Daily Report, February 25, 2026

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Battery Assembly & Validation Progress

Gia began the day finalizing assembly of the ninth battery unit. Upon completion, he planned to proceed directly to the tenth unit to maintain production momentum. Assembly remained on schedule and aligned with production targets.

Later in the afternoon, Gia confirmed that he had completed the discharge process for eight battery units. Those units successfully finished their discharge cycles and were set aside in preparation for the next validation stage.

The ninth battery entered the charging phase. Once charging is complete, it will proceed through its discharge cycle tomorrow. Gia confirmed that previously tested units have passed their discharge validation, and he is progressing toward completing validation on the tenth unit.

In parallel, Gia revisited a unit associated with a Power Plug PCB module issue. Due to the absence of new replacement boards, he plans to reinstall and attempt repair of the previous board to restore functionality.

Submersion testing is scheduled for tomorrow, with Walfred and Nayeli assisting. With discharge cycles completed, the batteries are positioned to move into the next validation phase.

DC/DC Endbell – Revision B Assembly

Merten focused on assembling DC/DC Endbells (Revision B). He is building up to four units, contingent on component availability. Two units are allocated for the Maui strut builds, while the remaining units will serve as surplus inventory for future projects.

The DC/DC Endbell performs several critical functions:

  • Steps down 48V battery input to 24V for servo operation

  • Routes 48V to the flight controller

  • Passes CAN High and CAN Low signals from the motor to designated connectors

Each unit undergoes electrical testing to confirm proper voltage output and CAN signal continuity prior to integration.

The modular design simplifies assembly. The board connects via plug-based connectors and mounts cleanly into the housing. The lower section is potted with compound (approximately 3 mm depth) to create a fully waterproof seal, reducing reliance on O-rings.

Thermal management remains a priority. The DC/DC converter generates significant heat under load, especially during aggressive servo operation. To mitigate this:

  • Thermal paste is applied between metal mating surfaces

  • The aluminum housing acts as a heat sink

  • Copper transfer plates are currently used to bridge small dimensional gaps in Revision B

Revision C will eliminate these gaps to streamline assembly and improve thermal efficiency.

Mechanical wedges are installed to press the PCB firmly against the heat transfer surface, optimizing thermal conductivity.

Merten completed soldering key components the previous evening and continued cable fabrication and final assembly throughout the day. Additional components have been ordered to support expanded production capacity.

Standalone Couch – Cable Planning & Maui Preparation

Merten also continued preparing cable assemblies for the Maui Standalone Couch configuration.

He is compiling a structured documentation list to ensure complete accounting of:

  • Plug types used throughout the system

  • Connector variants

  • Required cable types

  • Exact cable lengths

  • Special configurations (including female-to-female connections)

Given spatial constraints inside the breakout box and pad controller, he is carefully evaluating required cable lengths and determining whether elbow connectors are necessary to prevent strain or interference.

Impellers for the Maui system have been potted with epoxy and are curing for approximately 24 hours. DC/DC Endbells are staged for integration onto the struts.

Planned next steps include:

  1. Assembling fuselages and struts

  2. Completing servo assemblies

  3. Performing full system testing

  4. Replacing current plug configurations with updated connectors

  5. Conducting final validation testing

The objective is to fully assemble and validate the Maui system under the updated connector architecture prior to shipment.

White Vessel – Structural Refinement

Joe continued structural refinement work on the white vessel. He sanded the surface to improve finish quality and ensure uniformity.

From a functional perspective, he is implementing a controlled linear motion mechanism designed to enable vertical movement with minimal lateral play. The goal is to create predictable, guided up-and-down motion while maintaining mechanical simplicity and structural robustness.

Work remains focused on precision alignment and ensuring the mechanism performs reliably under operational loads.

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