Practical Session and VTOL UAV Design And Material Coursework Brief

Part A: Practical Session

1. Attend Practical Session:

• Obtain results from the laboratory session.
• Activities and findings introduced by the tutor using the laboratory manual.
• Assignment Report Requirements:

2. Length: 2 to 3 pages (maximum 500 words).

• Sections to include:
• Introduction
• Methodology
• Results and Discussion
• Conclusion

Part B: VTOL UAV Design And Material Selection

Introduction:

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are categorized into:

• Fixed-wing
• Rotary-wing
• Flapping-wing

Each category has distinct advantages and disadvantages:

• Fixed-wing UAVs: Limited by take-off and landing distances.
• Rotary-wing and Flapping-wing UAVs: Challenges with payload capacity and long-range flight.

The primary goal is to combine the benefits of all three to achieve an efficient UAV design. With advancing aviation technology, researchers are addressing challenges like VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) systems and understanding structural behavior to mitigate failure modes.

Problem Specification

The focus is on selecting the best material for the VTOL UAV wing skeleton using the S1223 aerofoil profile. The VTOL UAV wing specifications are provided in the table below:

VTOL UAV Wing Specifications
 Tasks For Final Report

Create a NACA Aerofoil Profile:
Use the provided link airfoiltools.com.

1. Point Load Analysis:
   a) Examine point load (500 N to 5000 N in increments of 500 N) at the wing tip using Aluminium Alloy (AA2024). Justify your answers.
   b) Compare these results with theoretical solutions.

2. Material Comparison:

• Analyze the effects of Aluminium, Titanium, Steel, and Carbon Fiber for a velocity range of 40 m/s to 90 m/s in 10 m/s increments.
• Justify your material choice.
  
  3. Wing Twisting Analysis:
• Evaluate wing-end twisting moments (500 Nm to 5000 Nm, increments of 500 Nm) using Aluminium Alloy (AA2024).
• Model the wing as a surface and solid shape.
• Provide justifications.

4. Design Optimization:

• Optimize up to 5 designs ensuring stress remains below the elasticity region of Aluminium.
• The top wing surface should experience a distributed load of 1000 N/m.
• Explain sustainability in your final design concepts.

5. Crack Examination:

• Examine cracks at six locations: Upper surface (fuselage, middle, and tip) and lower surface (same positions).
• Distributed force: 20 kN/m with an elliptical crack (2 mm depth).
• Suggest solutions to avoid crack growth.

6. Simulation Errors:
Highlight simulation errors and technical challenges for each task.
Propose solutions for these challenges.

Report Guidelines

Section 1: Introduction

• Guideline length: ~100-200 words.
• Discuss why Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is useful for examining heat transfer.

Section 2: Methodology

• Guideline length: ~300-400 words.
• Outline:

• Geometry creation.
• Material choice and boundary conditions (e.g., fixed points, loading points).
• Assumptions and solution protocols.
• Address heat transfer equations.

Section 3: Results

• Guideline length: ~400-600 words.

• Include:
• Analysis.
• Relevant plots.
• Summary of findings for each task.

Section 4: Discussion and Conclusions

• Guideline length: ~700-800 words.
• Discuss results in detail, highlighting:

1. Displacement, strain, and stress fields.
2. Realistic/unrealistic implications.
3. Error sources.

Section 5: References

Cite all data and information in correct IEEE format.

Additional Notes

• Submit a single PDF via Turnitin on Blackboard before the due date.
• Marks awarded for originality, relevance, and logical conclusions.
• Ensure all figures and tables are labeled and cited appropriately.
• Do not include uncited or irrelevant figures/tables.
• Appendices are allowed but will not count toward the page limit.