Aeronautical Vehicles Commons^™

Small Satellite Noncommutative Rotation Sequence Attitude Control Using Piezoelectric Actuators, Joshua L. Evans

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

Attitude control remains one of the top engineering challenges faced by small satellite mission planning and design. Conventional methods for attitude control include propulsion, reaction wheels, magnetic torque coils, and passive stabilization mechanisms, such as permanent magnets that align with planetary magnetic fields. Drawbacks of these conventional attitude control methods for small satellites include size, power consumption, dependence on external magnetic fields, and lack of full control authority. This research investigates an alternative, novel approach to attitude-control method for small satellites, utilizing the noncommutative property of rigid body rotation sequences. Piezoelectric bimorph actuators are used to induce sinusoidal small-amplitude satellite …

Drones In Logistics: A Feasible Future Or A Waste Of Effort, Andrew Lotz

Honors Projects

On December 1^st, 2013 news around the world was filled with headlines about E- Commerce website Amazon.com. CEO of Amazon Jeff Bezos announced to the world that Amazon was designing a drone delivery program called Amazon Air that could deliver packages to customers in just 30 minutes. Consumers were all too excited for the program to launch while many business and air traffic savvy people were highly skeptical. Now two years later research to look back at the feasibility of drone flight and whether investment into the technology is worth it for small deliveries straight to customers is …

Multi-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Jacob Dean, James Mixter, Jordan Barr

Honors Theses

An open-source Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capable of performing at the same capacity as many top commercially available multi-rotor vehicles is developed. The system allows users unfamiliar with multi-rotor vehicles to achieve flight and land safely, while also serving as a flexible foundation for other UAV projects and opening the door to features that are not currently available. Applications of drone technology are explored.

Aerodynamic Trade Study Of Compound Helicopter Concepts, Julian Roche

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The relative performance attributes of compound helicopter concepts have been examined, including their potential for meeting the requirements of several challenging mission profiles. For each concept, which included lift and/or propulsive compounding, a suite of aerodynamic performance models was developed using energy methods. In the case of a lift-compounded concept, an aerodynamic model representing the force interaction effects of the main rotor wake with the wing was also developed. Models of a conventional helicopter and of a tiltrotor were implemented as well, and the results used as a datum for comparison. In each case, the predictive capabilities of the model …

Lunar Icecube: Nextstep Lunar Cubesat Mission And Instrument Concept, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs associates titled "Lunar IceCube: NEXTSTEP Lunar Cubesat Mission and Instrument Concept" from November 12, 2015.

Ehawk: Uav - Remote Launch Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Kite Based System, Matthew R. Rossett

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as UAVs or drones, are becoming favorable assets in multiple fields. Along with this new technology comes new improvements, including the EHAWK: UAV system, a proposed system to increase the range of UAVs by providing an alternate method for launching. The EHAWK: UAV is a kite based system for launching UAVs. The system uses a kite which acts as a sky anchor or fixed point in the sky. A tether is attached from the kite to the ground. A shuttle device then attached to the tether line. That shuttle carries the UAV up the line …

Characterization Of Pressure And Gps Altitude Measurement Techniques To 60,000 Ft., Trey Mcferrin

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.

Using A Two-Tier Pid Control System To Stabilize Cansat Rotation Around Nadir, James Biaglow, Adam Eldemire, Chloe Mcfadden

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.

Project Low Horizon - Horizon Detection Through The Use Of Infrared Sensors, Adam Bower, Evan Unruh, Justin Smith

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.

Dynamic Modeling & Attitude Control Of A High Altitude Balloon Payload, Nathaniel A. Stepp

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.

Small Packages Can Get Big Results, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs titled "Small Packages can get Big Results" from October 16, 2015.

Extending Gr While Moving Up To Supersonic Speeds Poses Challenges Requiring Innovations, Nihad E. Daidzic

Aviation Department Publications

Achieving true global range requires new ideas in lightweight aircraft structures, progress in transonic and supersonic aerodynamics and breakthroughs in low-SFC propulsion.

Brief Look At The Environment Of Space, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs titled "Brief Look at the Environment of Space" from September 10, 2015.

Modeling And Test Of The Efficiency Of Electronic Speed Controllers For Brushless Dc Motors, Clayton R. Green

Master's Theses

Small electric uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAV) represent a rapidly expanding market requiring optimization in both efficiency and weight; efficiency is critical during cruise or loiter where the vehicle operates at part power for up to 99% of the mission time. Of the four components (battery, motor, propeller, and electronic speed controller (ESC)) of the electric propulsion system used in small UAVs, the ESC has no accepted performance model and almost no published performance data. To collect performance data, instrumentation was developed to measure electrical power in and out of the ESC using the two wattmeter method and current sense resistors; …

A Brief History Of Space - Sse 120 Session 1, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs on "A Brief History of Space - Session 01" from August 30, 2015.

