrate button, place quad on landing strip, device sets that weight up as the "triggerable" required weight.

 

[ZoomNBoom]

Dude, thats the price of an injection mold. A prototype can be 3D printed and would cost you a few 10s of dollars.

Im still not sure if you are being serious, but if you are, you have clearly no idea what you are doing. Your kickstarter campaign has absolutely no chance of success, and if somehow you did manage to find the funds, you wouldnt know how to spend them.

You do have a concept that may be neat, for which there might even be a market if you can price it somewhere in the $20 range (which should be easy for a pressure switch, few leds and a speaker). But it would require mass production and you're not going to make any money out of this.

BTW, Id love to see your patent application, but Im pretty sure there is nothing in there that you could get an enforceable patent for. And not that the Chinese would care anyway.

If you just want to see your concept turn reality, talk to a company like Cheerson, hope they implement it and if you have something to contribute beyond the concept, it may even land you a job. Anything else is just day dreaming IMO.

 

[RC Lover]

I'm sorry to say that but I strongly disagree with you.
The injection molding is cheaper if you make at least 1000 units, which for a play set/toy suitable for children/teenagers is not a big number to reach.

http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archi...oranges-injection-molding-vs-3d-printing.html

Regarding the patent, I have to tell you that any patent has the same problem.
The use of the reverse engineering to "get around it" is often possible.
Another possible issue when you invent something and somebody copy it, is the cost of a lawsuit for a patent infringement (expensive and it takes ages).
Therefore if you base your business strategy on the fact that you have a patent, well, you are completely wrong.

Being the first one to produce this product would be an advantage, because I can always deposit the design of my product, in order to force the other companies to make something different. But it's not just about that. With one idea, you can't go far.
That's why I'd like to created a product line, that fills fully the gap in this market...
Remember that there are millions of quadcopters out there and not even 1 decent play set (so far).

Talking to Asian Companies in the RC toys industry has been almost impossible so far. I emailed them hundred of times, without having any reply. I guess their policy is to avoid to deal with solo inventor, because they don't want to have any possible lawsuit.
Anyway, if Cheerson Sales/Product Manager is secretively on this forum and he's interested in my product or, better, in hiring me, he would be more than welcome.

Last thing... Dreaming big is not bad!

Dude, thats the price of an injection mold. A prototype can be 3D printed and would cost you a few 10s of dollars.

Im still not sure if you are being serious, but if you are, you have clearly no idea what you are doing. Your kickstarter campaign has absolutely no chance of success, and if somehow you did manage to find the funds, you wouldnt know how to spend them.

You do have a concept that may be neat, for which there might even be a market if you can price it somewhere in the $20 range (which should be easy for a pressure switch, few leds and a speaker). But it would require mass production and you're not going to make any money out of this.

BTW, Id love to see your patent application, but Im pretty sure there is nothing in there that you could get an enforceable patent for. And not that the Chinese would care anyway.

If you just want to see your concept turn reality, talk to a company like Cheerson, hope they implement it and if you have something to contribute beyond the concept, it may even land you a job. Anything else is just day dreaming IMO.

 

[ZoomNBoom]

I'm sorry to say that but I strongly disagree with you.
The injection molding is cheaper if you make at least 1000 units,

You said a prototype. You're not gonna make 1000 prototypes are you?
Or do you intend to mold that kitchenscale-with-leds-in-Papier-mâché as is?

Therefore if you base your business strategy on the fact that you have a patent, well, you are completely wrong.

Glad we agree. That patent application was a waste of your time and money. Just about the first hit on google, I find this:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Helipad-for-mini-Quad-Copter/

Which not only looks 10x better than yours, its actually more functional, minus the audio which you could add easily

Last thing... Dreaming big is not bad!

As long as you know its dreaming

 

[Burly]

I'm sorry to say that but I strongly disagree with you.
The injection molding is cheaper if you make at least 1000 units, which for a play set/toy suitable for children/teenagers is not a big number to reach.

http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archi...oranges-injection-molding-vs-3d-printing.html

The only problem with the article you cite, is that the two sample products are both tiny.
A 1 cubic cm. object is less than 1/2 an inch on a side.
A 50 cubic cm. object is about 1.5 inches on a side.

The price for molding something the size you envision would be astronomical.
You need to get away from a total sphere idea, and only have 1 to 2 inch high circular landing pad. The height could give you slightly curved/slanted sides, where you could mold in some craters, and mount some blinking leds.

And as you and ZoomNBoom have both pointed out, a helipad has been done before. But I think the moon with craters and a voice, with an astronaut tie-in is much better.

For the moment, let's just dream, and assume that the injected molding costs are within reach.

