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RWDC State Aviation Challenge:
Detailed Background
Contents Overview: What is a small Unmanned Aircraft System? .......................................................................... 2
FAA Technical Readiness Criteria for sUAS ............................................................................................... 4
FAA Rules for Public sUAS Operating in the National Airspace System .................................................... 7
sUAS Operational Personnel Guidelines ................................................................................................... 8
Sensor Payload Selection Guidelines ...................................................................................................... 12
Mission Flight Planning Guidelines ......................................................................................................... 20
Propulsion System Selection Guidelines ................................................................................................. 29
Business Case Guidelines ........................................................................................................................ 30
Sensor Payload Catalog ........................................................................................................................... 32
Propulsion System Catalog ..................................................................................................................... 42
Ground Station Description and Catalog ................................................................................................ 47
Additional UAV/UAS Equipment Catalog ................................................................................................ 50
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Overview: What is a small Unmanned Aircraft System? The sUAS you will develop in this challenge is comprised of three major components: the platform or
vehicle (called the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or UAV), the sensor payload which the UAV carries, and the
Ground Station. A high-level description of each, tailored to this challenge, follows. Many of these items
are described in more detail in later sections. Each team will choose different quantities, sizes, types,
and configurations of the various components to create a unique sUAS. One possible configuration is
shown in the figure below.
Figure 1. Basic sUAS configuration with UAV and ground control station.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle This is the portion of the UAS that most people think of when they hear “UAS.” This is the flying portion
of the system which carries the payload. There can be more than one UAV in a UAS, and in this
challenge. It includes:
Airframe –The physical structure of the vehicle. You will design most of this portion. Fuselage CAD
model includes weights and prices for internal structure, skin material, servos, control surfaces, etc.
Location of major components, wing shape and tail shape will be designed by your team.
Propulsion – the engine and propeller. You will select a system either from the provided catalog, or
from another source.
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Flight Control System (FCS) – the system which actually controls the aircraft and communicates with
the pilot in the ground station. You will use the system in the provided catalog as appropriate.
Command Datalink Transceiver – the device which sends and receives the communication signals
between the FCS and the pilot in the Ground Station. You will use the system in the provided catalog
as appropriate.
Video Datalink Transmitter – the device which transmits the video captured by the payload to the
Ground Station. You will use the system in the provided catalog as appropriate.
Video Recorder – the device which records the video should you choose to store it on-board for
later review rather than transmitting the data. You will use the system in the provided catalog as
appropriate.
Fuel tank, batteries, and everything else that is flying, except the payload. You will design or identify
most of this portion as detailed elsewhere in this document, and in the “work flow.”
Sensor Payload Electro-optical, gyro-stabilized camera – The camera or cameras which you will select from the
provided catalog, including the hardware required to aim and control the camera. You will select
one or more systems from the provided catalog.
Ground Station The figure above is provided as guidance of one possible configuration of the ground control station.
Your configuration will depend on the UAV design choices made by your team. The required ground
control station equipment is summarized in the following list.
Ground Command Datalink Transceiver – The ground portion of the Command Datalink Transceiver
which has the airborne component described above. This system will be provided to you.
Ground Video Datalink Transceiver – The ground portion of the Video Datalink Transciever which
has the airborne component described above. This system will be made available to you.
Pilot Workstation – The computer which serves as the primary interface between the pilot and the
aircraft. You will select one or more systems from the provided catalog.
Sensor Payload Workstation – The computer which serves as the primary interface between the
payload operator and the sensor payload. You will select one or more systems from the provided
catalog.
Shelter – A trailer-able work area for the crew, computers, and other support gear. You will select a
system from the provided catalog.
Operating Personnel – The humans required to operate the sUAS including the pilot, payload
operator, and others. You will identify your crew needs based on your sUAS design according to the
provided guidelines.
