COMPUTATIONAL AERODYNAMICS AND FLIGHT SIMULATION BASED FLIGHT TEST PLAN DESIGN FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

• Main Author: Akhdiyatullah G., Syahrahman
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik (Rekayasa, enjinering dan kegiatan berkaitan)
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/73680
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

This undergraduate thesis seeks to optimize the design of Flight Test Plans for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) by integrating computational aerodynamics and flight simulation, considering that UAVs predominantly operate autonomously by adhering to waypoints outlined in their Flight Test Plans. The design of these plans is critically important, as it prescribes the UAV's course and flight path. The conventional design process for flight test plans is resource-intensive, often employing an iterative approach via flight testing, which not only consumes considerable time and funds but also introduces safety risks if the flight test plan does not perfectly match the UAV's characteristics. As a result, there is a pressing need for a more efficient and safer alternative. This thesis proposes a hybrid approach that combines computational methods and flight simulation to overcome the challenges associated with flight test plan design. The computational method contributes the UAV's aerodynamic package and corresponding characteristics, which are utilized for modeling in the flight simulator and serve as comparison benchmarks for the simulator's outcomes. These characteristics, encompassing aerodynamics and stability, inform the simulated flight test on the simulator. By adapting conventional test flight methodologies, this simulated flight test focuses on achieving the UAV's longitudinal performance. To ensure accurate simulation, a Software In The Loop (SITL) simulation creates a linkage between the flight simulator and the Ground Control Station (GCS) - a widely used platform for autonomous UAV operation. The applications used include the Ardupilot Mission Planner and X-Plane 10. On comparing the outcomes from the simulated flight test and the computational method, we identified minor differences in aerodynamic characteristics but notable differences in stability characteristics, which can be attributed to the neutral point position, likely affected by certain idealizations within the flight simulator. Nevertheless, the findings indicate that the fusion of computational methods and flight simulation can effectively emulate the flight test scenario, suggesting a cost-effective and safer alternative for designing UAV flight test plans.