I'd suggest the following design changes:

First I'd replace the single digit display, with a 4-digit display with a colon in the middle...in other words, a timer display
That means you can get rid of the kitchen timer.

The game play would go like this:
Set the copter on the launch pad so the microcontroller knows the pad is full.
Have a momentary button mounted next to the timer display.
This button will set the mission time.
Each press of the momentary button will count down in minutes, from 10 minutes to 1 minute... back to 10 minutes....and again counting down to 1...
Stop on the mission time you wish to set.
A second momentary switch, when pressed, would trigger a voice count down from 10 seconds to liftoff. You could also display the countdown on the timer, from 10 seconds to 0 seconds.

When the microcontroller senses that the copter has lifted off, it resets the minute display to the previously selected minutes, and starts counting down the timer in seconds.
The player runs what ever obstacle course that has been set up in the room...and finishes the mission by successfully landing in the allotted mission time.
A successful landing means that the copter has both landed and stayed on the pad for an specific amount of time.
You don't want random touches against the landing pad to stop the timer.
The microcontroller calculates the actual elapsed time used to complete the mission, and assigns a rank depending on the elapsed time.

Assuming multiple players can fly copters at the same time, for group play, one person takes off from the launch pad and the others take off as close as possible to the launch pad.
They run the course, and the first one to land successfully, wins the game, and gets assigned a rank.
Then, the winner of the last heat is the next one to take off from the pad.
Based on his rank, he gets a head start on the others, in the form of a takeoff delay by the rest, or positioning the others well behind in the starting line.

A successful Kickstarter would need to have videos of a 3D printed working model of the final product showing single and group game play.
It would need to confirm that it had the injection molding manufacturer costs nailed down, as well as electronics costs, final assembly costs, shipping costs, etc.
It would also be nice to show one of each of the available brand and style of these little toy copters...as well as links to the sites where they can be purchased.

Presentation is everything.

 

[RC Lover]

If you can make it better, please let me know how to do it.

You clearly don't understand what you are talking about regarding the patents, because you probably have never licensed a product before.
If you don't apply for a patent you will not look serious to the Companies you are showing your idea.
That what a patent is for, to show the Companies you believe in your product and that is (under certain aspect) unique.

Last but not least, if you like the other product and you have the skill for building it...
Simply make it!
Mine is completely different.

About dreaming... They were saying the same thing about people who wanted to use the airplanes for travelling.

You said a prototype. You're not gonna make 1000 prototypes are you?
Or do you intend to mold that kitchenscale-with-leds-in-Papier-mâché as is?



Glad we agree. That patent application was a waste of your time and money. Just about the first hit on google, I find this:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Helipad-for-mini-Quad-Copter/

Which not only looks 10x better than yours, its actually more functional, minus the audio which you could add easily



As long as you know its dreaming

 

[defhermit]

You clearly don't understand what you are talking about regarding the patents, because you probably have never licensed a product before.

I'll ask again. What are the other products you have brought to market that you've mentioned?

 

[RC Lover]

This is an excellent idea, but it would take a lot of time/work to add all these features.
Would you help me to expand this project?

I've developed another idea/prototype for a play set that could be used with the landing pad

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-J_ZEL61Ffs

As I mentioned in the other posts I'd like to create a product line that fills the void in the market.

If you type on Youtube: "rc quad landing" you'll find a lot of videos that show people attempting to land the RC quad/heli everywhere. I think it's time to give them something to play with.

 

[RC Lover]

Please email me privately, I'll send you my Non Disclosure Agreement, when you'll return the document signed, I'll let you know.

I'll ask again. What are the other products you have brought to market that you've mentioned?

 

[defhermit]

Please email me privately, I'll send you my Non Disclosure Agreement, when you'll return the document signed, I'll let you know.

If its already on the market there is no reason for me to sign anything promising to keep quiet about. If it is on the market it is not a secret.

I'm starting to think that you are lying when you say that you have gone through this process before.

 

[defhermit]

This is an excellent idea, but it would take a lot of time/work to add all these features.
Would you help me to expand this project?

I've developed another idea/prototype for a play set that could be used with the landing pad

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-J_ZEL61Ffs

As I mentioned in the other posts I'd like to create a product line that fills the void in the market.

If you type on Youtube: "rc quad landing" you'll find a lot of videos that show people attempting to land the RC quad/heli everywhere. I think it's time to give them something to play with.

This is definitely way cooler, but I question the need to use quickly-moving air to suspend the ball like that. Seems like all that air wooshing by is likely to affect my flying, right? Unless that was intended?

 

[RC Lover]

Saying that somebody is lying without actually having any evidence, is a very nasty accusation.
Who are you, by the way? Why don't you use your real name and surname on this forum?
Of course you don't do that, because this is a sort of public place and, as much as you wouldn't shout the details of your private business out of the windows of your house, you are glad to keep your anonimity on this forum.

