CASE STUDY

Md Imtiaz Ikram
Lecturer
Department of Aeronautical Engineering
MIST
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design, Fabrication and Operation

4/2/2015

OBJECTIVES
I. Overview of this workshop.
II. To understand the different perspective of
Aircraft Design.
III. To deploy the knowledge of this workshop
properly.
IV. To familiarize with different aircraft design
requirements and different aircraft design
competition.
4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

Overview of RC aircraft design

Workshop

Total Class-16
Class Length-50 minutes
Starts from 30th March to 5th April (3 pm to 7 pm)
Topics to be covered:
1. Regulations + Introduction to Aeroskills
2. Concepts of Aerodynamics for RC Aircraft
3. Basic Rules of Thumb
4. Essential Components, Concepts and
Construction of RC Airplane
4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

Cont
5.
6.
7.
8.

Different Available VTOL platforms

Overview of Aircraft Design Software
Performance and Weight Analysis of an UAV
Fabrication :
I. Wing
II. Fuselage
III. Propulsion and Avionics
IV.Empennage

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

FINAL GOAL!!

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

AIRCRAFT DESIGN
Engineering design process.
Factors of Aircraft Design
I. Customer And Manufacturer Demand
II. Safety Protocols
III. Physical And Economic Constraints
IV. Environmental Facttors
Regulated by National Airworthiness Authorities (e.g.
CAAB for Bangladesh).

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

AIRCRAFT DESIGN
Optimization of Design
Between many competing factors and
constraints and accounts for existing designs
and market requirements to produce the best
aircraft.

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

DESIGN CONSTRAINTS

Design Requirements
Aircraft Regulations
Financial Factors and Market
Environmental factors
Safety

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

DESIGN ASPECTS
o Aerodynamics
o Propulsion
o Controls
o Weight Estimation
o Structure
o CAD and Engineering Drawing
o Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

Design Process
Conceptual Design
Preliminary Design
Detailed Design

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
The first design step
Sketching a variety of possible aircraft
configurations that meet the required design
specifications.
Design optimization
Fundamental aspects such as fuselage shape,
wing configuration and location, engine size
and type are all determined at this stage.
4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

PRELIMINARY DESIGN
Wind tunnel testing and computational fluid
dynamic calculations of the flow field around
the aircraft are done
Major structural and control analysis is also
carried out in this phase

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

DETAIL DESIGN PHASE

Deals with the fabrication aspect of the aircraft
to be manufactured
determines the number, design and location of
ribs, spars, sections and other structural
elements
Flight simulators for aircraft are also
developed at this stage.

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

The Design Wheel

Sizing and
Trade Studies

Design
Analysis

Requirements

Design
Concepts
4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

Popular RC Aircraft Design

Competition
AIAA Cessna Raytheon Design/Build/Fly
Competition.
SAE Aero Design Competition.
Future Flight Design (FFD)

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

Sample Case Study (For RC

Aircraft)
Aircraft Requirements:
The aircraft may be of any configuration except
rotary wing or lighter-than-air.
Must be propeller driven and electric powered
with an unmodified, over the counter model
electric motor.
May use multiple motors and/or propellers. May
be direct drive or with gear or belt reduction.

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

Sample Case Study (Cont)

4/2/2015

Motors and batteries will be limited to a

maximum of 40 Amp current draw by means
of a 40 Amp fuse
Must use over the counter NiCad batteries.
For safety, battery packs must have shrinkwrap or other protection over all electrical
contact points
Maximum battery pack weight is 5.0 lb.
Battery pack must power propulsion and
payload systems only. Radio Rx and
servos MUST be on a separate battery pack.
Batteries may not be changed or charged
between sorties during a flight period.
Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,
Fabrication and Operation

Sample Case Study

Safety Requirements:
For safety, each aircraft will use a
commercially produced propeller

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

SAMPLE CASE STUDY

The regulations of model aircrafts are
controlled by AMA (Academy of Model
Aeronautics)

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

SIMPLE MISSION PROFILE

Descend

Climb

Cruise

Landing

Take off

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

MISSION REQUIREMENTS

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

DESIGN REPORT

Executive Summary
Management Summary
Conceptual Design
Preliminary Design
Detail Design
Manufacturing Plan and processes
Testing Plan

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

SCOPE OF RC DESIGN
WORKSHOP
Provide an unique opportunity to understand
and apply the theory underlying the working of
an aircraft.
To design a small RC aircraft as well as
fabricate the same.
Introduced to the major concepts of
Aeronautical Engineering

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

SCOPE OF RC DESIGN
WORKSHOP (CONT)
To introduce the safety and regulatory issues
of flying RC Model Aircraft.
To familiarize with the basic rules of thumb for
designing RC aircraft model.

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

 To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one

is something. But to fly is everything.
Otto Lilienthal

4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation

Thank you
4/2/2015

Workshop on RC Aircraft Design,

Fabrication and Operation