Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
group
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Kaushal Meda, Freshamn Tuhin Misra, Pranav Rathi, Vraj Patel, Diivyaang Desai, Sameera Patki, Vaidehi Saini, Roy Su
Lead Presenter's Name
Kaushal Meda
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Engineering
Faculty Mentor Name
Ms. Claudia Ehringer Lucas
Abstract
Access to critical medical infrastructure and supplies can be limited in rural and remote communities, where long travel distances and limited transportation networks can delay emergency response/care. In fact, according to the National Library of Medicine, in the United States alone, “about 20% of the US population—more than 50 million people—live in rural areas, but only 9% of the nation's physicians practice in rural communities”, highlighting the challenges many communities face in accessing timely medical resources. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), however, offer a potential solution by providing fast and flexible delivery of critical life support medical payloads. Project 337, developed by Slingshot Aeronautics, explores the design and development of an autonomous fixed-wing UAV platform, intended to support future research in emergency vehicle medical transport systems. The primary goal of Project 337 is to develop a small, fixed-wing aircraft that will serve as a reliable test platform for autonomous navigation and mission planning technologies. This aircraft holds conventional takeoff and landing capabilities, utilizing a pull-prop propulsion system with three primary control surfaces: two ailerons and one single elevator for pitch control. The simplified control configuration allows the platform to remain mechanically simple while providing enough flight stability for testing purposes. The completed aircraft will serve as the foundation for future research into autonomous navigation, mission planning, and medical payload delivery systems. By developing a stable and reliable UAV platform, Project 337 is the foundation for integrating advanced flight technologies into later stages. The work done at Slingshot Aeronautics contributes to the broader goal of integrating UAV-based solutions to improve the speed and reliability of emergency medical supply in underserved areas.
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
Included in
Aeronautical Vehicles Commons, Navigation, Guidance, Control and Dynamics Commons, Transportation and Mobility Management Commons
Project 337
Access to critical medical infrastructure and supplies can be limited in rural and remote communities, where long travel distances and limited transportation networks can delay emergency response/care. In fact, according to the National Library of Medicine, in the United States alone, “about 20% of the US population—more than 50 million people—live in rural areas, but only 9% of the nation's physicians practice in rural communities”, highlighting the challenges many communities face in accessing timely medical resources. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), however, offer a potential solution by providing fast and flexible delivery of critical life support medical payloads. Project 337, developed by Slingshot Aeronautics, explores the design and development of an autonomous fixed-wing UAV platform, intended to support future research in emergency vehicle medical transport systems. The primary goal of Project 337 is to develop a small, fixed-wing aircraft that will serve as a reliable test platform for autonomous navigation and mission planning technologies. This aircraft holds conventional takeoff and landing capabilities, utilizing a pull-prop propulsion system with three primary control surfaces: two ailerons and one single elevator for pitch control. The simplified control configuration allows the platform to remain mechanically simple while providing enough flight stability for testing purposes. The completed aircraft will serve as the foundation for future research into autonomous navigation, mission planning, and medical payload delivery systems. By developing a stable and reliable UAV platform, Project 337 is the foundation for integrating advanced flight technologies into later stages. The work done at Slingshot Aeronautics contributes to the broader goal of integrating UAV-based solutions to improve the speed and reliability of emergency medical supply in underserved areas.