Design, Manufacturing, and Flight Testing of an Experimental Flying Wing UAV

Chung, Pei-Hsiang; Ma, Der-Ming; Shiau, Jaw-Kuen

doi:10.3390/app9153043

Cited by 48 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…To obtain maximum power output which the propeller delivers, efficiencies must be taken into account as given in Eq. 1 [18].…”

Section: Power and Mass Estimation Of Unmanned Aircraft System-based Pem Fuel Cellmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of an unmanned aircraft system for high-altitude 1 kW fuel cell power system

Reid

Albayati

2021

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A proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is particularly considered as a prime power supply for a fuel cell-powered unmanned aircraft system (UAS) as it possesses a very high-power density in comparison with other fuel cell types, hence a high potential to be used for high altitude long endurance (HALE) UAS flights. This paper will focus on examining the design requirements for the UAS-based 1 kW PEM fuel cell for high altitude operation (10–11 km), which can be correlated into a quantitative data to produce a design constraints diagram. The maximum take-off mass, endurance, and geometries for potential UAS design are estimated. Four different geometrical design profiles are developed and presented. The resulting geometries are analysed and the design parameters of the estimated 1 kW design yielded an aircraft of maximum take-off mass 34.8 kg, wingspan of 10.4 m, cruising speed 20 m/s, stall speed 11.23 m/s, and maximum endurance of 4 h. The constraint diagram deploys these assumptions as well as values generated through the design calculations to form a possible design of which the 1 kW UAS falls slightly outside of the possible design space; this is due to the minimum thrust-to-weight ratio required to achieve the desired service ceiling; however, further alterations and adjustments on the design and mission requirements are provided to place the design of the UAS within the possible design space.

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“…To obtain maximum power output which the propeller delivers, efficiencies must be taken into account as given in Eq. 1 [18].…”

Section: Power and Mass Estimation Of Unmanned Aircraft System-based Pem Fuel Cellmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of an unmanned aircraft system for high-altitude 1 kW fuel cell power system

Reid

Albayati

2021

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“…During the launching, this percentage of throttle will vary with the wind conditions but it can be considered as standard in most of the duration of the launching. The percentage of throttle in the majority of the launchings is stablished at 70% [85][86][87] The percentage of throttle needed during cruise in the original ALO will be affected by weather conditions and flight altitude, but it can be considered as standard in the major part of the typical flights. The value of throttle in the majority of cruise situations was established at 15%:…”

Section: Flight Load Profilementioning

confidence: 99%

“…During the launching, this percentage of throttle will vary with the wind conditions but it can be considered as standard in most of the duration of the launching. The percentage of throttle in the majority of the launchings is stablished at 70% [85][86][87] Thus, it can be confirmed that the values of 4 and 1 kW, which were used during testing a typical flight load profile, are more demanding than during a normal flight.…”

Section: Battery Pack Testsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Converting a Fixed-Wing Internal Combustion Engine RPAS into an Electric Lithium-Ion Battery-Driven RPAS

et al. 2020

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It is well proved that remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPASs) are very useful systems for remote sensing in precision agricultural labors. INTA (National Institute for Aerospace Applications) and the University of Huelva are involved in Tecnolivo Project that proposes the development of a marketable and easy-to-use technological solution that allows integrated, ecological, and optimized management of the olive grove through non-invasive monitoring of key agronomic parameters using RPASs. The information collected by the RPAS in regards to the state of the vegetation, such as hydric stress levels, plague detection, or maturation of the fruit, are very interesting for farmers when it comes to make decisions about their crops. Current RPAS applications for precision agriculture are mainly developed for small- to medium-sized crops using rotary-wing RPASs with small range and endurance operation, leaving aside large-sized crops. This work shows the conversion of a fully declassified and obsolete fixed-wing internal combustion engine (ICE) remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), used as aerial target for military applications and in reconnaissance and surveillance missions at low cost, into an electric lithium polymer (LiPo) battery-driven RPA that will be used for precision agriculture in large-sized crop applications, as well as other applications for tracking and monitoring of endangered animal species in national parks. This RPA, being over twenty years old, has undergone a deep change. The applied methodology consisted of the design of a new propulsion system, based on an electric motor and batteries, maintaining the main airworthiness characteristics of the aircraft. Some other novelties achieved in this study were: (1) Change to a more efficient engine, less heavy and bulky, with a greater ratio of torque vs. size. Modernization of the fly control system and geolocation system. (2) Modification of the type and material of the propeller, reaching a higher performance. (3) Replacement of a polluting fuel, such as gasoline, with electricity from renewable sources. (4) Development of a new control software, etc. Preliminary results indicate that the endurance achieved with the new energy and propulsion systems and the payload weight available in the RPA meet the expectations of the use of this type of RPAS in the study of large areas of crops and surveillance.

