Autonomous unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) are critical to current and future military, civil, and commercial operations. Despite their importance, no previous textbook has accessibly introduced UAVs to students in the engineering, computer, and science disciplines--until now. Small Unmanned Aircraft provides a concise but comprehensive description of the key concepts and technologies underlying the dynamics, control, and guidance of fixed-wing unmanned aircraft, and enables all students with an introductory-level background in controls or robotics to enter this exciting and important area. The authors explore the essential underlying physics and sensors of UAV problems, including low-level autopilot for stability and higher-level autopilot functions of path planning. The textbook leads the student from rigid-body dynamics through aerodynamics, stability augmentation, and state estimation using onboard sensors, to maneuvering through obstacles. To facilitate understanding, the authors have replaced traditional homework assignments with a simulation project using the MATLAB/Simulink environment. Students begin by modeling rigid-body dynamics, then add aerodynamics and sensor models. They develop low-level autopilot code, extended Kalman filters for state estimation, path-following routines, and high-level path-planning algorithms. The final chapter of the book focuses on UAV guidance using machine vision. Designed for advanced undergraduate or graduate students in engineering or the sciences, this book offers a bridge to the aerodynamics and control of UAV flight.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [291]-298) and index.

Small Unmanned Fixed-wing Aircraft Design is the essential guide to designing, building and testing fixed wing UAVs (or drones). It deals with aircraft from two to 150 kg in weight and is based on the first-hand experiences of the world renowned UAV team at the UK’s University of Southampton. The book covers both the practical aspects of designing, manufacturing and flight testing and outlines and the essential calculations needed to underpin successful designs. It describes the entire process of UAV design from requirements definition to configuration layout and sizing, through preliminary design and analysis using simple panel codes and spreadsheets to full CFD and FEA models and on to detailed design with parametric CAD tools. Its focus is on modest cost approaches that draw heavily on the latest digital design and manufacturing methods, including a strong emphasis on utilizing off-the-shelf components, low cost analysis, automated geometry modelling and 3D printing. It deliberately avoids a deep theoretical coverage of aerodynamics or structural mechanics; rather it provides a design team with sufficient insights and guidance to get the essentials undertaken more pragmatically. The book contains many all-colour illustrations of the dozens of aircraft built by the authors and their students over the last ten years giving much detailed information on what works best. It is predominantly aimed at under-graduate and MSc level student design and build projects, but will be of interest to anyone engaged in the practical problems of getting quite complex unmanned aircraft flying. It should also appeal to the more sophisticated aero-modeller and those engaged on research based around fixed wing UAVs.

The utility and benefits of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are emerging and being recognized across the aviation industry. While this technology is not new, the ability to support domestic public and private operators are becoming better understood, opening up new uses to government organizations and commercial enterprise. Analysis of the unmanned aviation market indicates that small UAS (sUAS) will become the most prevalent and affordable form of unmanned aircraft available, featuring technology developed by contributors ranging from DIY and hobby model aircraft communities to defense contracting. This book will help readers understand what a drone or UAS is, what forms are available (including types of multirotor, fixed-wing, and hybrid), to make well informed decisions regarding purchase and use. Readers will learn how sUAS and their various configuration options can be used to address or support evolving business needs. Ultimately, readers will have enough information to formulate a plan to acquire necessary certification approvals and operate sUAS in a safe, efficient, and effective manner. Written for experienced aviators, as well as those new to aviation and operating in the National Airspace System. Illustrated extensively throughout, each chapter concludes with review questions for classroom and self-study use. This book provides a solid foundation for keeping up with this fast moving and exciting aviation field"--Provided by publisher

UNMANNED AIRCRAF T SYSTEMS UNMANNED AIRCRAF T SYSTEMS An unmanned aircraft system (UAS), sometimes called a drone, is an aircraft without a human pilot on board ??? instead, the UAS can be controlled by an operator station on the ground or may be autonomous in operation. UAS are capable of addressing a broad range of applications in diverse, complex environments. Traditionally employed in mainly military applications, recent regulatory changes around the world are leading to an explosion of interest and wide-ranging new applications for UAS in civil airspace. Covering the design, development, operation, and mission profiles of unmanned aircraft systems, this single, comprehensive volume forms a complete, stand-alone reference on the topic. The volume integrates with the online Wiley Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering, providing many new and updated articles for existing subscribers to that work. The chapters cover the following items: Airframe configurations and design (launch systems, power generation, propulsion) Operations (missions, integration issues, and airspace access) Coordination (multivehicle cooperation and human oversight) With contributions from leading experts, this volume is intended to be a valuable addition, and a useful resource, for aerospace manufacturers and suppliers, governmental and industrial aerospace research establishments, airline and aviation industries, university engineering and science departments, and industry analysts, consultants, and researchers.

