Water Recovery System

• Within 5 seconds of contacting water the device deploys a bright orange colored air bag buoy that keeps the drone at the surface while providing an easily identification that facilitates tracking and recovery of your drone.
• Product cost: <$80 USD
• Product weight: 4.8oz/136g

PRODUCT ADVANTAGES for DRONE Applications 

• Keeps drone at the surface such that negative effects of dirt and water pressure found at the bottom are eliminated
• Moderate Cost
• Universal mounting system that allows for quick and simple attachment when needed to any drone.
• CO2 Cartridge may be removed to make unit easy to store when not attached to drone.
• Reusable by replacing CO2 cylinder and trigger bobbin.
• Lifting capacity: 
  • DR9 - 9 lb [4 kg]
  • DR14 - 14 lb [6.4 kg] 
  • DR14[2x] 28 lb [12.7 kg] - For Medium Lift Drones

The system contains  7 critical components
1. Enclosure
   a. Bottom of enclosure is designed to be mounted to the drone.
   b. Contains the airbag and provides connection to the automatic inflator.
   c. Contains four slots that allow for a mechanical strap or ziptie to pass through the enclosure for additional mounting options

2. Airbag
   a. Orange inflatable water proof bag that inflates to provide buoyancy to bring drone to the surface after a water contact event

3. Automatic Inflator
   a. This device has three sections.
      i. A spring loaded activator is located inside the clear plastic section. When a trigger bobbin is inserted into the inflator and the Clear section is screwed down, the internal spring is compressed and held ready to strike an internal plunger.

      ii. The internal plunger will push a spring loaded pin into the CO2 cartridge allowing the CO2 to escape the cartridge and pass into the manifold and fill the airbag.

      iii. The third section is the threaded section with O-ring seal that allows the CO2 Cylinder to seal into the automatic inflator.

   b. The clear plastic end has a “RED” painted spring and a “GREEN” sleeve inside.
   
   c. When the “RED is visible the activator has been discharged or the Trigger Bobbin is missing.

   d. When the “GREEN” is visible the activator is charged and ready for use.

4. Trigger Bobbin
   a. This device is the trigger device. It contains a special white pharmaceutical grade Microcrystalline Cellulose material that retains 8 plastic fingers that hold the spring load plunger under compression.

   b. When the trigger bobbin contacts water the white material dissolves within 5 seconds allowing the plastic fingers to move outward and the plunger under compression to release and strike the activator plunger which instantly punctures the CO2 cartridge filing the airbag within 1 second.

5. CO2 Cartridge
   a. DR-9 [8 gram Cartridge: Lifts up to: 9 lbs – 4kg ]
   b. DR-12 [12 gram Cartridge: Lifts up to: 15 lbs - 6.8 kg ]
   c. DR-16 [16 gram Cartridge: Lifts up to: 18 lbs - 8.2 kg ]
   d. DANGER:
      i. Never use a larger size CO2 cartridge as upon deployment it will burst the airbag causing the drone to sink.

      ii. Never store where the CO2 cylinder will be exposed to direct sunlight in an enclosed vehicle as temperatures in excess of 120° F - 49°C could cause the cylinder to vent thus activating. The cylinder will NOT explode.

6. Dual Lock
   a. Mushroom style plastic fastener with VHB (Very High Bond) adhesive.
   b. Used to attach the Enclosure to the drone.

7. Ziptie
   a. 15” - 38cm Re-leasable attachment strap to insure that the Drone Retriever unit stays on the aircraft during a violent water impact.

CAUTION: Both Dual Lock and Ziptie mounting systems must both be used.