Design & Development of a Surveillance UAV

Abstract

This work details the design and development of a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle for aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The objective is to design a dependable, operational and cost-effective platform that can gather information from an aerial viewpoint for enhanced situational awareness. The UAV is built with a high lift-to-drag (L/D) ratio, high aspect ratio, and low wing loading to provide improved aerodynamic performance and extended flying endurance. The airframe has been fabricated using Foamboard for high strength to weight ratio and a very low density, making the airframe very light. A brushless DC motor and propeller combination makes up the propulsion system. The UAV features a V – tail for further weight and drag reduction. The UAV can house a varied array of sensors/cameras that can be customized according to the operators’ needs for the mission profile. The UAV can be programmed to fly autonomously or hand flown in third person mode or in First Person mode using the onboard video system. To sum up, this research effectively illustrates a realistic and cost-effective method for designing and building UAVs. The designed surveillance UAV achieves dependable ISR operation with remarkable flight stability, aerodynamic efficiency, lightweight materials, and easily accessible avionics equipment.