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“…UAS system components are subjects of numerous researches and tests described in wide bibliography, available in electronic or paper forms; exemplary items [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] are worth citing. In the presented project challenges, one can distinguish certain trends of activities determining the success of the finally developed system.…”

Section: Nomentioning

confidence: 99%

Integration and Investigation of Selected On-Board Devices for Development of the Newly Designed Miniature UAV

Olejnik

Rogólski

Kiszkowiak

et al. 2020

Sensors

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The article is a development of the topic generally presented in the conference proceedings issued after the 2019 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for Aerospace. In contrast to topics presented in the conference, the article describes in detail avionic equipment and on-board systems integration process and their in-flight adjustment in regard to the newly designed miniature unmanned aerial vehicle (mini-UAV). The mini-airplane was constructed and assembled in the course of the research project, the purpose of which was to show implementation of a totally new mini-UAV design. The intention of the work was to develop a new unmanned system including an originally constructed small airplane with elements purchased from open market. Such approach should allow to construct a new aerial unmanned system, which technologically would not be very advanced but should be easy to use and relatively inexpensive. The demonstrator mini-airplane has equipment typical for such an object, i.e., electric propulsion, autopilot system, camera head and parachute device for recovery. The key efforts in the project were taken to elaborate an original but easy to use system, to integrate subsystem elements and test them so to prove their functionality and reliability.3 of 21 elements of the abovementioned equipment were being sequentially mounted on mini-airplane and then tested separately-at first during on-ground investigations and then during flight-tests. The target pre-prototype aircraft was equipped with all possible subsystems. It was fully completed and intended for use in the mode of supervised trial operation. Specific aspects of the UAV construction, equipment adaptation and its testing were described here. Particularly important measurements taken to verify operational readiness of deployed devices were carried out in the context of the integration of the autopilot system and the selection of the power unit components. UAV DesignMini-UAV Rybitwa (eng. Tern) of which CAD designs are presented in Figure 1 is a miniature made-of-composite airplane with traditional aerodynamic outline (high-wing monoplane with T-tailed boom). The lifting plane is assembled with 4 semi-monocoque segments and is equipped with ailerons and flaps. The central sections are connected to the fuselage by putting them over rigid carbon girder spar. There is a parachute recovery set inside the fuselage bay. The propulsion system consists of three-phase electric motor and two-or three-blade tractor propeller. The on-board avionic equipment (MP2128g autopilot and gimballed video sensor) are assembled inside the under-fuselage pod. The airframe configuration in a classic arrangement with a suspended slender container has been successfully used in such constructions as: Skylark (Elbit Systems), Skyblade (ST Aerospace) or experimental Kiwit (ATE Technology). Fundamental dimensions and performances achieved in case of the final UAV configuration shown in Figure 2 are the following:

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Design, Manufacturing, and Flight Testing of an Experimental Flying Wing UAV

Cited by 48 publications

References 11 publications

Design of an unmanned aircraft system for high-altitude 1 kW fuel cell power system

Design of an unmanned aircraft system for high-altitude 1 kW fuel cell power system

Converting a Fixed-Wing Internal Combustion Engine RPAS into an Electric Lithium-Ion Battery-Driven RPAS

Integration and Investigation of Selected On-Board Devices for Development of the Newly Designed Miniature UAV

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