With the emergence of smart technology and automated systems in today’s world, artificial intelligence (AI) is being incorporated into an array of professions. The aviation and aerospace industry, specifically, is a field that has seen the successful implementation of early stages of automation in daily flight operations through flight management systems and autopilot. However, the effectiveness of aviation systems and the provision of flight safety still depend primarily upon the reliability of aviation specialists and human decision making. The Handbook of Research on Artificial Intelligence Applications in the Aviation and Aerospace Industries is a pivotal reference source that explores best practices for AI implementation in aviation to enhance security and the ability to learn, improve, and predict. While highlighting topics such as computer-aided design, automated systems, and human factors, this publication explores the enhancement of global aviation security as well as the methods of modern information systems in the aeronautics industry. This book is ideally designed for pilots, scientists, engineers, aviation operators, air crash investigators, teachers, academicians, researchers, and students seeking current research on the application of AI in the field of aviation.

This book offers a complete overview of fault-tolerant flight control techniques. Discussion covers the necessary equations for the modeling of small UAVs, a complete system based on extended Kalman filters, and a nonlinear flight control and guidance system.

The chapters in this book cover a broad range of topics the FAA wants you to know. The initial aeronautical knowledge test includes the following areas of knowledge:»Applicable regulations relating to small unmanned aircraft system rating privileges, limitations, and flight operation»Airspace classification, operating requirements, and flight restrictions affecting small unmanned aircraft operation»Aviation weather sources and effects of weather on small unmanned aircraft performance»Small unmanned aircraft loading»Emergency procedures»Crew resource management»Radio communication procedures»Determining the performance of small unmanned aircraft»Physiological effects of drugs and alcohol»Aeronautical decision-making and judgment»Airport operationsReaders also have access to a series of sample test questions. Readers should practice with these test questions until achieving at least a score of 90% before attempting the exam. The author strives to make the questions as similar as possible to the official FAA Exam. However, the FAA does not provide specific test-questions to the public. The sample questions here are based on the information available through documentation and research. The sample questions in this book refer to legends and figures from the FAA-CT-8080-2H Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement. FAA-CT-8080-2H is the testing supplement provided to test-takers during the official aeronautical knowledge test. Readers need to familiarize themselves with these legends and figures before attempting to take the test. For the best experience, the author recommends the printed version of this book.

When discussing the risk of introducing drones into the National Airspace System, it is necessary to consider the increase in risk to people in manned aircraft and on the ground as well as the various ways in which this new technology may reduce risk and save lives, sometimes in ways that cannot readily be accounted for with current safety assessment processes. This report examines the various ways that risk can be defined and applied to integrating these Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It also identifies needs for additional research and developmental opportunities in this field.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are an integral part of the US national critical infrastructure. They must be protected from hostile intent or use to the same level as any other military or commercial asset involved in US national security. However, from the Spratly Islands to Djibouti to heartland America, the expanding Chinese Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS / Drone) industry has outpaced the US technologically and numerically on all fronts: military, commercial, and recreational. Both countries found that there were large information security gaps in unmanned systems that could be exploited on the international cyber-security stage. Many of those gaps remain today and are direct threats to US advanced Air Assets if not mitigated upfront by UAS designers and manufacturers. The authors contend that US military / commercial developers of UAS hardware and software must perform cyber risk assessments and mitigations prior to delivery of UAS systems to stay internationally competitive and secure. The authors have endeavored to bring a breadth and quality of information to the reader that is unparalleled in the unclassified sphere. This book will fully immerse and engage the reader in the cyber-security considerations of this rapidly emerging technology that we know as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Topics covered include National Airspace (NAS) policy issues, information security, UAS vulnerabilities in key systems (Sense and Avoid / SCADA), collision avoidance systems, stealth design, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms; weapons systems security; electronic warfare considerations; data-links, jamming operational vulnerabilities and still-emerging political scenarios that affect US military / commercial decisions.