Custom UAV with Solar Capability

 

The UAV project below was developed over the summer of 2023 for a research study at Purdue University. The research focused on studying the effects of attaching solar cells in various configurations on the wing surface of the UAV in or to improve the system efficiency.

 

The design of the UAV was based on a few predefined constraints, such as a wingspan of 2.1 meters and a four motor configuration. The outer frame of the UAV is designed to be produced with foam board sheets which are folded into the shape of the UAV. These features are designed in Google Sketchup as it is a software for surface modeling rather than 3D modeling. The internal structures and complex geometries are designed using a traditional CAD software such as Fusion360.

The outer frame design of the UAV is flattened into sheets which are exported as 2D vector files (.dxf) to be used for laser cutting.

 

 

 

 

 

Internal Wing Ribs

 

The complex geometry structures within the wing are designed to support the outer frame of the UAV. The internal support structure of the wings include wing ribs which designed to be strong and lightweight and carbon fiber rods for added stiffness.

 

Fabrication & Assembly

 

Assembled thrust cell with a motor mount and electronics installed inside. Vents added for passive cooling of components during flight for greater system efficiency.

Assembled foam wing with internal 3D printed features for added support and rigidity. Additionally, the wing is wired to have a single connector for easy detachability (useful of maintenance and transportation)

Attaching solar cells to the surface of the wing.

Flight Testing

 

Conducted successful flight tests with a maximum continuous flight time of almost 1 hour. All flight data was recorded on the UAV and on the ground station via wireless data telemetry. Flight was conducted using waypoint GPS navigation and onboard fly-by-wire technology.