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FAA Technical Readiness Criteria for sUAS The “airworthiness” requirements that your sUAS will have to meet are presented below. These are
scaled for the challenge, but based on the anticipated FAA criteria. Some criteria will be automatically
satisfied if the teams choose items or systems from the RWDC catalog. For some criteria, teams will
have to demonstrate that their proposal satisfies the criteria. These indications are made in the text
below.
Aircraft: 1. The airframe must withstand anticipated aerodynamic flight loads throughout the complete
range of maneuvers anticipated within the approved flight envelope with an appropriate margin
of safety (+6/-4g’s ultimate load).
This requirement should be verified by analysis.
2. The propulsion system must provide reliable and sufficient power to takeoff, climb, and
maintain flight at all expected mission altitudes and environmental conditions.
This requirement should be verified by analysis.
3. The electrical system must generate, distribute, and manage power distribution to meet the
power requirements of all receiving systems.
This requirement should be verified by analysis.
4. The UA must safely and expeditiously respond to pilot commands necessary to avoid conflict or
collision with other aircraft or ground obstructions.
Items available from the RWDC catalog will satisfy this criterion.
5. Aircraft with an autopilot must ensure the autopilot keeps the aircraft within the flight envelope
and any other appropriate flight limits for autopilot enabled operations under any foreseeable
operating condition.
Items available from the RWDC catalog will satisfy this criterion.
6. Software used to control critical aircraft functions must be developed with the appropriate
software safety guidelines.
Items available from the RWDC catalog will satisfy this criterion.
Control Data Link: The control data link which is supplied to teams by RWDC will satisfy these criteria. The criteria are
included for reference.
1. The control data link must provide sufficient link performance margin at the maximum allowed
UA range specified in the system operating manual under worst case meteorological and RF
interference environmental conditions and aircraft configuration.
2. The control data link must provide sufficient link performance margin at 1.5 times the maximum
allowed UA range specified in the system operating manual under normal meteorological and RF
interference environmental conditions and aircraft configuration.
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3. The radio frequencies used for UAS control must be appropriate for the operation of UAS and
approved by the appropriate government agency.
4. The control data link and aircraft system must continue to operate safely or perform the
appropriate predictable contingency procedure in the presence of intentional or unintentional
RF interference.
Control Station / Pilot interface: The control station/pilot interface which is supplied to teams by RWDC will satisfy these criteria. The
criteria are included for reference.
1. The control station layout and organization must allow the pilot to safety perform the functions
necessary for safe flight.
2. Information necessary for safe flight must be clearly displayed to the pilot and must be easy to
identify & interpret. Examples include fuel remaining (flight time remaining), battery power
remaining, engine performance, control link status, airspeed, altitude, aircraft position, etc.
3. Aircraft control and input devices must allow the pilot to safely operate the aircraft without
unusual pilot skill or concentration, be intuitive and logically implemented, and have the
necessary labels for proper identification of function.
4. Aircraft control and input devices must be designed to minimize human error.
5. Critical control inputs that could cause an undesirable outcome if inadvertently activated, such
as an accidental “stop engine” input, must be safeguarded from inadvertent activation
6. The system must provide the necessary cautions, warnings, and advisories to the pilot to allow
the pilot to troubleshoot and properly respond to abnormal and emergency situations.
7. The control station must have a primary power source suitable for rugged field operations (e.g.
a ruggedized and portable diesel generator).
8. The control station must have a backup power source in the event of a loss of primary power.
9. If applicable, the control station must allow a transfer of aircraft control to another airworthy
control station without causing an unsafe condition.
Contingency Response: The “contingency response” refers to your plans for reacting to emergencies such as engine failure.
1. The UAS must provide, or must allow the pilot to perform, a safe and appropriate response to
the unanticipated loss of the primary propulsion system.
Items available from the RWDC catalog will satisfy this criterion.
2. The UA must provide sufficient back-up power for safety critical systems in case of a loss of the
primary power source sufficient to safely recover the aircraft.
