Small Unmanned Aircraft

Autonomous unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) are critical to current and future military, civil, and commercial operations. Despite their importance, no previous textbook has accessibly introduced UAVs to students in the engineering, computer, and science disciplines--until now. Small Unmanned Aircraft provides a concise but comprehensive description of the key concepts and technologies underlying the dynamics, control, and guidance of fixed-wing unmanned aircraft, and enables all students with an introductory-level background in controls or robotics to enter this exciting and important area. The authors explore the essential underlying physics and sensors of UAV problems, including low-level autopilot for stability and higher-level autopilot functions of path planning. The textbook leads the student from rigid-body dynamics through aerodynamics, stability augmentation, and state estimation using onboard sensors, to maneuvering through obstacles. To facilitate understanding, the authors have replaced traditional homework assignments with a simulation project using the MATLAB/Simulink environment. Students begin by modeling rigid-body dynamics, then add aerodynamics and sensor models. They develop low-level autopilot code, extended Kalman filters for state estimation, path-following routines, and high-level path-planning algorithms. The final chapter of the book focuses on UAV guidance using machine vision. Designed for advanced undergraduate or graduate students in engineering or the sciences, this book offers a bridge to the aerodynamics and control of UAV flight.

Small Unmanned Fixed-wing Aircraft Design is the essential guide to designing, building and testing fixed wing UAVs (or drones). It deals with aircraft from two to 150 kg in weight and is based on the first-hand experiences of the world renowned UAV team at the UK’s University of Southampton. The book covers both the practical aspects of designing, manufacturing and flight testing and outlines and the essential calculations needed to underpin successful designs. It describes the entire process of UAV design from requirements definition to configuration layout and sizing, through preliminary design and analysis using simple panel codes and spreadsheets to full CFD and FEA models and on to detailed design with parametric CAD tools. Its focus is on modest cost approaches that draw heavily on the latest digital design and manufacturing methods, including a strong emphasis on utilizing off-the-shelf components, low cost analysis, automated geometry modelling and 3D printing. It deliberately avoids a deep theoretical coverage of aerodynamics or structural mechanics; rather it provides a design team with sufficient insights and guidance to get the essentials undertaken more pragmatically. The book contains many all-colour illustrations of the dozens of aircraft built by the authors and their students over the last ten years giving much detailed information on what works best. It is predominantly aimed at under-graduate and MSc level student design and build projects, but will be of interest to anyone engaged in the practical problems of getting quite complex unmanned aircraft flying. It should also appeal to the more sophisticated aero-modeller and those engaged on research based around fixed wing UAVs.

The utility and benefits of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are emerging and being recognized across the aviation industry. While this technology is not new, the ability to support domestic public and private operators are becoming better understood, opening up new uses to government organizations and commercial enterprise. Analysis of the unmanned aviation market indicates that small UAS (sUAS) will become the most prevalent and affordable form of unmanned aircraft available, featuring technology developed by contributors ranging from DIY and hobby model aircraft communities to defense contracting. This book will help readers understand what a drone or UAS is, what forms are available (including types of multirotor, fixed-wing, and hybrid), to make well informed decisions regarding purchase and use. Readers will learn how sUAS and their various configuration options can be used to address or support evolving business needs. Ultimately, readers will have enough information to formulate a plan to acquire necessary certification approvals and operate sUAS in a safe, efficient, and effective manner. Written for experienced aviators, as well as those new to aviation and operating in the National Airspace System. Illustrated extensively throughout, each chapter concludes with review questions for classroom and self-study use. This book provides a solid foundation for keeping up with this fast moving and exciting aviation field"--Provided by publisher

Advances in high spatial resolution mapping capabilities and the new rules established by the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States for the operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) have provided new opportunities to acquire aerial data at a lower cost and more safely versus other methods. A similar opening of the skies for sUAS applications is being allowed in countries across the world. Also, sUAS can access hazardous or inaccessible areas during disaster events and provide rapid response when needed. Applications of Small Unmanned Aircraft systems: Best Practices and Case Studies is the first book that brings together the best practices of sUAS applied to a broad range of issues in high spatial resolution mapping projects. Very few sUAS pilots have the knowledge of how the collected imagery is processed into value added mapping products that have commercial and/or academic import. Since the field of sUAS applications is just a few years old, this book covers the need for a compendium of case studies to guide the planning, data collection, and most importantly data processing and map error issues, with the range of sensors available to the user community. Written by experienced academics and professionals, this book serves as a guide on how to formulate sUAS based projects, from choice of a sUAS, flight planning for a particular application, sensors and data acquisition, data processing software, mapping software and use of the high spatial resolution maps produced for particular types of geospatial modeling. Features: Focus on sUAS based data acquisition and processing into map products Broad range of case studies by highly experienced academics Practical guidance on sUAS hardware, sensors, and software utilized Compilation of workflow insights from expert professors and professionals Relevant to academia, government, and industry Positional and thematic map accuracy, UAS curriculum development and workflow replicability issues This book would be an excellent text for upper-level undergraduate to graduate level sUAS mapping application courses. It is also invaluable as a reference for educators designing sUAS based curriculum as well as for potential sUAS users to assess the scope of mapping projects that can be done with this technology.

