NEXT GEN FLIGHT

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NGF Mission Statement

Our goal is to use existing technologies to navigate disaster environments and deliver emergency supplies to trapped survivors

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Concept of Operations

• UAS will be man-portable and carried via backpack.

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• Remotely piloted drone with a FPV camera
• Lens clarity is crucial to pilot success

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• UAS must have a capable carrying capacity for necessary supplies

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• Longevity

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• Affordability

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Research Process & Design

Benefits of Tricopter Design

• Cheaper

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• Less weight

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• More compact for transportation

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• Longer battery life

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Performance Criteria

• Maximum Payload (emergency provisions)
• 1 pound per trip

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• Drone weight below 15 pounds

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• Make multiple trips
• Operational flight time of up to 4.8 minutes

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• Generate 64.5 Newtons (6577 gram-force) of upward thrust

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• Burst speed of 35 meters per second with payload

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Team Organization

• Divided into four subteams for initial Proof of Concept development
• Structure: Matt
• Payload: Shain, Nav
• Propulsion: Jeremy, Justin
• Avionics/Optics: Aaron, Jimmy
• Recent transition to three sub-teams
• Analytics: Jimmy, Justin, Matt
• Assembly and Testing: Shain, Nav
• Controls: Aaron, Jeremy

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Structure

• Goals:
• Withstand high G Maneuvers
• Maintain 1.4 safety factor
• Reduce weight
• Protect Avionics and Optics
• Optimize static stability to improve overall flight dynamics and controllability before systems are integrated

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Material Choice and Testing

• Proof of Concept phase
• 3D printed for lightweight and low cost option
• PLA+ and ONYX filament used
• Need high tensile strength and elasticity for impact resistance

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• Testing
• Drop test
• Impact test

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Component Weights and C_G Location

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Weight of Components

Moments of Inertia

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Payload System

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Propulsion System

• Goals:
• Generated Thrust
• At minimum, must be able to lift the total weight of the system with the payload.
• For forward flight and maneuverability, a 3:1 power to weight ratio is the desired configuration.

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• Balance of:
• Performance
• Battery Life
• Overall Weight

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Motor - V602 KV180

• Generates a maximum ~9800* grams of thrust
• Weighs ~345 grams (included. cables)
• High efficiency motor: thrust to input power is below 10 at all times. Efficiency in this motor increases with input power. Best efficiency is 4.90

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*Source: T-Motor V602 KV180 Main Page

GWS EP Propeller (RD-1390)

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• Propeller Diameter: 13 inches
• Propeller Pitch: 9 inches
• ↑ Number of blades =↓ Efficiency
• Low Cost and Availability
• Preparation for Folding Design

SERVO MOTOR

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• The servo rotates the rear motor to compensate for the unequal torque acted on the sUAS.

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• It can also be used to vector the thrust direction of the rear motor for tight space maneuvers and faster turns than a traditional quadcopter.

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• Servo Requirements:
• Metal gears (For no slipping of gears)
• Digital servo (faster reaction time from input to output)
• Able to articulate the weight of the: motor, structure holding the motor, and the downward force of the motor/props at full power

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Battery - Thunder Power RC

TP5000-6SPX25

• 2 x 5000mAh 6-Cell/6S 22.2V
• Total: 10000mAH
• Flight Time: ~10 mins
• Choice based on:
• Availability
• Weight
• Cost
• Weight: 695 grams (1.53 lbs)

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Optics - Runcam 2

• 4K Resolution
• 30 frames per second
• 49 grams ~ 0.108 pound
• Field of View (FOV)
• 155 degrees

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Avionics

Internal

• Flight Controller
• GPS
• Video Transmitter
• Antenna
• Rx (input receiver)

External

• VRx (Video Receiver)
• Tx (remote controller)

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Wiring Diagram for Avionics & Optics

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Stability & Control

• Multicopters are naturally unstable
• Tricopters even more so
• PID controller is actively being implemented via Matlab-Simulink
• Forces are assumed to be 0 (Hovering)

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Open-Loop responses of the tricopter

Open-Loop of Response

Stability & Control

• Closed-Loop design has Nested PID controls
• A traditional PID system was not sufficient
• Reactive tuning to be occurred during flight testing

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Closed-Loop responses of the tricopter

Current roll-pitch-yaw controller with feedback loops

Challenges Faced

• Manufacturing Complications due to size of structure to be 3D printed
• Shipping issues
• delay in shipping time frames
• Lack of infrared camera can hinder our mission objective
• Cost is too high
• Scheduling
• Full time students, jobs, etc.

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Current State

• Beginning Proof of Concept Testing and Assembly
• Inputting Open Loop and Closed Loop Control Systems to tricopter
• Awaiting shipment of parts
• Refinement and analysis of structure and propulsion system
• Finalizing documentation

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Current Scheduling & Future Scheduling

• Short development hiatus since Thanksgiving to focus on CDR and other courses’ final projects and exams

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• Will be engaging fully with drone assembly and testing plus implementation of controls over the winter break

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Project Future

• Assemble and further test rigidity and integrity of structural components

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• Decrease costs
• Goal of entire assembly costing no more than $500 (around a $1000 decrease)

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• Increase stability
• Tricopter design has no stability (gap in between center of gravity and thrust)

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• MOST IMPORTANTLY, have it fly

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Questions?

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