The Handbook of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is a reference text for the academic and research communities, industry, manufacturers, users, practitioners, Federal Government, Federal and State Agencies, the private sector, as well as all organizations that are and will be using unmanned aircraft in a wide spectrum of applications. The Handbook covers all aspects of UAVs, from design to logistics and ethical issues. It is also targeting the young investigator, the future inventor and entrepreneur by providing an overview and detailed information of the state-of-the-art as well as useful new concepts that may lead to innovative research. The contents of the Handbook include material that addresses the needs and ‘know how’ of all of the above sectors targeting a very diverse audience. The Handbook offers a unique and comprehensive treatise of everything one needs to know about unmanned aircrafts, from conception to operation, from technologies to business activities, users, OEMs, reference sources, conferences, publications, professional societies, etc. It should serve as a Thesaurus, an indispensable part of the library for everyone involved in this area. For the first time, contributions by the world’s top experts from academia, industry, government and the private sector, are brought together to provide unique perspectives on the current state-of-the-art in UAV, as well as future directions. The Handbook is intended for the expert/practitioner who seeks specific technical/business information, for the technically-oriented scientists and engineers, but also for the novice who wants to learn more about the status of UAV and UAV-related technologies. The Handbook is arranged in a user-friendly format, divided into main parts referring to: UAV Design Principles; UAV Fundamentals; UAV Sensors and Sensing Strategies; UAV Propulsion; UAV Control; UAV Communication Issues; UAV Architectures; UAV Health Management Issues; UAV Modeling, Simulation, Estimation and Identification; MAVs and Bio-Inspired UAVs; UAV Mission and Path Planning; UAV Autonomy; UAV Sense, Detect and Avoid Systems; Networked UAVs and UAV Swarms; UAV Integration into the National Airspace; UAV-Human Interfaces and Decision Support Systems; Human Factors and Training; UAV Logistics Support; UAV Applications; Social and Ethical Implications; The Future of UAVs. Each part is written by internationally renowned authors who are authorities in their respective fields. The contents of the Handbook supports its unique character as a thorough and comprehensive reference book directed to a diverse audience of technologists, businesses, users and potential users, managers and decision makers, novices and experts, who seek a holistic volume of information that is not only a technical treatise but also a source for answers to several questions on UAV manufacturers, users, major players in UAV research, costs, training required and logistics issues.

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.

Drones are the next frontier in photography. This cutting-edge technology, still unexplored by the masses, can bring visual artistry to new and exciting heights. The Handbook of Drone Photography will be the go-to manual for consumers wishing to harness the power of drones to capture stunning aerial photographs. This book covers everything one needs to choose the right drone, to get airborne, and to capture and share incredible content. With easy and straightforward instruction, the text will familiarize readers with their craft and its controls. Readers will master drones’ extraordinary image-capturing capabilities and review detailed photography tips that can bring their artistic vision to life. For the first time, aerial photography is open to everyone, and award-winning travel photographer Chase Guttman will guide readers’ drone ventures from beginning to end. The Handbook of Drone Photography can help anyone break into this thrilling, high-potential space and launch their own lofty explorations today.

Many industries have begun to recognize the potential support that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer, and this is no less true for the commercial sector. Current research on this field is narrowly focused on technological development to improve the functionality of delivery and endurance of the drone delivery in logistics, as well as on regulatory challenges posed by such operations. There is a need for further attention to be applied to operational and integration challenges associated with UAVs. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Civilian Logistics and Supply Chain Management is a collection of innovative research that investigates the opportunities and challenges for the use of UAVs in logistics and supply chain management with a specific aim to focus on the multifaceted impact of drone delivery. While highlighting topics including non-military operations, public management, and safety culture, this book is ideally designed for government administrators, managers, industry professionals, researchers, and students.

First used in military applications, unmanned aerial vehicles are becoming an integral aspect of modern society and are expanding into the commercial, scientific, recreational, agricultural, and surveillance sectors. With the increasing use of these drones by government officials, business professionals, and civilians, more research is needed to understand their complexity both in design and function. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice is a critical source of academic knowledge on the design, construction, and maintenance of drones, as well as their applications across all aspects of society. Highlighting a range of pertinent topics such as intelligent systems, artificial intelligence, and situation awareness, this publication is an ideal reference source for military consultants, military personnel, business professionals, operation managers, surveillance companies, agriculturalists, policymakers, government officials, law enforcement, IT professionals, academicians, researchers, and graduate-level students.

The field of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) is rapidly diversifying as an array of light, midsized, and heavy UCAVs and munitions enter the global marketplace. This has the potential to dramatically expand access to armed unmanned platforms and change the way unmanned aerial vehicles are used in combat.The influence of UCAVs on the conduct of war has already been felt in conflicts in the Caucasus, the Middle East and North Africa, where state and non-state actors have fielded a dizzying number of UCAVs from around the world. At the same time, advanced militaries are beginning to equip UCAVs with increasingly sophisticated munitions, some of which are heavier and can fly farther than the types of weapons used by UCAVs in the past.The first in a new series of Strategic Handbooks from Harpia Publishing presents an essential guide to the world of armed unmanned aircraft. It features profiles of every unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) currently in active military service or under development, as well as other unmanned aerial vehicles that could potentially be armed in the future.

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.

This book provides a complete overview of the theory, design, and applications of unmanned aerial vehicles. It covers the basics, including definitions, attributes, manned vs. unmanned, design considerations, life cycle costs, architecture, components, air vehicle, payload, communications, data link, and ground control stations. Chapters cover types and civilian roles, sensors and characteristics, alternative power, communications and data links, conceptual design, human machine interface, sense and avoid systems, civil airspace issues and integration efforts, navigation, autonomous control, swarming, and future capabilities.

Build Your Own Drone Manual provides practical advice and step-by-step procedures to enable the reader to build a basic, affordable, DIY drone. Suggested designs for two drones will included - both fixed wing and multiple-rotary wing.

An invaluable addition to the literature on UAV guidance and cooperative control, Cooperative Path Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is a dedicated, practical guide to computational path planning for UAVs. One of the key issues facing future development of UAVs is path planning: it is vital that swarm UAVs/ MAVs can cooperate together in a coordinated manner, obeying a pre-planned course but able to react to their environment by communicating and cooperating. An optimized path is necessary in order to ensure a UAV completes its mission efficiently, safely, and successfully. Focussing on the path planning of multiple UAVs for simultaneous arrival on target, Cooperative Path Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles also offers coverage of path planners that are applicable to land, sea, or space-borne vehicles. Cooperative Path Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is authored by leading researchers from Cranfield University and provides an authoritative resource for researchers, academics and engineers working in the area of cooperative systems, cooperative control and optimization particularly in the aerospace industry.