The 2012-2013 Advanced Modeling Aeronautics Team’s
Humanitarian Aid Delivery Aircraft
Captains: Ilya Anishchenko, Alex Beckerman, Logan Halstrom
Faculty Advisors: Jean-Jacques Chattot and Stephen K. Robinson
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
INTRODUCTION
AERODYNAMICS
AMAT 2012-2013 is multi-disciplinary group of 23 engineering undergraduates
drawing from majors of Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer Science,
and Chemical Engineering. The team participates annually in the Advanced Class
challenge of the Aero Design competition put on by the Society of Automotive
Engineers (SAE), for which the members must design and manufacture a model
aircraft to meet specific requirements in payload, weight, and flight precision.
AMAT performed extremely well in this year’s competition, and the team plans to
use this experience to bring further improvement in the coming academic year.
AMAT chose to use the Selig 1223 airfoil for the main wing because of its high
maximum lift coefficient. A rectangular planform was chosen for ease of
construction, and winglets were designed to improve efficiency at takeoff by 10%
by redistributing the wing’s circulation so as to make the downwash profile
constant as with the ideal elliptic distribution. The entire configuration is sized so as
to have a lifting tail at takeoff, obtaining the maximum amount of lift from a given
configuration’s structural weight. The empennage is elevated by an angled tailboom
so that the tail is removed from the main wing’s wake, making it more efficient.
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
This year’s Advanced Class mission was to design and construct an aircraft for the
purpose of aerial delivery of humanitarian aid. For the competition, an aid package
was represented by a 3 lbf sandbag, because of its similarity in size, weight, and
physical properties to a package of food or supplies. The aircraft was also required to
lift a 15 lbf static weight representative of fuel reserve, since on actual humanitarian
missions, the aircraft would be required to travel long distances to reach those in
need. Aircraft design was also dictated by other factors including an empty weight
restriction of 8 lbf and a Data Acquisition System (DAS) capability requirement of
real-time altitude measurements and First Person View (FPV) telemetry transmission.
Scoring was based upon a written design report, an oral presentation of the design,
and a flight score based on the accuracy of payload delivery.
Elevated lifting tail configuration
STRUCTURE
PROPULSION
The team selected the OS 46 AXII MAX nitromethane
2-stroke engine as its powerplant. Its displacement is the
maximum allowed, and it is mounted in a tractor
configuration. Static thrust tests and dynamic thrust
simulations indicated optimum performance with a 12x4
propeller.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This project is the product of the diligent work of all of our team members, and
would not have been possible without their dedication.
STABILITY
Chord of Aileron Required for Various Perpendicular Gust Velocities
6
5
Aileron Chord, in
Longitudinal stability of the aircraft was accounted for in
the sizing equilibrium analysis. A static margin of 8% (nondimentionalized by the fuselage length) was selected to
provide sufficient stability and maneuverability. The team
also analyzed lateral stability and sized the ailerons
accordingly for roll control.
7
4
3
2
1
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Velocity of Perpendicular Gust, ft/s
40
45
50
AVIONICS
Michael Wachenschwanz (DAS Lead)
Gene Ang
Joshua Barram
Max Bern
James Dionisopoulos
Louis Edelman
Robert Edwards
Sara Langberg
Jason Petersen
Hashmatullah Hasseeb
Kelley Lundquist
S. Sheida Hosseini
Arlene Macias
Adam Simko
Steven Hung
Robyn Murray
Stefan Turkowski
Chris Lorenzen
Nohtal Partansky
Patricia Revolinsky
Additionally, we would like to thank Professor Chattot for his valuable guidance
and advice throughout this and the many past years of AMAT. We are also excited
to have the assistance of Professor Robison as the 2013-2014 AMAT advisor.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge our technical advisors Michael Akahori,
Shawn Malone, and Dave Kehlet in the Engineering Fabrication Laboratory for the
extensive technical knowledge and experience they provide.
Payload trajectory prediction
Wing bending failure test
The AMAT aircraft is outfitted with an extensive avionics
system to aid its pilots in accomplishing its primary task of
precision aerial targeting and delivery. An Ardupilot 2.5
manages telemetry data measured by an array of devices
including a 6-axis inertial measurement unit, a
magnetometer, an offboard GPS, and an onboard camera.
COMPETITION RESULTS
The international Aero Design West competition took
place from April 12th to 14th in Van Nuys, CA this year
and had 75 total competitors for all three classes (Micro,
Regular, and Advanced), 9 of which were Advanced.
AMAT designed its aircraft’s structure as a hybrid of ideas from traditional model
aircraft design and composite material construction. The main spar is a composite
of balsa and carbon fiber, and it absorbs wing bending stress while positioning
precise, laser-cut balsa ribs. Ultracote skin and a balsa wing box provide torsional
resistance. Ailerons, winglets, and wing trailing edges are constructed from carbon
fiber composites due to the high strength and precision demands of these
components. The fuselage is an exceptionally light box structure made of a balsa
and carbon fiber composite, weighing a total of only ½ lb. All layups are arranged
to have alternating fiber directions so that they are strong in both bending and
shear.
AMAT’s Performance:
Category
Standing
1st
Design Report
2nd
Oral Presentation
2nd
Overall in Advanced Class
Optimum layup configuration
determined through testing
Custom designed and built
front landing gear shock absorber
PERFORMANCE
AMAT determined aircraft performance characteristics by using engine test data
in an aircraft equilibrium analysis. For each iteration of the configuration, takeoff
capability was evaluated using a simulation of the takeoff acceleration phase to
ensure that the aircraft was capable of reaching the necessary velocity.