KOCHI: Aeromodelling is considered a rich man’s hobby which was started in the USA a few 100 years ago using a rare variety of wood Palsa found in Ecuador and Colombia. However, the advancements in the field today allow everyone to participate in this hobby. Calculations of aircraft design are pared down to perfection to build miniature models for testing and flight control system or autopilot system, thus reducing expenses and avoidable danger. An aeromodelling workshop by Glorod Avionics Pvt Ltd is underway at Changampuzha Park in Edappally.
The workshop titled ‘Junior Woodies’, through a series of 10 sessions and 12 classes, aim to integrate technical and experimental basis of aviation with entertainment. “The focus is on making, it’s just not about flying,” Sheen V Thomas, managing director of Glorod Avionics Pvt Ltd, says, while expressing his views on pre-assembled drone making kits. According to him, before learning to fly drones, they must learn to make them.
Glorod Avionics cater raw materials and spare parts to various engineering colleges across Kerala and National Cadet Corps (NCC). They also conduct a session in Regional Science Centre and Planetarium in Calicut. The educational aspects such as the physics, math and theory of flight are paramount in creating capable professionals in the field of avionics engineering.‘Junior Woodies’ - the first of the 10-part series - is designed for children over the age of seven and focus on simple science experiments under the supervision of adults.
Unlike automobile and aircraft engine, the two-stroke engine designed by the company weighs 450 grams, which enables aeromodelling aspirants to disassemble and learn its various parts with ease. Clearly, the children are enthusiastic about the working model and enhancing their interest in the project.The inspiration for the workshop came from the lack of awareness in the state regarding aeromodelling. “Drone making kits in the Indian market focus on Artificial Intelligence and robotics, only cater to the child’s fancies rather than being useful to them. The workshop initiates participants to the theory of aviation,” says Sheen. The workshop will be on till April 9.
(With inputs from Sandhra Mariyam Philip, Christina Joshy and Santhra Nimesh)