PFR - Aerospace Engineering Sciences Senior Design Projects ...

Project Final Report – CUDBF April 30 th , 2009
ASEN 4028: Aerospace Senior Projects
1.0 Project Objectives and Requirements
Author: Daniel Colwell
1.1 Background
The annual AIAA Design/Build/Fly competition, sponsored by Cessna Aircraft Company and
Raytheon Missile Systems, provides the opportunity to design an unmanned aerial system
(UAS). The inter-university competition also provides teams an opportunity to represent their
school on the international level. The 2008-2009 competition rules require each team to design
an aircraft capable of completing a simulated surveillance and attack mission. The aircraft will
carry multiple payloads including a 4 liter simulated fuel tank to provide an extended endurance
required for surveillance as well as 4 wing stores to model attack capabilities. Teams must also
store the UAS in a lightweight, low volume container and be able to quickly assemble the
aircraft to simulate a situation where time and space are limited.
Dr. Brian Argrow, director of the Research and Engineering Center for Unmanned Vehicles
(RECUV), has been the customer for CUDBF for the past 7 years. As a club, CUDBF has
served as a means for aerospace engineering students to vertically integrate students from all
levels of the curriculum to learn the design process. The CUDBF organization has improved
each year and is now ready to compete for the first place position. Dr. Argrow’s main goal is for
CUDBF to compete in the 2008-2009 Design/Build/Fly Competition, learn the practical concepts
of aircraft design, and integrate underclassmen in order to ensure the future success and survival
of the program.
1.2 Project Goal
The goal of CUDBF is to compete in the annual AIAA Design/Build/ Fly Competition and
increase the potential for success for future teams. The team will achieve this goal by following
all rules [1] assigned by the DBF director to pass technical inspection in competition. The team’s
aircraft will be capable of completing all flight missions. Finally, the team will ensure future
success by vertically integrating underclassmen into the design and fabrication process.
1.3 Project Objectives
The objective of this project is to design, build, test, and verify a remotely controlled aircraft
capable of entering into the Design/Build/Fly competition. To accomplish this objective, the
aircraft will be a fixed wing design with performance characteristics capable of completing all of
the competition flight missions with a minimum range of 9,200 feet. The aircraft shall be able to
accommodate all mission payloads, including the ability to detach each store independently and
in any order. Deconstructed, the aircraft shall be able to be stored in at most two 4’x 2’x 2’
boxes and weigh no more than 55 pounds. The aircraft shall be capable of achieving a maximum
take-off distance of 100 feet with an electric propulsion system powered by either NiMH or
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