The AKdrones e-bike Expeditionary Airfield
Last year, I installed a Yescom 26-inch, 48-volt, 1000-watt rear hub motor and a Haillong 48-volt, 10Ah e-bike Battery on my 2008 K2 ZED 2.0 Mountain Bike.
This year, I upgraded and modified my e-bike to improve its range, luggage capacity, and versatility. I created a unique, multi-purpose hybrid transport vehicle that combines legacy and drone technology.
It was specifically designed to support a drone aerial photography business and functions as one of two components of the AKdrones Mobile UAV Ground Control Station (AKMUAVCS).
The second component of the AKMUAVCS is the AKdrones Immersive Flight Control System(iFCS).
The legal classification is a Class 2 e-bike with a maximum speed of 20 MPH.
I installed a Drone Control Platform (DCP), featuring two Sunpak 700I DX telescoping tripod legs, along with an Apple iPod Touch, an iPhone 7, and a 4000 mAh power bank. The DCP also features an iFCS docking port, allowing for the rapid site-to-site redeployment of the AKMUAVCS.
I replaced the original twist throttle with a 300X e-bike thumb throttle and upgraded the braking system with XTECH HB-100 hydraulic front and rear brake calipers.
The e-bike is fitted with a custom-built front bike rack and dual Hoot LED headlights. A Sunhalo Top Tube Phone Bag is used to stow the Apple iPod Touch, iPhone 7, and Power Bank when not in use. The Sunhalo Top Tube Phone Bag also serves as the foundation for LZ3 support.
The e-bike features a CXWXC Rear Bike Rack with a custom-made mud flap, a Zimfanqi rear rack bag, and Kemi Moto saddlebags. It also has a bike seat bag containing flat tire repair tools and supplies.
On the rear rack, I mounted a Zimfanqi rear bike bag containing a Haillong 48-volt 8Ah e-bike Battery, a Feisike rear-view camera, a Higo Dual Battery Converter with 12-gauge 2-conductor wire, XT60 Connector Plugs, a 7.4-volt battery for the Gimbal Stabilizer, a 7.4-volt battery and switch for the landing lights, and landing pad components. The rear of the Zimfanqi Rear Rack Bag has Dual Hoot LED Tail Lights, a Windfire Laser Light, and a Hcikot Tail Light with Turn Signals.
The e-bike is fitted with various accessories, including a ROCKBROS Bike Kickstand, Doubfivsy 360° Bike Camera Mount with a GoPro Camera, interchangeable with a 2-axis Gimbal Stabilizer for the GoPro, Dinoka Bike Computer, Yizhet Bike Handlebar Extender, a 4-inch LCD rear view monitor with Sun Visor, a pair of Mountain Bike Fenders, Hapleby Bike Pedals, Kryptonite Krypto Flex Bike Lock, 3.7 volt Bike Siren, wsdcam Bike Alarm, Kirikit Bike Wheel Lights x 3, Goodyear Presta Valve inner tubes, and Schwinn 26” x 2” Hybrid Bike Tire.
For cold-weather flight operations, the Zimfanqi rear rack bag doubles as a Heated Drone Battery Bay (HDBB), equipped with a customized ROCKBROS USB heated glove and two USB heating pads powered by two 11.1-Volt Li-Po batteries to keep drone batteries warm during transport.
For added operational comfort, I installed ROCKBROS fleece-lined, windproof, water-resistant thermal handlebar mittens, and I wear a Favoto bike helmet with a visor to shield and protect my eyes.
Two drones, a DJI Mini 5 Pro and a Skydio 2 with a Fly-more combo, fit perfectly into the Kemi Moto saddlebags. With three batteries each, they offer approximately 163 minutes of flight time. This setup effectively turns the e-bike into an aircraft carrier for drone operations, with a Drone Squadron on board, creating what I call the AKdrones Expeditionary Airfield (e-bike EAF).
The AKMUAVCS is also equipped with custom-designed FPV Goggles, made specifically for an iPhone 7.
The e-bike EAF has three LZ Modes: LZ1, LZ2, and LZ3.
LZ1: Within two minutes, the e-bike transforms into LZ1 by deploying the ROCKBROS Bike Kickstand, a cantilevered 8-inch x 12-inch Drone Launch Pad, and a drone; the drone controls are mounted on the DCP.
LZ2: Within three minutes, the e-bike transforms into LZ2 by deploying a ROCKBROS Bike Kickstand, a 29-inch diameter circle landing pad with LED landing lights, a weighted 20-inch square landing pad, a drone, the iFCS, and a traffic cone and wind flag perimeter around the e-bike EAF.
LZ3: Within five minutes, the e-bike EAF transforms into LZ3 by deploying the Lumintrail Center Mount Double Leg Kickstand, telescoping tripod legs, a 29-inch diameter circle landing pad with LED landing lights, and a Drone, a Bluetooth Speaker, the iFCS, with a traffic cone and wind flag perimeter around the e-bike EAF. However, the landing pad is positioned about 3 feet above ground and secured to the e-bike with four bungee cords attached to the Himiway handlebar grips and the Twomaples oversized bike seat.
The LZ3 features red reflective tape matting to prevent the drone from sliding off during takeoff and landing. The same red reflective tape is applied to the drones to help deter bird attacks.
The unladen weight of the e-bike EAF is 63 pounds, compared to approximately 30 pounds for the original 2008 K2 ZED 2.0 Mountain Bike. The total weight during flight missions depends on the drones carried and the configuration chosen.
There are several mission configurations, depending on the mission objectives.
Config 0: No flight equipment
Config 1: Skydio 2 Fly-more Load-out
Config 2: DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly-more Load-out
Config 3: DJI Spark Fly-more Load-out
Config 4: Both Skydio 2 and DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly-more Load-out
Config 5: Both the DJI Mini 5 Pro and Spark Fly-more Load-out
These mission configurations allow for versatile drone operations directly from the e-bike EAF platform. This comprehensive setup enables cost-effective, Sustainable, and Eco-Friendly drone aerial photography services, with very low daily operational and maintenance costs.
