3 ms·

Be really careful. Adding guidance to a hobby rocket may classify it as a missile, and you will need to start looking into ITAR.

rolph 8y ago
yes this can classify as a hobby device but there will be threshold that will attract ITAR abd DHS
lowlevel 8y ago
This is immediately where I jumped to as well. A little too close to missile guidance if you ask me... likely to be illegal.
Phlarp 8y ago
A hobby grade throttling and gimbaling rocket engine, with free documentation and open source guidance software sounds like an absolute proliferation nightmare scenario.
- pvarangot 8y ago
  I tried to buy stuff much more simple to what we are talking about here and the vendors wanted ITAR weivance papers and stuff.
dbcurtis 8y ago
Indeed. I have not looked into rocketry for a while, but my recollection is that an active guidance system, active control surfaces, an IMU, all place you squarely under ITAR. Building, much less exporting, without a license is likely a Bad Idea unless you are looking for a Club Fed vacation.
gpm 8y ago
Not an american, but I thought ITAR just restricted export (including of information though), hence the I(nternational) and T(rade)?
- avmich 8y ago
  International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
- mikeyouse 8y ago
  Export doesn’t just mean “shipping a rocket to the Middle East” if you write up a detailed guide on how to build these and supply the code to make it work, you’d likely be at risk.
Animats 8y ago
This is a common rumor but appears not be be based in reality. Lots of hobby rockets have guidance now. It's fairly common to have enough guidance that the thing will go straight up.
- dsl 8y ago
  Well reading the ITAR guidelines it is clearly covered under Category IV (Launch Vehicles, Guided Missiles, Ballistic Missiles, Rockets, Torpedoes, Bombs, and Mines). Specifically: (1) Flight control and guidance systems (including guidance sets) specially designed for articles enumerated in paragraph (a) of this category (MT for those articles enumerated in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this category); Note to paragraph (h)(1): A guidance set integrates the process of measuring and computing a vehicle's position and velocity (i.e., navigation) with that of computing and sending commands to the vehicle's flight control systems to correct the trajectory.

rolph 8y ago

yes this can classify as a hobby device but there will be threshold that will attract ITAR abd DHS

lowlevel 8y ago

This is immediately where I jumped to as well. A little too close to missile guidance if you ask me... likely to be illegal.

Phlarp 8y ago

A hobby grade throttling and gimbaling rocket engine, with free documentation and open source guidance software sounds like an absolute proliferation nightmare scenario.

pvarangot 8y ago
I tried to buy stuff much more simple to what we are talking about here and the vendors wanted ITAR weivance papers and stuff.

dbcurtis 8y ago

Indeed. I have not looked into rocketry for a while, but my recollection is that an active guidance system, active control surfaces, an IMU, all place you squarely under ITAR. Building, much less exporting, without a license is likely a Bad Idea unless you are looking for a Club Fed vacation.

gpm 8y ago

Not an american, but I thought ITAR just restricted export (including of information though), hence the I(nternational) and T(rade)?

avmich 8y ago
International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
mikeyouse 8y ago
Export doesn’t just mean “shipping a rocket to the Middle East” if you write up a detailed guide on how to build these and supply the code to make it work, you’d likely be at risk.

Animats 8y ago

This is a common rumor but appears not be be based in reality. Lots of hobby rockets have guidance now. It's fairly common to have enough guidance that the thing will go straight up.

dsl 8y ago
Well reading the ITAR guidelines it is clearly covered under Category IV (Launch Vehicles, Guided Missiles, Ballistic Missiles, Rockets, Torpedoes, Bombs, and Mines). Specifically: (1) Flight control and guidance systems (including guidance sets) specially designed for articles enumerated in paragraph (a) of this category (MT for those articles enumerated in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this category); Note to paragraph (h)(1): A guidance set integrates the process of measuring and computing a vehicle's position and velocity (i.e., navigation) with that of computing and sending commands to the vehicle's flight control systems to correct the trajectory.