UNMANNED AIRCRAF T SYSTEMS UNMANNED AIRCRAF T SYSTEMS An unmanned aircraft system (UAS), sometimes called a drone, is an aircraft without a human pilot on board ??? instead, the UAS can be controlled by an operator station on the ground or may be autonomous in operation. UAS are capable of addressing a broad range of applications in diverse, complex environments. Traditionally employed in mainly military applications, recent regulatory changes around the world are leading to an explosion of interest and wide-ranging new applications for UAS in civil airspace. Covering the design, development, operation, and mission profiles of unmanned aircraft systems, this single, comprehensive volume forms a complete, stand-alone reference on the topic. The volume integrates with the online Wiley Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering, providing many new and updated articles for existing subscribers to that work. The chapters cover the following items: Airframe configurations and design (launch systems, power generation, propulsion) Operations (missions, integration issues, and airspace access) Coordination (multivehicle cooperation and human oversight) With contributions from leading experts, this volume is intended to be a valuable addition, and a useful resource, for aerospace manufacturers and suppliers, governmental and industrial aerospace research establishments, airline and aviation industries, university engineering and science departments, and industry analysts, consultants, and researchers.

Current as of September 2019! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published the Remote Pilot - Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Study Guide to communicate the knowledge areas you need to study to prepare to take the Remote Pilot Certificate with an sUAS rating airman knowledge test.

With the emergence of smart technology and automated systems in today’s world, artificial intelligence (AI) is being incorporated into an array of professions. The aviation and aerospace industry, specifically, is a field that has seen the successful implementation of early stages of automation in daily flight operations through flight management systems and autopilot. However, the effectiveness of aviation systems and the provision of flight safety still depend primarily upon the reliability of aviation specialists and human decision making. The Handbook of Research on Artificial Intelligence Applications in the Aviation and Aerospace Industries is a pivotal reference source that explores best practices for AI implementation in aviation to enhance security and the ability to learn, improve, and predict. While highlighting topics such as computer-aided design, automated systems, and human factors, this publication explores the enhancement of global aviation security as well as the methods of modern information systems in the aeronautics industry. This book is ideally designed for pilots, scientists, engineers, aviation operators, air crash investigators, teachers, academicians, researchers, and students seeking current research on the application of AI in the field of aviation.

This design guide was written to capture the author’s practical experience of designing, building and testing multi-rotor drone systems over the past decade. The lack of one single source of useful information meant that the past 10 years has been a steep learning curve, a lot of self-tuition and many trial and error tests. Lessons learnt the hard way are not always the best way to learn. This book will be useful for the amateur drone pilot who wants to build their own system from first principles, as well as the academic researcher investigating novel design concepts and future drone applications.

The chapters in this book cover a broad range of topics the FAA wants you to know. The initial aeronautical knowledge test includes the following areas of knowledge:»Applicable regulations relating to small unmanned aircraft system rating privileges, limitations, and flight operation»Airspace classification, operating requirements, and flight restrictions affecting small unmanned aircraft operation»Aviation weather sources and effects of weather on small unmanned aircraft performance»Small unmanned aircraft loading»Emergency procedures»Crew resource management»Radio communication procedures»Determining the performance of small unmanned aircraft»Physiological effects of drugs and alcohol»Aeronautical decision-making and judgment»Airport operationsReaders also have access to a series of sample test questions. Readers should practice with these test questions until achieving at least a score of 90% before attempting the exam. The author strives to make the questions as similar as possible to the official FAA Exam. However, the FAA does not provide specific test-questions to the public. The sample questions here are based on the information available through documentation and research. The sample questions in this book refer to legends and figures from the FAA-CT-8080-2H Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement. FAA-CT-8080-2H is the testing supplement provided to test-takers during the official aeronautical knowledge test. Readers need to familiarize themselves with these legends and figures before attempting to take the test. For the best experience, the author recommends the printed version of this book.