Lockheed Martin ChallengeVertical 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

Mission Statement

UAV Physical Layout∞ 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

Propulsion

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

Current Design Process

∞ Launch System∞Attachment

∞ Avionics∞Autopilot

switchover

Systems Integration

∞ Endurance∞Weight∞Power

∞ Size – Humvee Capacity

∞ Launch Sequence∞Aircraft-Launch

System Attachment∞Control∞Structural Integrity

Technical Challenges

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

Pneumatic Launch System Components

∞ Encased piston tube∞ Magnetic piston∞ Rubber piston stop

Piston and Casing

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

Cradle and Carriage

Transportation∞ 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

Pneumatic System

Force Requirements∞ 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 and Integration∞ 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

Avionics and Electrical Systems Components

Autopilot Video

Ground Station

Autopilot Requirements∞ 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

Autopilot∞ Prime Concerns:

∞GPS, Inertial Measurement Unit, Compass, Gyroscope modules

∞Ability to interface with aircraft systems

∞Customization for launch and landing sequence

∞Cost

Video Requirements∞ 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

Camera∞ Industrial Box style camera

∞ Able to be customized based on lens

∞ Vari-focal Auto-Iris Lens

∞ Manual adjustable focal length

100 ft

83 ftX / 83 pixels per foot

45°

70°100 ft

140 ftX / 140 pixels per foot

Ground Station Requirements∞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

Ground Station∞ Separate displays for

video and flight data

∞ Components chosen based on onboard systems

∞ Mobile power source based upon requirements of ground station components

Primary Concerns∞ Launch to cruise transition

∞ Data transmission and reception range

∞ Flight time

Launch to Cruise Transition∞ Vertical Launch

∞ How/When does main autopilot take over?

∞ Customize autopilot for launch

Data Transmission/Reception

∞ 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: xPower Required: y

Radius: 2xPower Required: y2

Radius: 3xPower Required: y3

Flight Time∞ 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

Deliverables for Fall 2008