Design and Autonomous Flight Demonstration of a Low-Cost Cardboard-Based UAV

초록

Highlights What are the main findings? The cardboard-based UAV structure sustained the 7.2 kgf design load with strong agreement between experimental results and analytical predictions. The custom low-cost avionics (FCC + AHRS) enabled stable autonomous flight, achieving altitude accuracy within +/- 2 m and path-following errors of approximately +/- 3 m. What are the implications of the main findings? The proposed platform provides an accessible and low-cost UAV solution for education, rapid prototyping, and research environments. It offers a scalable and expendable alternative for disaster response and rapid deployment missions requiring cost-efficiency and operational simplicity.Highlights What are the main findings? The cardboard-based UAV structure sustained the 7.2 kgf design load with strong agreement between experimental results and analytical predictions. The custom low-cost avionics (FCC + AHRS) enabled stable autonomous flight, achieving altitude accuracy within +/- 2 m and path-following errors of approximately +/- 3 m. What are the implications of the main findings? The proposed platform provides an accessible and low-cost UAV solution for education, rapid prototyping, and research environments. It offers a scalable and expendable alternative for disaster response and rapid deployment missions requiring cost-efficiency and operational simplicity.Abstract This study presents the development of a low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) employing cardboard as the primary structural material and integrating affordable avionics. The wing spar was constructed entirely from cardboard, and its structural performance was experimentally validated through load testing. To address the limitations of low-cost motion sensors, a custom centrifugal acceleration testing device was designed and utilized to evaluate sensor accuracy. Furthermore, an in-house flight control computer (FCC) and avionics suite were developed to achieve low-cost implementation. Flight tests demonstrated that the proposed cardboard-based UAV achieved stable autonomous flight. The findings confirm the feasibility of combining ultra-low-cost structural materials with low-cost avionics, highlighting the potential of this platform for educational and research applications.

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