Design and Development of Bat-Inspired Unmanned Aerial System for Mapping and Navigation
Disciplines
Engineering | Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering
Abstract (300 words maximum)
This project aims to develop a sonar-based Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) that mimics bat behavior using ultrasonic sound to form a map around the aircraft to navigate through spaces and avoid obstacles. Utilizing a quadcopter design, two stacked carbon fiber plates form the central frame with each of the four booms extending from its corners. Its foremost compartment resembles the head of a long-eared bat, and a speaker that sits inside the mouth to project ultra-sonic frequencies that are received by microphones that sit in the ears. By incorporating speakers and microphones, a more cost-effective method to navigating and mapping is employed as opposed to using more common and expensive equipment integrated into UAVs such as cameras and sensors. The aircraft uses custom 3D-printed parts fabricated using a Stratasys F170 Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printer such as the Electronic-Speed-Controller (ESC) housings, the battery box, the sliding door, and the bat head. Each part is designed inside SOLIDWORKS to meet mission requirements by incorporating modularity, accommodating for electronics, minimizing weight, and accounting for clearances and aerodynamics. A Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was conducted to verify structural integrity.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET - Industrial and Systems Engineering
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Adeel Khalid
Design and Development of Bat-Inspired Unmanned Aerial System for Mapping and Navigation
This project aims to develop a sonar-based Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) that mimics bat behavior using ultrasonic sound to form a map around the aircraft to navigate through spaces and avoid obstacles. Utilizing a quadcopter design, two stacked carbon fiber plates form the central frame with each of the four booms extending from its corners. Its foremost compartment resembles the head of a long-eared bat, and a speaker that sits inside the mouth to project ultra-sonic frequencies that are received by microphones that sit in the ears. By incorporating speakers and microphones, a more cost-effective method to navigating and mapping is employed as opposed to using more common and expensive equipment integrated into UAVs such as cameras and sensors. The aircraft uses custom 3D-printed parts fabricated using a Stratasys F170 Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printer such as the Electronic-Speed-Controller (ESC) housings, the battery box, the sliding door, and the bat head. Each part is designed inside SOLIDWORKS to meet mission requirements by incorporating modularity, accommodating for electronics, minimizing weight, and accounting for clearances and aerodynamics. A Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was conducted to verify structural integrity.