Preliminary Design of a High-Altitude UAV for Unmanned Air Traffic Management
Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
group
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Ryan Mangra, Senior Jane Lam, Senior Tobey Cram, Senior Laurie Wagner, Senior Parth Patel, Senior Alexander Emmolo, Senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Ryan Mangra
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Engineering
Faculty Mentor Name
Kimberly Heinzer
Abstract
As UAV technology becomes more widespread, the demand for sense-and-avoid capabilities has increased. In response to this demand Team Golf has been tasked with developing a high-altitude UAV, capable of providing this service. The design process consists of calculating stability, lift, and drag parameters of the aircraft to display its feasibility. Currently the design stage has the configuration at a high-wing layout, with an H-tail design for maximum stability, while accommodating the space required for the unique balloon deployment and retrieval system. Additionally, the process includes evaluations of market viability, operational costs, and developmental costs. Furthermore, the team estimates a preliminary analysis of the overall design configuration, which includes CATIA modelling, component layout, and the reasoning behind different aspects of the aircraft configuration. Some unique aspects of the design include utilizing hydrogen fuel cells, and a balloon stage in the stratosphere. Moving forward, the design is expected to serve as a cost efficient and versatile platform for providing sense-and-avoid capabilities to UAVs and serve as an effective platform for any other high-altitude payloads that require high loiter time.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Preliminary Design of a High-Altitude UAV for Unmanned Air Traffic Management
As UAV technology becomes more widespread, the demand for sense-and-avoid capabilities has increased. In response to this demand Team Golf has been tasked with developing a high-altitude UAV, capable of providing this service. The design process consists of calculating stability, lift, and drag parameters of the aircraft to display its feasibility. Currently the design stage has the configuration at a high-wing layout, with an H-tail design for maximum stability, while accommodating the space required for the unique balloon deployment and retrieval system. Additionally, the process includes evaluations of market viability, operational costs, and developmental costs. Furthermore, the team estimates a preliminary analysis of the overall design configuration, which includes CATIA modelling, component layout, and the reasoning behind different aspects of the aircraft configuration. Some unique aspects of the design include utilizing hydrogen fuel cells, and a balloon stage in the stratosphere. Moving forward, the design is expected to serve as a cost efficient and versatile platform for providing sense-and-avoid capabilities to UAVs and serve as an effective platform for any other high-altitude payloads that require high loiter time.