This requirement should be verified by analysis.
3. The UAS must perform a predictable and safe flight maneuver in response to a loss of control
link (lost-link) during any phase of flight.
Items available from the RWDC catalog will satisfy this criterion.
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4. The UAS must have a means to perform an emergency flight recovery, when appropriate, with
both an active control link and during lost-link.
Items available from the RWDC catalog will satisfy this criterion.
5. The UAS must be capable of continued safe flight and landing with an inoperative primary
navigation sensor.
Items available from the RWDC catalog will satisfy this criterion.
6. The UAS must be capable of continued safe flight and landing with the loss or malfunction of a
single propulsion source in a multiple propulsion source configuration.
This requirements should be verified by analysis.
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FAA Rules for Public sUAS Operating in the National Airspace
System The challenge location is outside 10 NM from any airport, and your aircraft must also satisfy the relevant
criteria.
Operation in Class G airspace for a UAS weighing 55 pounds or less with a maximum speed of 80
mph (70 knots).
The proponent will publish a NOTAM (NOTice to AirMen) to alert non-participating aircraft of the
operation.
Operations will be conducted within visual line of sight of the pilot/operator utilizing VFR weather
requirements.
Each control workstation may only control a single UAV at a time during normal flight operations.
Night operations are not permitted.
Operations will be conducted over military bases, reservations or land protected by purchase,
lease, or with express permission of the landowner.
Operations will not be conducted over wildlife preserves, national parks or other traditionally
protected airspace unless express permission is granted by the controlling authority.
Operations underlying Class B or C airspace (Mode C veil) above 400 ft AGL/14,500 ft MSL are not
permitted.
The UAS will remain outside of five (5) NM from any civil airport or heliport (Figure 1).
Operations between five (5) and ten (10) NM from a civil airport or heliport will remain below 700
ft AGL/14,500 ft MSL. EXCEPTION: UAS weighing 20 lbs or less may operate up to 1200 ft
AGL/14,500 ft MSL when not beneath a depicted transition area (Figure 1).
Operations greater than ten (10) NM from a civil airport or heliport will remain below 1,200 ft
AGL/14,500 ft MSL (see Figure below).
Figure 2. Operational Airspace Restrictions for sUAS.
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sUAS Operational Personnel Guidelines An sUAS performing a Search and Rescue (SAR) function require that a variety of roles be fulfilled by
personnel on the ground in order to ensure safe and successful mission execution. Different aircraft and
mission types will require different roles and therefore different numbers of ground support personnel.
For the purposes of this competition a basic minimum ground personnel configuration can be assumed.
Deviations are permitted but must be justified. The typical roles are outlined as follows:
NOTE 1: Full-time Equivalent (FTE) is used to indicate one person assigned full-time to the designated
role. For this competition, fractional FTEs will not be allowed.
NOTE 2: For operational cost calculation purposes, fractions of an hour should be rounded up to the
next highest integer.
NOTE 3: “Fully loaded” cost includes expenses for transportation & lodging of specialized personnel,
salary, fringe benefits, labor overhead, and supplies.
1) Payload Operator. [$150/hr. fully loaded cost per 1.0 FTE] This person is required when
payload data is telemetered from the aircraft during mission execution. This person will
typically sit at a ground station interacting with a graphical user interface (GUI) for the purpose
of controlling the payload operations in real-time. For a sensor payload, this will involve
monitoring the sensor payload status and data telemetry from the aircraft, steering the payload
(i.e. directing where the camera is pointing), and directing the aircraft operator on where to fly
the aircraft. In a search situation in which real-time search algorithms are available, this
individual would also monitor the search status cues to identify targets of interest that may
require follow-up either by the aircraft or by ground search personnel. The exact nature of this
role will be driven by the sensor payload selection.
