Design and Development of Compact, Portable, Modular, Rapid Deployment Surveillance UAV System

Abstract

In open field operations, such as in the mountainous area, the need of small, compact, and portable surveillance system is inevitable, to give the team a scout capability while reducing carried-load significantly. This system is a portable mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with its mobile Ground Control Systems included. Within this paper, the general design processes are presented from determining DRO, initial sizing, aerodynamics analysis, structure, mechanism, backpack design until flight testing to validate the design. Some simple simulation by XFLR5 and complex simulation CFD are also conducted to predict the almost-real aerodynamics characteristic of UAV. Outdoor flight testing has been conducted and also still on progress for further results.