Discussion forum for a community-designed UAV airframe
This is a forum to discuss the creation of a community-designed UAV airframe that can be put into production. Once the basic scope and core participants of the projects have been decided on, we can move the project to a Huddle workspace for the actual design, planning and collaboration.
Replies to This Discussion
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ModeratorPermalink Reply by Gary Mortimer on -
Well your going to have to make a European version not exceeding 7 Kg in weight.
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Permalink Reply by Cronselaar on -
After seeing the above it should be clear that it needs to be a twin boomer. Payload wise I would recon 1.5kg to maybe 2kg should be more than enough. I've recently gained a laser cutter as well as a small cnc mill to my old foam cutter so now I'm going the balsa route. Started my twin boomer build today, will start a build thread for it.
Anyhow... A nice modular twin boomer is what i would go for... Not too many of the big guys (boeing,lockhead ect) could be all that wrong.
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ModeratorPermalink Reply by Morli on -
Yep , even many civilian uav guys have twin boomer, so twin boom for me too for any thing bigger than 2 k.g
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Permalink Reply by Joel Ryan on -
I think that before we all start throwing ideas, we need to figure out what we are working towards. No one plane is perfect for everyone, but I'm sure we can split the basic community needs into two or three categories of plane (i.e. small, medium, large) or something along those lines. We should probably first be discussing what we need from the plane, before we discuss what designs can fulfill those needs.
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ModeratorPermalink Reply by Morli on -
Joel,
You are right like others who said the same except no one is saying/sharing his usage.For me Theren't many needs , why not start sharing what you are going to use it for?
Here is mine
1 still & video camera is primary payload for survey,photograph, surveillance, fpv with stabilized PTZ. I have chosen and got the camera for both FPV( regular 40 lines Pal 1/3 sony CCD cam for smaller airframe,Toshiba P30) and for still photography (a older Sony that will be hacked to reduce the weight).
2. AP test platform with decent endurance at full load ( Load 1= 0.5 k.g, Load 2= 1.5-2.0 k.g for total up weight =< 2-2.5 kG & 7 k.g airframe respectively)
3. 2 airframes to address all my needs , 1. EP glider like airframe( <2 - 2..5 K.G) with simple point and shoot dig camera pointing down with remote/timed trigger, AP , 30 -45 endurance, tractor with under slung payload pod where prop does not come in way of payload. 2 batt( 4000mAh 3S1P 20C for EP + AP, 4400mAh 3S1P 15C for cam + vid Tx+ telemetry modem)
2. fuel powered dual boom high wing pusher with 5 x 10" payload bay min for more advance R & D, on board power gen, duel cam + cam switcher, higher powered telemetry/vid Tx, redundant PS , PTz video for FPV
45-120 min endurance, Batt same as above etc.
How does it sound.
Lets start with simple airframe which addresses most common desires with less than 5 definitions/rules etc to make it happen. Opt for a design competition , vote for it and choose a winner, develop on the winner design as community design/idea.
So lets start with sharing what we need from the airframe first IMHO
Optional definitions
1. with and without telemetry
2 electric or fuel
3. 3D capable
etc
My 2 cents worth...
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Permalink Reply by Sarel P. Wagner on -
What is the Mission? This determines ultimately what system(s) we need, thus start by defining the mission. Try to distill all the missions into as few missions as possible, but no fewer to quote Albert Einstein.
Missions
Fly a payload of no more than 600grams (1.3lbs) for a duration of 30 minutes and take a video for at least 15 minutes and stills for the duration. Fly in winds up to 15kph
Send position and other systems data to ground station in real time
May be required to send Video to ground station in real time
This can be used as a starting point for mission, can yours fit in here, if not define your mission, please keep it realistic.
Distilled from various posts here over a period of time:
These are what I collected,
Requirements
Prop not in the way of cameras
Prevent or lessen vibration and exhaust contamination
Stable slow flying platform
Modular Airframe and Payload bay
Integrated sensor mounting areas & cable ways
Accommodate various Antennas, Rx, Telemetry, Payload, GPS (Helical/Ceramic flat)
Integrated Payload bay, easily accessible
CG not affected by Payload changes
Vibration isolated
Ideally Payload bay must be interchangeable
Cost effective and easily manufactured/build
Take off & land off runway, rough field
Identify risks, AP capabilities, crashes, loss recovery etc.
Set your Goals
Define the unimportant things
Cost effective design
Material usage, Foam rather than Carbon
Power/Fuel budget for propulsion & Rx
High voltage for electric motor efficiency and low losses if not Gas/Glow
Largest possible prop, efficiency & low RPM for low vibration
Power budget for Telemetry
Power budget for Payload
Construction goals
Performance goals
Prevent spins
Robustness/Durability
To be a UAV we need the following:
1. Telemetry
2. Electric power (gas ~ vibration, fuel contamination, exhaust contamination, low duration in our airframes)
3. We need Video and/or Stills imaging
Rgrds
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ModeratorPermalink Reply by Brian on -
Sarel - Nice wrap-up. I would contend that Robustness/Durability is more of a requirement.
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Permalink Reply by Krzysztof Bosak on -
"Send position and other systems data to ground station in real time"
Why? In other words:
'Who pays for that one?'
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ModeratorPermalink Reply by Morli on -
Krzys,
I don't understand "Who pays for that one?"
It is DIY and payment part it is also included in the same formula , is there another way ;-) ?
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Permalink Reply by Krzysztof Bosak on
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morli: I don't understand "Who pays for that one?'
You can 'pay' with your time spend in this, on deploying the gstation everytime, keeping it clean and being ready to cover the laptop should the smallest rain come.
What advantage you get from the telemetry?
Are you planning out of VLOS flights?
Or a simple tell-position in case something goes wrong?
Or maybe you just want the logs from the flight?
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Permalink Reply by Joel Ryan on
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I think that the your two airframe approach is the way we should look at it, because the two types of airframes you just set forth meet the general requirement of the community for a smaller aircraft to just carry photo/video gear and a larger one for more advanced or technical uses.
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