Projects

Additively Manufactured Aerial Drone for Emergency Unmanned Surveillance (AMADEUS)

The AMADEUS project is an innovative fixed-wing UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) developed by a team of 12 graduating aerospace engineers over the course of a school year. One of the key features of this UAV is its construction process, which utilizes additive manufacturing techniques. This means that the UAV can be created using 3D printing technology, making it more accessible for consumers.

In addition to the consumer-friendly construction process, the AMADEUS project also provides open-source print and software files. This openness allows for greater collaboration and customization, enabling users to adapt and modify the UAV according to their specific needs and requirements.

While the primary objective of the AMADEUS project is to aid in emergency response scenarios, the versatility of the design and its accessibility make it applicable to a wide range of stakeholders. Whether it's for surveying remote areas, conducting aerial inspections, monitoring environmental conditions, or supporting research activities, users have the flexibility to tailor the UAV to suit their particular mission.

By providing a platform that empowers users to determine the mission, the AMADEUS project encourages innovation and exploration in the UAV domain. It serves as a stepping stone for creative applications and serves the needs of various industries and sectors. The open-source nature of the project fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing within the UAV community, driving advancements in unmanned aerial technology.

Overall, the AMADEUS project offers an exciting opportunity for users to leverage a customizable and accessible UAV platform, promoting both technological progress and the exploration of new mission possibilities.

Began: August 2022

Completion: May 2023

Numerical Modelling:

One Dimensional Finite Element Solver (Fall 2022):

A powerful computational tool capable of approximating solutions to differential equations in one dimension. This Matlab code can be applied to solve several engineering problems such as steady thermal heat conduction, structural deformation, and fluid flows. Comes equipped with tools for error estimation, convergence checking, and data visualization.

Spacecraft Dynamics:

Satellite Constellation Design (Fall 2021):

Using two-body problem differential equations, a full satellite constellation consisting of 100 satellites across three orbit planes was designed to optimize a coverage-to-cost function. The project includes a Matlab simulation of the constellation with an animated plot and a design pitch highlighting its features.

Mock Spacecraft Attitude Controller (Fall 2021):

This project includes the design, implementation, and testing of a PD and PID control law for a mock-up spacecraft. It began with the derivation of a closed-loop control law to simulate responses and compare them to data from the satellite mock-up. Control gains were modified based on the satellite's response to disturbances and optimized to provide a system with quick characteristic responses with minimized long-standing transient error.

Aerodynamics:

Shock-Expansion Theory Implementation (Spring 2022):

The Shock-Expansion Theory code implementation provides an easily modifiable script to calculate important flight data and visualize oblique shock and expansion fan structures in diamond-shaped airfoils commonly used for supersonic aircraft. The computations also include a comparison to supersonic linear aerodynamic theories for further investigation into high-speed flows.

Finite Wing Solver (Spring 2022):

This implementation of Ludwig Prandtl's classic Prandtl Lifting Line Theory allows users to estimate the induced drag, 3D lift slope, and span efficiency for any configurable finite wing comprised of NACA series airfoils. The low computational cost compared to full-flow field solvers allows for iterative implementations to optimize a finite wing for any use case. This concept was used within the AMADEUS project in the first-order design of wing and tail structures.

Vortex Panel Theory Implementation (Spring 2022):

Vortex Panel solvers are commonly used within 2D, inviscid, and incompressible aerodynamics to solve for a flow field using only potential flow theory. This is possible by computing the strength of a vortex sheet wrapped around a 2D body. While this is not accurate with cavitated bodies or in situations where flow separation can occur, it provides highly accurate estimations of lifting and drag coefficients over traditional airfoil shapes at low angles of attack.

Simple Glider Design (Spring 2021):

As part of a vehicle design course, students were tasked to design, build, and test a glider of their design over half a semester. Our team was recognized by the teacher as having exceeded the expectations in our design and analysis work. The aircraft satisfied the requirements of glide distance, endurance, and aircraft stability. At the conclusion of the semester, the glider was assembled by the team and tested against the predictions made in Matlab.

Spacecraft Dynamics:

N-Body Problem Simulator (Winter 2023):

The N-Body Problem refers to the set of governing equations by which gravitationally attracted objects dynamically evolve through time. This set of differential equations is much more difficult to work with than the simplified 'central-force' problem since it requires the use of numerical methods to produce an approximate solution. This project has been validated via simulation of our Solar System and is being used to investigate higher complexity orbits. In the future, this code will be updated to include attitude dynamics for spacecraft objects.

Orbital Maneuvering Suite (Fall 2021):

Solves gravitational 'central-force' problem differential equations in three dimensions to propagate orbits from launch to parking. Additional models of atmospheric drag below a given height and mass flow out of rockets during launch phases. Interactive command line prompts allow for user selection of maneuvers including but not limited to orbit circularization, Hohmann transfer burns, and plane changes. Orbits are animated as maneuvers are made on a sped-up time scale.

Aerodynamics:

Method of Characteristics 2D Nozzle (Summer 2023):

The Method of Characteristics is a commonly used technique for solving hyperbolic PDEs. This can be utilized to solve the Velocity Potential Equation, a combination of Continuity and Momentum Conservation for the case of inviscid, irrotational, and supersonic flows. In this project, the Velocity Potential Equation is solved for an expanding supersonic nozzle. The data is then compared to calculations done on the same geometry using a more rough method (Grossly Overexpanded Flow) and a more refined method (Computational Fluid Dynamics on ANSYS Fluent) to investigate the accuracy of approximation techniques with varying orders of difficulty and time intensity.

Hypersonic Blast Wave Propagation (Summer 2022):

This project features a code implementation of the Hypersonic Blast-Wave Theory to investigate bow shock formation and pressure distributions over blunt-shaped bodies at high speeds. The formulation of this project stems from an independent study of direct inclination methods discussed by author John D. Anderson in his textbook, Hypersonic and High Temperature Gas Dynamics. Direct inclination methods provide relatively accurate first-order estimations of complex flow fields with easy implementation and low computational cost.

Potential Flow Suite (Summer 2022):

The Potential Flow Suite provides the user with a command line GUI to explore inviscid, incompressible flow structures encompassed by Potential Flow Theory. Using this tool, users can enter any number of uniform, source/sink, vortex, or doublet flow elements and view stream function and velocity potential contours as well as the pressure distribution. This is especially useful for quick investigations into simple 2D aerodynamic bodies.