Weight and Payload

Maximum Gross Weight

To determine maximum gross weight, determine flight location pressure altitude and temperature, and refer to the weight in the chart below. Gross Weight includes payload, battery and structure weight.

The maximum gross weight might exceed the weight allowed by regulatory agencies. When determining gross weight, please consider any such local restrictions on aircraft weight when planning aircraft weight.

Flight Time

Hovering

Power Consumption at Hover

Table from curve fit

Flight time can change depending on several factors such as the type of flying (e.g. hover vs forward flight) and weather (wind, temperature, barometric pressure, humidity). These effects are intertwined. For example: in cold temperatures, air density is high, but less energy is available from the batteries.

Assumptions:

• These flights were performed at temperature of 13 °C and elevation of 12 meters above sea level.

• Two fully charged SL-8 Air batteries (2 * 7.3 amp hours).

• Landing at 4% battery State of Charge remaining (e.g. default low battery failsafe settings).

Flight Speeds

Range

2 km, line-of-sight

Noise

The volume of the aircraft at ground level depends on several factors, including payload weight, wind speed and direction, and the background noise of the environment. The following data was gathered with an Astro in hover carrying the A7R4 camera and gimbal, tested from 5 meters to 100 meters away from the user, from 5 meters altitude to 120 meters altitude.

This data is presented in the ‘A-Weighted’ scale, which approximates the average loudness sensed by the human ear, and is used by the FAA to measure aircraft noise.

In our testing, hovering and forward flight showed similar values of the ground noise produced by the aircraft.

Remote ID

Freefly provided a no-cost software update for all Astro operators to enable FAA Remote ID compliance in North America with firmware v1.5 or later. Refer to FAA Remote Identification (RID)

All new Astro ship with FAA Standard Remote ID enabled.

Component Sourcing

Astro variants using Herelink radios are not NDAA-compliant, as the Herelink controller and air unit are manufactured in China. The Pilot Pro controller with Herelink RF is not NDAA-compliant, as the Herelink air unit is still used on the aircraft. Astro + Pilot Pro using Doodle Labs radios is NDAA-compliant and DIU Blue Listed.

CAD

Shrinkwrap Model of Astro aircraft: STP file type (open in edrawings if you need quick view)

Shrinkwrap Model of Astro aircraft: Parasolid file type (Use with newer versions of CAD software that support this file type)

Drawings

Mounting Points: Plate Vibration Isolator Bulb (mm)

Chassis Mounting Points: Assembly Airframe Complete (mm)

Dimensions

Power

Power is provided by two Freefly SuperLight batteries. Learn more about SuperLight batteries in the Freefly wiki.

The aircraft evaluates battery level from the State of Charge (e.g. 72%), not voltage (e.g. 23 Volts).

The battery voltage bus runs between 18 and 25.2 volts. Connection to battery voltage is available via the .

In an emergency, the aircraft is capable of flying and landing safely on one battery.

It is not possible to power the aircraft via the USB-C port.

Motors, Motor Drives, and Propellers

Astro features the F45 motor found on Alta 6 and 8 but with a larger 21 inch plastic prop. A larger prop was introduced to increase flight times given the lower nominal payload limit on Astro as compared to our larger drones.

The Freefly-developed motor drive is known internally as the Astro100 drive and is the fastest response field oriented control drive that we have ever tested. This response time is critical to achieving precise flight characteristics even with large props. The Astro100 drive can accelerate and decelerate the prop much faster than the original F45 drive used on Alta aircraft.

The props are 21" fiber reinforced plastic props which help lower vibration and and increase flight time.

Onboard Computer

Processor: 1.8 GHz Quad Cortex-A53 Memory: 4 GB RAM

Landing Sensor

The landing sensor is an IR Diode rangefinder with a range capability of approximately 9m.

This sensor is not appropriate for terrain following.

Powerplant

Propellers

Battery

Flight Controller

Radio Control

Misc

Why Sardines in the Astro Case?

Well, a bunch of reasons really...

• Sardines are fun!

• Sardines are packed with protein and fat (keeps you strong, happy, and sharp!)

• Sardines are what we often eat at Freefly during our most intense development pushes since they are fast, tasty, and keep us nourished

• Sardines keep forever

• Sardines are packed in a tough container

• Sardines will keep you alive if the crew forgets to pick you up after a day of filming

• Sardines can be used to barter for other goods

• Sardines make us smile

• Sardines make you smile

• Sardines give us an excuse to start talking, which leads to us becoming friends