Vertical Launch UAV Project Plan

∞ Construct an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a camera payload ∞ UAV must autonomously navigate with real-time video feed to ground station ∞ UAV must utilize a pneumatic vertical launch system

∞ Constraints ∞ Wing Design ∞Airfoil Selection ∞2 Piece Assembly ∞Materials Selection ∞Composite vs. Film Covering ∞ Landing System ∞Belly Land (FR) ∞ Tail ∞ Fuselage ∞Camera Considerations Modified Byron’s Pipe Dream Design

∞ Trade-off ∞Gas ∞Electric ∞ Propulsion Related Requirements ∞40-50 kt cruise ∞2 hour endurance ∞ Possible Solutions ∞Hacker ∞AXI Gold 5330 ∞ Propeller Hacker A60 L Series AXI Gold 5330

∞ XFLR5 ∞Methods ∞Vortex Lattice ∞Lifting Line ∞Output ∞Cl, Cd ∞Very efficient for low Reynolds Numbers ∞ Structures Spreadsheet ∞Mike Garton ∞ MotoCalc 8 ∞Engine Requirements

∞ Launch System ∞Attachment ∞ Avionics ∞Autopilot switchover

∞ Endurance ∞Weight ∞Power ∞ Size – Humvee Capacity ∞ Launch Sequence ∞Aircraft-Launch System Attachment ∞Control ∞Structural Integrity

∞ Piston and Casing ∞ Cradle and Carriage ∞ Collapsible Legs ∞ Pneumatic System

∞ Encased piston tube ∞ Magnetic piston ∞ Rubber piston stop

∞ Magnetic carriage ∞ Carriage slides along casing above piston ∞ Cradle mounted on carriage ∞ Slot for hook attachment on plane

∞ Requirements: ∞To fit within the back cargo hold of a small Humvee ∞Assemble within ~5 min ∞Design Solution: ∞A compact rod-less pneumatic slide ∞Collapsible stabilizing legs ∞Launch from the ground

∞ Design Specifications: ∞Plane weight 20 lbs ∞100 psi air pressure ∞Final launch height of 100 ft ∞ Using an Excel sheet to predict forces ∞Determine: ∞Air tank size ∞Valve size ∞Piston stroke length ∞Etc.

∞ Testing ∞Pneumatics ∞Can we launch a 20 lb plane with a 100psi of air to a 100ft? ∞If not what can we do? ∞Actual field tests with a test plane ∞ Integration ∞Plane cradle ∞Autopilot control

AutopilotVideo Ground Station

∞ Autopilot System must: ∞Be capable of autonomously navigating using waypoint navigation ∞Support a vertical pneumatic launch ∞Be capable of monitoring and controlling all systems necessary for flight ∞Support manual-override control ∞Be capable of transmitting real-time flight data to the ground control station

∞ Prime Concerns: ∞GPS, Inertial Measurement Unit, Compass, Gyroscope modules ∞Ability to interface with aircraft systems ∞Customization for launch and landing sequence ∞Cost

∞ Video System must: ∞Return real-time video to a base station ∞Be able to distinguish a 6” target at 100’ ∞Be capable of a minimum 30 minutes of operation ∞Be designed in a “modular” fashion

∞ Industrial Box style camera ∞ Able to be customized based on lens ∞ Vari-focal Auto-Iris Lens ∞ Manual adjustable focal length 100 ft 83 ft X / 83 pixels per foot 45° 70° 100 ft 140 ft X / 140 pixels per foot

∞Ground Station must: ∞Display real-time video as transmitted from the onboard camera ∞Provide controls necessary for manual override ∞Be capable of transmitting and receiving flight data to the onboard autopilot system ∞Be mobile and have the ability to be transported in the back of a military humvee

∞ Separate displays for video and flight data ∞ Components chosen based on onboard systems ∞ Mobile power source based upon requirements of ground station components

∞ Launch to cruise transition ∞ Data transmission and reception range ∞ Flight time

∞ Vertical Launch ∞ How/When does main autopilot take over? ∞ Customize autopilot for launch

∞ Range above 10 miles becomes problematic ∞ Using a directional antenna presents problems ∞ Omni-directional antenna – power consumption problems ∞ Planning on approximately 5W transmitter for video system ∞ Independent transmitter for video system Radius: x Power Required: y Radius: 2x Power Required: y 2 Radius: 3x Power Required: y 3

∞ Original flight time requested by Lockheed Martin: 2hrs ∞ Power consumption for this length of time is problematic ∞More Batteries = More Weight ∞ Control subsystem power consumption

∞ Project Plan – Sept 27, 2008 ∞ Initial design of each component – Oct 15, 2008 ∞ Physical system build complete – Nov 1, 2008 ∞ Integration of rail launch and aircraft – Nov 30, 2008 ∞ Begin testing of autopilot system – Nov 30, 2008 ∞ Testing of airplane and launch system – Dec 1, 2008 ∞ Final draft plan – Dec 15, 2008