2) Data Analyst. [$150/hr. fully loaded cost per 1.0 FTE] This person is required when data from
the search aircraft cannot be processed in real-time. This role can be a requirement for
telemetered data where real-time search algorithms are not available at the ground station.
This role is also a requirement when sensor data is recorded on board the aircraft for download
and analysis upon aircraft recovery (i.e. no data telemetry). The data analyst is responsible for
downloading the data from the aircraft, ensuring proper chain-of-custody, for uploading the
data to the software program for analysis, and then for communicating the results to the other
ground personnel as necessary. This role may or may not be required, depending on the sensor
payload selection.
3) Ground Search Personnel. These individuals are required to follow up on inconclusive ground
target indicators. Confirmation that the person is found, and communication is performed by
either the Payload Operator or the Data Analyst. The number of concurrent targets that can be
followed up on will be limited by the number of assigned ground search personnel. The rate of
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targets that can be followed up on will be determined by the mobility of the ground search
personnel over the terrain. Lower mobility and lower cost is assumed for ground personnel on
foot. Higher mobility and higher cost is assumed for ground search personnel with mobility aids
(e.g. horses or ATVs). For the purposes of this challenge, any necessary ground search
personnel will be provided by the “customer” (e.g. the ranch at Philmont), and will not need to
be considered by teams as a factor in the operational cost.
4) Range Safety/Aircraft Launch & Recovery/Maintenance. [$175/hr. fully loaded cost per 1.0 FTE]
This individual can be assigned multiple non-concurrent roles, and is typically a highly qualified
technician. Range safety includes ensuring frequency deconfliction prior to and during mission
execution as well as airspace deconfliction. This individual will be trained in the use and
operation of a spectrum analyzer to ensure that the communications and aircraft operations
frequencies are not conflicting with other potential operations in the area. This individual will
also monitor air traffic channels to ensure that the airspace remains free during the mission.
This individual will be responsible for coordinating with the air traffic management personnel in
advance of the operation to ensure that the appropriate airspace restrictions are communicated
to piloted aircraft operating in the area. This individual may also be responsible for aircraft
launch and recovery operations as well as any required maintenance (e.g. refueling or repairs) in
between flights.
5) Launch & Recovery Assistants. [$50/hr. fully loaded cost per 1.0 FTE] In the case of some larger
UAV aircraft operating in unimproved areas, one or two assistants may be required to help
position the aircraft onto the launch system (e.g. catapult) and to recover the aircraft from the
capture mechanism (e.g. snag line). This role can be filled by position 4 for the RWDC State
Aviation Challenge.
6) Safety Pilot. [$100/hr. fully loaded cost per assigned FTE]. This individual is responsible for
bringing the aircraft safely in for recovery. For this competition we will assume line-of-sight
(LOS) operation at all times, meaning that the safety pilot will need to be able to observe the
aircraft at all times during flight. During semi-autonomous flight operations, the safety pilot is
responsible for immediately taking over command of the aircraft and brining it safely to the
ground should it exhibit unanticipated flight behaviors, or in the case of piloted aircraft entering
the flight operations area as communicated by the range safety officer. The RWDC autopilot and
flight control system has semi-autonomous operation capability.
7) Operational Pilot [$150/hr. fully loaded cost per 1.0 FTE]. In the case of autonomous or semi-
autonomous operations, the operational pilot is responsible for monitoring aircraft attitude,
altitude, and waypoint tracking, and adjusting the aircraft flight path as required for the success
of the SAR mission. The operational pilot will typically spend most of the operation looking at a
screen at the ground control station monitoring the telemetry from the aircraft’s on-board flight
control computer, and adjusting the aircraft’s programming as necessary.