A Brief History Of Space - Sse 120 Questions 01, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs on "A Brief History of Space - Questions 01" from August 26, 2015.

A Brief History Of Space - Sse 120 Questions 02, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs on "A Brief History of Space - Questions 02" from August 25, 2015.

A Brief History Of Space - Sse 120 Questions 04, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs on "A Brief History of Space - Questions 04" from August 25, 2015.

A Brief History Of Space - Sse 120 Questions 03, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs on "A Brief History of Space - Questions 03" from August 25, 2015.

What Is Orbital Debris?, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs on "What is Orbital Debris?" from August 24, 2015.

Brief Look At The Environment Of Space, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs titled "Brief Look at the Environment of Space" from August 24, 2015.

Orbital Debris Mitigation Policy And Unique Challenges For Small Satellites, J. C. Liou, David Jarkey

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by J. C. Liou and David Jarkey titled "Orbital Debris Mitigation Policy and Unique Challenges for Small Satellites" at the Small Satellite Conference on August 10, 2015.

Overview Of The Orbital Debris Problem, J. C. Liou

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by J. C. Liou titled "Overview of the Orbital Debris Problem" at the Small Satellite Conference on August 10, 2015.

A Brief History Of Space - Sse 120, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs on "A Brief History of Space" from August 5, 2015.

Book Review: High G Flight - Physiological Effects And Countermeasures, Stefan Kleinke

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This review provides insight on the content and a review of the quality of the recent release of High G Flight - Physiological Effects and Countermeasures from Ashgate Publications.

This review does not reflect the views of IJAAA or ERAU. This work was not peer reviewed.

High G Flight - Physiological Effects and Countermeasures

Designing A Remote Aerial System To Image And Analyze The Health Of Grape Crops At Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Alexander D. Vice, Dylan Benton, Adipratnia Asmady, Andrew Mercier, Andrew Meyer, Eric Belfield, Aaron Drake

STAR Program Research Presentations

In the last decade the prevalence of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has exploded; however, the presence of UAVs in research situations is still a relatively new and untested field. The autonomous flight lab (AFL) at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a new lab site that is dedicated to using UAVs to benefit research for all backgrounds. Before AFL was able to fly missions we first needed to actually receive our vehicles, create a lab space that would provide all of the necessary resources and equipment necessary to fly, and to be granted permission by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) …

The Robert & Esther Goddard Papers, Robert H. Goddard

Finding Aids

Dr. Robert H. Goddard was a member of the Clark Physics Department for 29 years. Foremost American pioneer of rocket research, he laid the technical and theoretical foundations for many of the developments in long-range rockets, missiles, satellites and space flight, which collectively put us into the Space Age.

The collection includes correspondence, diaries, journals, patent applications and awards, reports, and photographs. The collection also includes original paintings by Dr. Goddard.

How To Save The World: One Life (And Uav) At A Time!, Natalie A. Wright

STAR Program Research Presentations

The proliferation of Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) in commercial and public service aviation arenas has begun to gain the attention of many citizens. Popularized vehicles such as quadcopters have applications in aerial photography, small package delivery and hobbyist/consumer interests. Use of small-scale, fixed- and rotary-wing, remotely operated systems has been popularized as a result of such vehicles’ size and operational simplicity, which widens the range of application of this technology. Public service applications have the potential to advance emergency services management, which can substantially contribute to the public wellbeing. This research will examine the utility of multi-rotor systems in the …

An Overview Of A Solar Eclipse Video Payload, Alexander M. Peters

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

The HABET group at Iowa State University has been designing and building balloon payloads for years, giving students hands on experience with the engineering involved in creating and launching payloads to near space conditions. After attending the AHAC conference in 2014 the group begain to design a balloon for the 2017 solar eclipse. Working closely with the Space Grant Consortium’s design team, HABET has designed and completed preliminary testing on a Solar Eclipse Video payload. This payload uses multiple subsystems to complete the mission. The mission required an altitude control system, live video downlink, and a camera pointing system. Our …

Techniques For Payload Stabilization For Improved Photography During Stratospheric Balloon Flights, James Flaten, Christopher Gosch, Joseph (Benjamin) Habeck

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

Payload-box rotation and swing are perennial challenges to achieving high-quality photography (typically videography) during weather-balloon flights to “near-space” (AKA the stratosphere). Continuous camera motion can lead to blurred still photos, nearly-impossible-to-watch video footage, and precludes time-exposure photography required for most astronomical imaging even though altitudes are reached where the daytime sky appears black. Apparently-random payload rotation, persisting even at altitude, can often exceed servo rotation rates and frustrate attempts to do active camera pointing. Here we discuss mostly-passive payload stabilization strategies we, and our collaborators, have used to mitigate and dampen both swing and rotation of suspended payloads on high-altitude …