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Pelican Deliveries
aerosPACE capstone project, Team Pelican Deliveries
Pelican Deliveries consisted of nine team members from three universities. We were tasked to design a 12.5 lb UAV to complete a mission our team created. My team decided to created a food delivery drone. My role was the lead Aerodynamicist. I used tools like XFLR5, AVL, OpenVSP, VSPaero, and Onshape for design. I designed the span of the aircraft by calculating the total lifting surface area from the weight of the aircraft. I researched various low Reynolds number airfoils and compared them against each other using XFOIL. Utilizing the tandem wing design is very complex since it is an unconventional design for a UAV. Moreover, the amount of research available for such design is limited. An iterative process was used to find a viable wing size and placement. Initial software for "quick" analysis was used for aerodynamic surfaces specifically lifting surfaces. Then CFD was utilized to compare the design and make sure sufficient lifting characteristics are exhibited. We had many set backs and iterations of comparing XFLR5 and AVL results to CFD results in an iterative process to drive our designs. I designed a NACA duct to provide cooling to our internal ESC. After conceptual designs was complete, my role switched to manufacturing our designs and integrating them together. I installed the servos and control arms for the control surfaces, motor mounts (3D printed), landing gear, Wing spars and wings, and cooling system for electronics.
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Manufacturing of the aircraft created great challenges. Some of my main takeaways are:
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Going from CAD model to prototype is a difficult task. Parts and alignments that are in CAD are not always how it is in reality due to manufacturing constraints and techniques.
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Fasteners and wires are weights that cannot be ignored when designing an aircraft. Those weights can impact the CG.
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Prototyping and testing parts earlier in the design process is ideal as you can work out as many integration issues early in the design.
Our team was awarded the SWE Catalyst for Change Award by the Purdue Society of Women's Engineering. More information can be found at this link->
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Checkout the final report for more information on our detailed designs and designs choices.
Check out this video that includes pictures from the whole design process from start to first flight!
Analysis of Angular Momentum Bias with a Time-Varying Torque
A project within AAE 507, Principles of Dynamics, was to research any topic within Rigid Bodies and write a paper pushing the equations to the limit. I have attached my paper below that covers how the angular momentum bias varies with a varying Mx torque for a thrusting rocket during spinning up maneuver.
Pulsars as a method of Deep Space Navigation to Proceed NASA's Deep Space Network
A project within AAE 575, Introduction To Satellite Navigation and Positioning, was to research any topic that has some relevance to the class scope. I was interested in how communication and navigation works for deep space missions. Since the Deep Space Network is nearing its life span, I wanted to research a more futuristic or upcoming technologies for deep space navigation. This is when I found the topic of Pulsar navigation. My paper is attached below to read on this innovative way for spacecraft to navigate autonomously.