{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/83877"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/83877","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Design and Development of Low-cost Multi-function UAV Suitable for Production and Operation in Low Resource Environments","abstract":"A new flying wing design has been developed at the Unmanned Systems Lab (USL) at Virginia Tech to serve delivery and remote sensing applications in the developing world. The fully autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), named EcoSoar, was designed with the goal of creating a business opportunity for local entrepreneurs in low-resource communities. The system was developed in such a way that local fabrication, operation, and maintenance of the aircraft are all possible. In order to present a competitive financial model for sustained drone services, EcoSoar is made with reliable low-cost materials and electronics. This paper lays out the rapid prototyping and flight experiment efforts that went into polishing the design, test results from an EcoSoar centered drone workshop in Kasungu, Malawi, and finally a range optimization study with flight test validation.","abstract_html":"A new flying wing design has been developed at the Unmanned Systems Lab (USL) at Virginia Tech to serve delivery and remote sensing applications in the developing world. The fully autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), named EcoSoar, was designed with the goal of creating a business opportunity for local entrepreneurs in low-resource communities. The system was developed in such a way that local fabrication, operation, and maintenance of the aircraft are all possible. In order to present a competitive financial model for sustained drone services, EcoSoar is made with reliable low-cost materials and electronics. This paper lays out the rapid prototyping and flight experiment efforts that went into polishing the design, test results from an EcoSoar centered drone workshop in Kasungu, Malawi, and finally a range optimization study with flight test validation.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Standridge, Zachary Dakotah"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Aerospace Engineering","degree_department":"Aerospace and Ocean Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Kochersberger, Kevin B.","Raj, Pradeep"],"committee_members":["Mason, William H."],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-07-06","date_published":"2018-07-06","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:35Z","subjects":["Rapid Prototyping","Developing Country","Posterboard Wings","UAV Design","Range Optimization"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:16279"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:16279","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/83877","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Kochersberger, Kevin B.","Raj, Pradeep"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Mason, William H."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Standridge, Zachary Dakotah"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2018-07-07T08:01:03Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-07-07T08:01:03Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2018-07-06"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Aerospace Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Rapid Prototyping","Developing Country","Posterboard Wings","UAV Design","Range Optimization"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:16279"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/83877"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["A new flying wing design has been developed at the Unmanned Systems Lab (USL) at Virginia Tech to serve delivery and remote sensing applications in the developing world. The fully autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), named EcoSoar, was designed with the goal of creating a business opportunity for local entrepreneurs in low-resource communities. The system was developed in such a way that local fabrication, operation, and maintenance of the aircraft are all possible. In order to present a competitive financial model for sustained drone services, EcoSoar is made with reliable low-cost materials and electronics. This paper lays out the rapid prototyping and flight experiment efforts that went into polishing the design, test results from an EcoSoar centered drone workshop in Kasungu, Malawi, and finally a range optimization study with flight test validation."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["A new humanitarian drone has been developed at the Unmanned Systems Lab (USL) at Virginia Tech. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), named EcoSoar, was designed with the goal of creating a business opportunity for local entrepreneurs in low-resource communities. In order to be a viable solution in the developing world EcoSoar utilizes customizable 3D-printed parts and wings made from cheap materials like posterboard and packing tape. In addition, tools for building the drone have been developed in such a way that anyone can learn to construct and operate EcoSoar regardless of experience. This paper lays out the engineering efforts that went into the design, lessons learned from an EcoSoar-centered workshop in Kasungu, Malawi, and finally offers an upgraded design."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Design and Development of Low-cost Multi-function UAV Suitable for Production and Operation in Low Resource Environments"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Kochersberger, Kevin B.","Raj, Pradeep"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Mason, William H."],"dc:contributor.department":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Standridge, Zachary Dakotah"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2018-07-07T08:01:03Z"],"dc:date.available":["2018-07-07T08:01:03Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2018-07-06"],"dc:description.abstract":["A new flying wing design has been developed at the Unmanned Systems Lab (USL) at Virginia Tech to serve delivery and remote sensing applications in the developing world. 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In order to be a viable solution in the developing world EcoSoar utilizes customizable 3D-printed parts and wings made from cheap materials like posterboard and packing tape. In addition, tools for building the drone have been developed in such a way that anyone can learn to construct and operate EcoSoar regardless of experience. 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