Application 708

Reindeer Autopilot System

Application Summary

It’s December 24 and Santa Claus has a busy night delivering gifts to the 1.3 billion children in the world. To meet his delivery schedule, Santa relies on high precision GPS navigation and autopilot systems to minimize travel time. Load feedback is necessary to confirm rein inputs and monitor reindeer health (even magical flying reindeer can grow exhausted). To monitor the reindeer, their harnesses are tied to a pair of FUTEK tri-axial load cells.

Products in Use

Two MTA600 Tri-Axial Load Cells paired with the IAA series amplifiers

How it Works

Each reindeer line’s harnesses are each attached to a machined adapter mounted to a FUTEK MTA600 load cell.
Dasher, Prancer, Comet and Donner are linked to the right hand side tri-axial load cell, while Dancer, Vixen, Cupid, and Blitzen are attached to the left hand side tri-axial load cell. Rudolph, of course, leads the pack and is linked to both lines.
In flight, as the reigns pull on the reindeer’s harnesses, the load cells measure the thrust forces they generate in response on all three axes.
The signal generated by the load cells is amplified and sent to the Sleigh Autopilot Navigation Travel Automation (SANTA) System.
The SANTA system controls the reigns, makes course corrections and monitors the reindeer’s health as the sleigh travels across the sky bringing presents to all the boys and girls of the world.