To be honest with you (and I don't know why), I was expecting a friendly response from this forum and I'll mention to the creators of Flite Test my non positive experience. At the end of the day I'm just a guy who's trying to do something new,who needs a bit of advices because want to start to do the things by himself (or even collaborating with somebody else).

If its already on the market there is no reason for me to sign anything promising to keep quiet about. If it is on the market it is not a secret.

I'm starting to think that you are lying when you say that you have gone through this process before.

 

[Craftydan]

Saying that somebody is lying without actually having any evidence, is a very nasty accusation.
Who are you, by the way? Why don't you use your real name and surname on this forum?
Of course you don't do that, because this is a sort of public place and, as much as you wouldn't shout the details of your private business out of the windows of your house, you are glad to keep your anonimity on this forum.

To be honest with you (and I don't know why), I was expecting a friendly response from this forum and I'll mention to the creators of Flite Test my non positive experience. At the end of the day I'm just a guy who's trying to do something new,who needs a bit of advices because want to start to do the things by himself (or even collaborating with somebody else).

Interesting that you don't reply by answering the question but instead attack someone's anonymity while remaining anonymous yourself.

I'd like to point out as much as you do not appreciate someone insinuating you are a liar, people also don't appreciate being lied to. Derfhermit asked for you to confirm a claim you've made -- a reasonable request -- and your request for an NDA appears to be unreasonable. I don't see where his conclusion is off.

you've received a lot of positive comments and questions here, but I have to agree with several of the assessments made: you don't seem to have the grasp of the process you claim to have.

 

[RC Lover]

With the 2nd play set there are a lot of possibilities.
1st option
Landing on the moving pads (very challenging)
2nd option
Passing trough the hoop/hoops and landing
3rd option
Playing with another quad (with your friend) which can attempt to land on one of the pad, to capture the asteroid or it can eventually try to jeopardise your mission, blowing the asteroid using the prop-wash, or even shooting at it (if the quad/heli is equipped with missiles)

The 2nd one has been created because I wanted to play with the hoops (by the way watching the Flite Test videos I've realized that Josh loves to do that).
Generally this activity is arranged in gyms, auditoriums, etc, etc.
and it requires hula hoops, chairs/stalls, tripods, sell-o-tape, etc, etc.
I wanted to the same thing, playing in my small living room.

[/QUOTE]

 

[RC Lover]

Thanks for sharing your opinion...

Interesting that you don't reply by answering the question but instead attack someone's anonymity while remaining anonymous yourself.

I'd like to point out as much as you do not appreciate someone insinuating you are a liar, people also don't appreciate being lied to. Derfhermit asked for you to confirm a claim you've made -- a reasonable request -- and your request for an NDA appears to be unreasonable. I don't see where his conclusion is off.

you've received a lot of positive comments and questions here, but I have to agree with several of the assessments made: you don't seem to have the grasp of the process you claim to have.

 

[Craftydan]

Thanks for sharing your opinion...

Your welcome.

You still haven't answered the question.

If you can't verify the concrete facts you've attested to in a way others can see (an NDA would preclude others from confirming or denying you have done this), how can we believe you have the background you claim? Without that background we have only your preparation for this kickstarter as evidence you have the requisite skills to accomplish what you hope to fund, which others have noted is disappointing.

So are you willing to answer the question now?

 

[nerdnic]

To be honest with you (and I don't know why), I was expecting a friendly response from this forum

This community as a whole is great. However, I know first hand that it can also be very critical. This can (read:will) be further exaggerated when money is involved. If you are asking for money for something and don't either have a track record or proof of competency, you will be questioned and doubted. If you want community involvement, collaboration, or backing, you must prove the request isn't ill placed.

I do apologize for any poor treatment you might have received from the community, as I said, I know first hand what this can be like. However, the charge is on you solely to make your way and gain acceptance of an idea like this.

Good luck with your project.

 

[makattack]

I read your first post on this forum before any replies and thought "that's great, seeing an enterprising enthusiast try to develop a product!"

I looked at your kickstarter, and thought it needed to be developed a bit more, but still chalked it up to inexperience. My next thought was, "there's no better way to learn than through experience."

I think it's important to keep in mind that the FT Forum and other communities like that is all about getting feedback. If I post something, it's not just with the expectation that people will read it and go "gee that's great" or even "gee, that sucks" -- I actually want to see what their reaction is. I would then take that feedback and use it to help me out. I likewise participate back in the community by offering my feedback as well.

Anyway, I do hope you'll take all the feedback (positive and negative -- and most of it seems pretty constructive) and use it to help your project see success.