Five male students majoring in software technology from FPT University came up with the idea of using miniature aircraft and a remote control to take pictures from above.
The students decided that their product – Hummingbird - must be different from the expensive flycams available in the market. It must have a reasonable price to target most people, and it must be compact and easy to use.
Hummingbird’s fathers applied embedded software to design Android apps on smartphones that help users operate a flycam to shoot, take pictures and livestream.
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| The technology product saves time and effort, while serving creative demand for taking panoramic pictures from the air. |
With deep understanding of algorithms gained while implementing information technology projects at FPT University, the members of Hummingbird have successfully fulfilled the challenging work – creating a ‘camera which can fly’ with all amenities and at reasonable prices.
At first, Hummingbird members met difficulties in keeping the flycam steady because of the lack of experience in physics, solving strange algorithms and treating signs from sensors. The IT students lacked experience in mechanical engineering, therefore, they had to spend time to practice welding, connecting and cutting accessories.
The common characteristic of the group is that they love technology, especially embedded software. In the daytime, the students go to class to fulfill their busy schedule. They could only spend time on Hummingbird after school hours.
The team experienced failures. The work could not proceed for a couple of weeks because they could not find solutions to the problems. However, they finally gained success.
Hummingbird is highly appreciated by lecturers in terms of programming and teamwork.
Phan Duy Hung, a software lecturer at FPT University, commented that the students have done well in developing the flycam, from both hardware to software and that the blueprint has outstanding features in comparison with other products.
Four months are not enough to create a perfect high-quality technology product. Therefore, the members of the team are still working on it to find optimal solutions.
Hummingbird members plan to learn more about aerodynamics and load balancing to perfect the product before launching it on the market.
