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Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - rees2009

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Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) Pág<strong>in</strong>a 220 de 957<br />

are the stages of a product development and eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g studies should also be planned<br />

adopt<strong>in</strong>g that po<strong>in</strong>t of actuation. Thus the project – on the small scale- has swept through<br />

all the different stages of an aerospace project.<br />

Def<strong>in</strong>ition of requirements<br />

The aim of the project was to design an UAV for civil aerial observation. Once its mission<br />

had been def<strong>in</strong>ed, a wide research analysis of similar airplanes was carried out s<strong>in</strong>ce, <strong>in</strong><br />

the <strong>in</strong>itial stage of the project, it is quite common to look at similar airplanes for estimat<strong>in</strong>g<br />

some important data of our design. Next, the prelim<strong>in</strong>ary siz<strong>in</strong>g was undertaken, tak<strong>in</strong>g as<br />

a basis weight and w<strong>in</strong>g load<strong>in</strong>g estimations, the latter parameter be<strong>in</strong>g essential because<br />

it will allow us to study one of the most important elements of the plane: the w<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

The objective of the first work<strong>in</strong>g team was to establish an <strong>in</strong>itial airplane layout, tak<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>in</strong>to account that many modifications will be required as the development of the project<br />

progressed.<br />

Previous to the prelim<strong>in</strong>ary siz<strong>in</strong>g, another group of students devoted themselves to study<br />

similar airplanes. In this way we were able to compare common features shared by<br />

different aircraft and to estimate, at this first stage, some numerical values which were<br />

needed for the pre-design stage.<br />

Analysis of Similar airplanes (State of the art)<br />

By means of carry<strong>in</strong>g out a comparison with similar planes, on a first approach,<br />

parameters were estimated: maximum takeoff weight, payload, range, altitude, and<br />

cruis<strong>in</strong>g speed.<br />

• Maximum weight at take-off: 30 kg.<br />

• Payload: consist<strong>in</strong>g of a video camera (or webcam), batteries and an air-to-ground<br />

radio transmitter.<br />

• Range: an estimated value of 425 to 450 km with maximum payload and a 10%<br />

fuel reserve. Altitude: approximately 800 m.<br />

• Cruis<strong>in</strong>g speed: around 30 to 34 m/s<br />

Prelim<strong>in</strong>ary siz<strong>in</strong>g<br />

In the pre-design stage we specified two ma<strong>in</strong> parameters: weight estimation and w<strong>in</strong>g<br />

load<strong>in</strong>g estimation.<br />

Weight estimation<br />

We concluded that the prelim<strong>in</strong>ary values for weights would be:<br />

• Maximum take-off weight: 30 kg.<br />

• Empty weight: 13 kg.<br />

• Fuel weight: 8 kg.<br />

• Maximum payload: 8 kg.<br />

Proceed<strong>in</strong>gs of <strong>Research</strong> <strong>in</strong> Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Education</strong> <strong>Symposium</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />

Madrid, 4 th - 7 th October <strong>2011</strong>

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