MakerPlane is an open source aviation organization, started by a group of Canadian plane building enthusiasts. Its members are designing the first open source airplane,[1] which they estimate could cost about US$15,000 to build.[2][3]
Many do-it-yourself aircraft projects are abandoned before they are completed.[4] Some of the causes are complex and vague plans and assembly instructions, lack of builder support, the thousands of hours needed to create a complete plane[5][6] and manufacturers of parts and plans going out of business.[7] The MakerPlane members participate in networking, share information and work together on a simple and economical plane design,[8][9] and make some of their own parts,[10] in order to overcome these obstacles.
Aircraft designs
editIn 2011 the MakerPlane community began designing their aircraft from the ground up to be built using modern and affordable personal manufacturing equipment, such as CNC mills[11] and 3D Printers.[12][13] The first design is a 2-seat Light Sport Aircraft, currently under the working name of "MakerPlane v1.0 LSA".[14] The designs are to be released under a Creative Commons license.[15] The first prototype was expected to be flown in 2015 and shown at the AirVenture OshKosh shows in 2014 and 2015[2][16]
Events
editIn 2013, MakerPlane initiated a Kickstarter campaign[17][18] and an Indiegogo campaign to fund development of its plane.[19][20] During the first few months, these campaigns did not succeed in raising a significant amount of money.[21]
In January, 2014, MakerPlane successfully flew its first scale model.[22]
In June 2019, after 5 years with no news, the project exhibited at AirVenture.[23]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Tech column- Jesse Hirsh - Maker plane - Metro Morning - CBC Player
- ^ a b "Wired: First Open Source Airplane Could Cost Just $15,000".
- ^ Canadian open source two-seat airplane may cost only $15,000 - Design Engineering Archived 2014-04-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Makerplane aims to create the first open source aircraft". by David Szondy, Gizmag August 29, 2012
- ^ "EAA Homebuilder FAQs".
- ^ "Get Started Homebuilding". AirBum.
- ^ "High profile kit manufacture DynAero, goes into Bankruptcy". LAA.
- ^ Don Rauf (15 July 2014). Getting the Most Out of Makerspaces to Build Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The Rosen Publishing Group. pp. 48–. ISBN 978-1-4777-7828-9.
- ^ "Tools for the Remote Workplace", Design News, Cabe Atwell, 4/2/2014
- ^ "Print your aircraft? Technology offers new tools". Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association website. September 7, 2012 By Jim Moore
- ^ "Would you get into an open-source, (partly) 3D printed airplane?". Stuff Nic Boerma July 30, 2013
- ^ MakerPlane Seeks Community Funding for LSA Prototype | Aviation International News
- ^ "MakerPlane: the open source airplane project looking for crowdfunding love". GearBurn by Lauren Granger on 31 July, 2013
- ^ MakerPlane Plans 'Open Source' LSA | Aero-News Network
- ^ "MakerPlane is an open source airplane you could build at home". PC World Magazine, Kevin Lee Aug 3, 2013
- ^ "TechHive: MakerPlane is an open source airplane you could build at home".
- ^ MakerPlane's open source aircraft funding campaign gets off to a slow start (video). Engadget
- ^ Crowdfunding: Makerplane fliegt quelloffen - Golem.de
- ^ Open-Source-Flugzeug MakerPlane sucht Finanzierung - Pro-Linux
- ^ Open-Source Aircraft: MakerPlane Launches Indiegogo Campaign. Air Venture
- ^ "World's First Open Source Airplane: Designs For $15,000 Aircraft Will Be Released For Free". International Business Times. By Ryan W. Nea
- ^ Aero-News Network. "Scale Model Of MakerPlane Makes First Flight". www.aero-news.net. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ News on Makerplane.org from June 2019