10
Example Operational Cost Calculations for Ground Support Personnel Scenario 1: Three small coordinated aircraft systems using staggered search-and-land cycles, each with a simple
sensor pointed down, video transmitters, no real-time target ID software at the ground station. Aircraft
flight endurance for the small battery-powered UAVs is equal to 5 hours total flight time. Ground-Team
consisting of:
3 X Payload Operators (150/hr. per analyst, 450/hr. total)
3 X Safety Pilots (100/hr. per pilot, 300/hr. total)
3 X Operational Pilots (150/hr. per pilot, 450/hr. total)
1 X Range Safety/L&R/Maintenance Officer (175/hr. per officer, 175/hr. total)
Travel time to location: 4.5 hours driving from your company’s corporate HQ in Colorado Springs, CO
(assume 4.5 hours is a representative driving time for all 50 missions for cost calculations).
Set-up time: 2 hours
Flight time to rescue: 9.2 hours.
TOTAL OPERATION TIME: 15.7 hours (rounded up to 16).
Per-System Operational Cost per Hour: $1375
TOTAL Operational Cost per Mission: $22,000
NOTE: Scenario 1 assumes that the three coordinated aircraft can cover the ground more quickly than
one, but that the lower endurance associated with the smaller, less-expensive aircraft platforms
necessitates at least one landing to accommodate battery replacement. The inclusion of video
transmitters allows the Payload Operators to watch the feeds in real-time. While the lack of real-time
target ID software at the ground station means the system was less expensive to procure, it also means
that 1 payload operator is required for each sensor, and so operational costs may be higher.
Scenario 2: Single aircraft system flying at high altitude, five sensor payloads (forward, back, left, right, down), five
video transmitters, and real-time target ID software at the ground station. Aircraft flight endurance for
the larger gasoline-powered UAV is equal to 15 hours total flight time. Ground-Team consisting of:
2 X Payload Operators (150/hr. per analyst, 300/hr. total)
1 X Safety Pilots (100/hr. per pilot, 100/hr. total)
1 X Operational Pilots (150/hr. per pilot, 150/hr. total)
1 X Range Safety/L&R/Maintenance Officer (175/hr. per officer, 175/hr. total)
Travel time to location: 4.5 hours driving from corporate HQ in Colorado Springs, CO.
Set-up time: 2 hours
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Flight time to rescue: 12.4 hours.
TOTAL OPERATION TIME: 18.9 hours (rounded up to 19).
Per-System Operational Cost per Hour: $725
TOTAL Operational Cost per Mission: $13,775
NOTE: Scenario 2 assumes that the single larger and more expensive aircraft can cover the entire search
grid more slowly than three aircraft, but that the higher endurance associated with the larger, more
expensive aircraft platform means that the aircraft does not have to land prior to completing the
mission. In addition, the multiple sensors allow confirmations to be performed without altitude or flight
path changes. The added purchase of the real-time target ID software for the ground station allows a
single payload operator to manage up to four sensor payloads at a time. However, for this operational
scenario, one primary payload operator is assigned the forward and downward looking sensors, while
the confirmation payload operator is assigned the left, right, and rear looking sensors.
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Sensor Payload Selection Guidelines This section describes the key considerations for your sensor payload selection process.
Design the UAV around the Sensor Payload For this daytime Search and Rescue (SAR) mission, the appropriate sensor payload is a gyroscopically-
stabilized, electro-optical camera to be mounted onto a UAV. These types of cameras can be aimed by
either the autopilot computer or by a remote operator working at the ground control station. They
output color video that needs to be transmitted from the UAV to the ground control station by means of
a video datalink. For the purposes of this competition, the video datalink is considered a separate
hardware item, with its own size, weight and power consumption. One video datalink will be required
for each sensor payload included on-board the aircraft.
Each sensor payload included in the supplied sensor payload catalog is capable of fulfilling the mission.
However, it should be noted that certain sensor payloads favor certain ranges of flight altitudes and
flight speeds which will influence the design of each UAV in the system. Designing the UAV around the
selected sensor payload(s) will maximize the search area that can be covered over time. Multiple sensor
payloads are allowed to be installed on an individual UAV and multiple UAVs can be included in the UAV
system. Teams should keep in mind that sensor payloads are both power-hungry and expensive.
