DESIGN, MANUFACTURING AND FLIGHT TEST OF A FIXED WING UAV FOR AERIAL EXPERIMENTS

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the manufacturing design and experimental analysis of a twin boom fixed wing aircraft. The thesis includes the three major phases namely manufacturing design of the UAV, assembly, and flight test. The conceptual design of the aircraft is done using XFLR 5 and simulated in X-Plane. The manufacturing design is developed including all the UAV components in design parameters. In this research, fabrication and experimental analysis of the twin boom fixed wing aircraft is carried out. The manufacturing design of the aircraft is done using materials with higher strength to weight to ratio. The wing, fuselage of the aircraft is fabricated using PU foam due to its lighter weight ratio as compared to the volume and strength it possesses, while carbon fibre rod is used as boom for connection between tail and fuselage. The carbon fibre rod is used considering the higher strength to weight ratio. The capability of design and manufacturing of a UAV in the present context with available resource and materials is examined. The selection of materials for the wing, fuselage, frame and landing gears play an important role in defining the final shape of the UAV. It is shown how the manufacturing limitation has forced the designers and manufacturers to implement design improvisations during the manufacturing process in the UAV as in the landing gear support, motor mount and wing to wing connection system.