Autonomous survey aircraft

Iterative fixed-wing UAV development · Independent design and flight testing

Mechanical design
UAV systems
Systems integration

Third survey aircraft, a reinforced flying wing, on a workshop stand — Configuration 3: reinforced flying wing in the workshop.

CAD of the first aircraft suspension landing-gear arrangement — Configuration 1: custom suspension landing-gear CAD.

Overview

I designed and fabricated successive fixed-wing UAVs for autonomous waypoint-based survey missions. My work covered airframe structures, landing gear, electronics mounts, and avionics and powertrain integration, followed by Pixhawk/PX4 configuration and flight testing.

The designs progressed from a foamboard V-tail aircraft to a conventional-tail configuration with revised landing gear, then a carbon-reinforced flying wing. Flight testing informed changes to control authority, propeller clearance, and construction.

Airframes and landing gear

First survey aircraft with V-tail and suspension landing gear outdoors — Configuration 1: foamboard V-tail and suspension gear.

Second survey aircraft with conventional tail on gravel — Configuration 2: conventional tail and revised landing gear.

Flying-wing survey aircraft outdoors with control surfaces visible — Configuration 3: reinforced flying wing outdoors.

CAD of the second aircraft steerable tailwheel and mounting bracket — Servo-steered tailwheel CAD for configuration 2.

Tailwheel fitted beneath the second aircraft during workshop fabrication — Tailwheel installation during airframe fabrication.

Development notes

Three configurations are documented here; the fourth design listed in my resume is not shown.
Measured performance comparisons are not available for the configurations shown.