What does the Sensor Payload see? The video camera inside the sensor payload views all objects as clusters of pixels on a TV screen or a
computer monitor. Objects can drastically change appearance depending on how far away they are
from the camera when being viewed. For example, the table below shows how the same symbol would
appear at different resolutions as the symbol becomes farther and farther away from the camera.
13
Table 1. Example symbols viewed at detection and confirmation resolutions.
(a) Representative symbol for the injured child
that must be rescued.
(b) That same symbol viewed at 20 pixels wide,
the minimum “confirmation resolution”.
(c) The injured child viewed at 8 pixels wide, the
minimum “human detection resolution”.
(d) The injured child viewed at 4 pixels wide, the
minimum “software detection resolution”.
Effects of the Mission Flight Plan Several factors influence how clearly the injured child will appear on the sensor payload video; these
include flight altitude, the natural field of view of the sensor payload, how far the camera of the sensor
payload is zoomed in, and the pointing angles of the camera. Your team will need to prepare a mission
flight plan (see the related section of this document) for the search and rescue mission to fly each UAV
in such a manner that the area can be scanned to detect objects that might be the child and to perform
the necessary changes to the UAV and sensor payload to confirm whether or not the detected object is
the missing child.
In the business plan section of this competition, your team will decide whether it is more desirable to
utilize special video scanning software or a dedicated human operator to review the video output of the
sensor payload(s) according to the requirements in the table below.
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Table 2. Requirements for Selected Detection Method.
Human Operator Video Scanning Software
Minimum detection resolution 8 pixels wide 4 pixels wide
Minimum time subject must
remain in video frame for
detection
2.0 second 0.5 seconds
Human attention required for
detection
1 human operator per sensor
payload during the full flight
time
1 human operator per 4 sensor
payloads during the full flight
time.
Minimum confirmation
resolution
20 pixels wide 20 pixels wide (by human
operator)
Minimum time subject must
remain in video frame for
confirmation
5.0 seconds 5.0 seconds
Human attention required for
confirmation
1 human operator when an
object has been detected as
possibly being the injured child
1 human operator when an
object has been detected as
possibly being the injured child
Required computer resources 1 “Sensor payload Workstation
Computer - Version A” per
sensor payload
1 “Sensor payload Workstation
Computer - Version B” per set of
4 sensor payloads.
Explaining angular diameter The “size” of the person as viewed by a camera is known as the angular diameter (δ) of that person,
which is an angle measured in degrees. For example, the moon is very large, but it is also very far away;
as a result its angular diameter is only about half a degree wide. The camera lens of the sensor payload
divides the field of view of the camera into an array of horizontal and vertical pixels.
For the cameras used in the sensor payload catalogue for this completion, the width of each pixel
represents a constant angular diameter. This angular diameter may be determined by dividing the field
of view of the camera when zoomed by the resolution of the camera according to the following formula:
For example, a camera with a constant 640 pixel horizontal resolution ( ) zoomed in to narrow its
horizontal field of view ( ) to 64° will give each pixel a 0.1° angular diameter.
15
Determining whether the subject can be detected For the injured child to be detected or confirmed, the injured child must have a large enough angular
diameter to fill the required number of pixels for detection or confirmation.
This relationship is shown in the diagram below according to the following formula:
(
)
Figure 3. How a subject is displayed as pixels.
16
The angular diameter of the injured child ( ) is a function of the width of the person (wp) and the
distance between the camera and the person (D) according to the following equation:
(
)
For all computations regarding the Angular Diameter, make the approximation that regardless of the
camera’s orientation to the person, the viewable person width is always 4 feet.
Figure 4. Calculating the angular diameter of the injured child.
The farthest a camera can be from the person and still detect them is determined by solving for distance
(D=Dmax) when the angular diameter is set to the required angular diameter for detection or
confirmation (δ = δreq).
