SEDY ENGINEERING
CO
​DESIGN | SIMULATION | CONSULTATION
Sustainable engineering solutions for an emerging global economy.
Sedy Engineering CO is commited to finding solutions to engineering problems in struggling communities. We believe that being part of a global community means that our solutions shouldn't come at a cost to our neighbors' way of life.
Function Statement - UAV
The overall function statement for the UAV is as follows. The UAV must:
-Be able to carry a cargo through two gates (one high, one low, 2m wide x 3m high)
-Drop a payload on a target without touching the target
-Return to the starting point
-Be able to maneuver around and through obstacles
-Change height
-Pass through a 28" diameter hoop for sizing
-Complete a timed course
-Must be powered by batteries
-Must have a readily accessible and clearly labeled master shut-off switch
-Must be controlled through a wireless transmitter/receiver radio link. The following requirements pertain specifically to the device controller:
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A radio transmitter may have its own batteries rechargeable or non- rechargeable.
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The transmitter/receiver radio link may be any commercially available model controller.
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During the trial, the device must be completely controlled via the radio link no other contact, interaction or influence is permitted.
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One team member must control the device throughout the trial.
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All radio controllers will be impounded and shut off during the competition, except during the team’s run.
Design Requirements - Gondola
In order to be functional and fulfill the need of this project, the gondola must meet these requirements:
-Must be no larger than 14 inches in width, 2 inches in height, and 12 inches long.
-Must contain all electrical components internally.
-Must weigh less than 206 g.
-Must be able to withstand at least 1lb pressure applied at the end of the motor pylons.
-Must house a cargo release mechanism.
-Must be able to hold at least 1g of ballast.
-Must be compatible with the curved shape of the helium bladder.
-Must be constructed from ABS plastic.
-Must be black or white in color.
-Must have a master ON/OFF switch clearly marked
Design Process - Gondola Propulsion
-An approximate flight path was drawn and the distance measured
-The minimum velocity required for the UAV to complete the course in 300 seconds was determined to be .46 ft/s.
-A safety factor of 3 was applied to the minimum velocity, resulting in a design velocity of 1.4 ft/s.
-A drag force calculation was performed to determine the thrust needed (2.7 g) to propel the UAV at the design velocity.
-The electronic components were then selected
-The predicted actual speed was computed using a terminal velocity equation and was found to be 5.4 ft/s.
Design Process - Gondola Structure
-Skid steer design selected for maneuverability and simplicity
-Removable motor pylons to facilitate easy replacement in case of damage
-Press fit tabs optimized to smallest possible dimension by specifying maximum load of 1lb at ends of pylons and performing stress calculations
Design Changes and Optimization
-Removable pylons added for manufacturability and easy of replacement
-Cargo drop mechanism simplified to reduce number of moving parts and manufacturing/assembly time
-Gondola shortened to remove excess weight
-Pylons shortened to accommodate UAV bladder dimension change
-Tabs added to gondola edges to facilitate Velcro mounting solution