Extended Range Tactical Resupply Using Tailless UAV

An alternative approach for precision aerial delivery utilizing a flying wing for controllable forward glide is presented. Although effective, current delivery methods either display a lack of control, or require close standoff distances, potentially endangering aircraft personnel as well as bystanders. Hardware-in-the-loop simulations provide an efficient method for evaluating various wing designs and actuation configurations. Four control surface configurations are presented and evaluated, encompassing traditional aircraft and ram-air parafoil control approaches. Fixed-wing and multirotor unmanned aircraft-basedflight tests were conducted to evaluate the controllability and handling performance of the various configurations of both a fixed wing model and a model with collapsing wings. A manufacturing process was developed to allow repeatable results in the field using cheap, mostly disposable materials. A powered flying wing model was used to maximize data collection in later stages of software development. Data collected during flight tests was used to create a model of the system and develop a Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion controller for autonomous flight. The NDI controller was able to provide stable flight in pitch, but will need more development to control yaw, instead an intentional bias was built in to show proof of concept for direct yaw control. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the flying wing-based aerial delivery; however, significant challenges remain regarding the stability and scalability of the system.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering (UMKC)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Missouri--Kansas City

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Kraft, Tyler E.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Fields, Travis

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10355/62665

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/62665