NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Netted Drone Enclosure
Gorilla Netting installed a netted drone enclosure at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA.
- Client
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Location
- Pasadena, CA
- Typical cost for a project like this
- $150,000 to $220,000
Estimate for a project of similar size and scope. Cost varies with pole type (wood or steel), net height, and linear footage. Your quote is based on your site.
Project photos
During and after
During
During
During
After
AfterNASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California approached Gorilla Netting in early 2018 to create a custom-built drone enclosure for aerial robotics testing. JPL is owned by NASA and managed by Caltech. Working with NASA engineers and contractors, Gorilla Netting spent over a year researching, planning, and designing the netted enclosure for JPL's Aerial Robotics Testing Facility.
The challenge
What the program needed
Drones behave differently outdoors. Wind gusts can push them off their flight path, rain can interfere with sensors and electrical components, and changing light affects cameras and other onboard optics. Testing in real conditions is how engineers find out whether a design holds up.
JPL wanted that testing done in rough terrain on purpose, so the enclosure had to sit on uneven ground, contain the drones in flight, and let wildlife and flood water move through the site without damaging the netting.
What we built
The system we designed and installed
Gorilla Netting built the enclosure on a modular truss support system, chosen because of the installation's location and so the supports could be repurposed later. The enclosure measures 100 ft long, 100 ft wide, and 70 ft high, with custom-made hardware, powerline/utility-grade hardware, and wire rope. The bottom portion of the netting is retractable.
Crews worked through wildfires burning close to the JPL facility during the installation. At one point JPL, the Gorilla Netting crew, and all other contractors were evacuated for a few days until the smoke cleared.
AfterThe outcome
What it means for the program
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has a 100 ft by 100 ft by 70 ft netted drone enclosure on a modular truss support system, containing drone flights for aerial robotics testing in real outdoor conditions. Its retractable bottom lets wildlife and flood water pass through without damage to the netting.
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1-800-274-1079- Design, engineering, and installation under one contract
- Steel, wood, or concrete poles set by our own crews
- Breakaway netting engineered for wind and snow load
Pasadena, CA