( )
17
Figure 5. Calculating the maximum detectable distance of the injured child from the camera.
If D > Dmax, then the person is too far away and would be “too small” to view on the video screen. In
these instances the person seems to be invisible even if the camera is staring right at them.
Determining acceptable flight altitudes, pan limits, and tilt limits As established above, only objects closer than Dmax can be seen by the sensor payload. At a given
altitude (h, measured in feet AGL, above ground level) greater than Dmax, a cone can be drawn to
represent the maximal viewable area. The four edges of the video screen correspond with the four
edges of a quadrilateral on the surface, called the “camera footprint”. For the entire area within the
camera footprint to be within the maximum detectable distance Dmax, the corners of the camera
footprint must not lie outside the boundaries of the cone’s radius. The cone is diagrammed below and
the radius is calculated according to the following relation:
√
18
Figure 6. This cone represents the ground area that is close enough to meet the detection/confirmation criteria based on flight altitude.
The center of the sensor payload camera points at angles roll and pitch. Note that these
angles are with respect to the downward gravity vector and are not affected by the roll and pitch of the
UAV when operating within the maximum pitch and roll angles of the sensor payload relative to the
mounting point on the UAV.
The four corners of the camera footprint are pointed at the following angles:
{
{
{
{
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The x (forward) and y (towards the right wing) locations of the each corner of the camera footprint are
located at ground level are given by the following equations:
{ ( )
( )
To ensure that the farthest corners of the camera footprint do not lie outside the boundaries of the
cone’s radius, the following inequality must be true for all four corners.
20
Mission Flight Planning Guidelines Your team must create a Mission Flight Plan that documents how the UAV will be flown and how the
Sensor payload will be operated in order to complete the mission:
Takeoff and Initial Climb
Object Detection during Straight and Level Flight
Object Detection during a Coordinated Turn
Flight Path for Full Coverage of the Search Area Flight
Transitioning to Object Confirmation after Object Detection
Approach, Landing, and Refueling/Maintenance, as Required
Total Mission Time Calculation
NOTE: A hypothetical search scenario can include mission phases being repeated, and performed in non-
sequential order.
For all portions of the Mission Flight Plan, pay particular attention to the UAV forward speed. If the UAV
is travelling too quickly, then the camera footprint will pass over objects on the ground too quickly and
the sensor payload will not be able to view the injured child for the required detection time or
confirmation time.
Takeoff and Initial Climb During takeoff and the initial climb, the size of the camera footprint changes based on altitude. Until the
UAV has reached a sufficient altitude, the ground covered by the camera footprint will not be usable for
object detection, because the time an object would remain within the length of the camera footprint in
the forward direction (x) for a UAV travelling at the UAV’s speed would be less than the required
detection time. A higher altitude would be required for contributions to the total coverage area. This
relationship is depicted in the following figure:
21
Figure 7. During takeoff and initial climb, the camera footprint might be too small to contribute to the total coverage area.
Object Detection during Straight and Level Flight One of the basic flight maneuvers for a Search and Rescue operation is straight and level flight. During
straight and level flight, the UAV travels in a straight line at a constant speed and altitude while the
sensor payload searches for the missing person below, covering long stretches of terrain. Your team
must determine how it wants to operate the sensor payload (pan, tilt, zoom) while the UAV is in straight
and level flight. Two methods are outlined below.
Method 1: (Basic) Keep the sensor payload pointed downward.
If the sensor payload is pointed straight downward during straight and level flight (zero roll, zero pitch),
then the camera footprint becomes a rectangle with a forward length and a sideways width determined
by calculating the positions of the corners of the camera footprint. This method creates a long rectangle
of coverage area whose width is the same as the sideways width of a single camera footprint and whose
length is stretched to become whatever distance the UAV continues to travel in straight and level flight.
This is shown in the figure below.
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Figure 8. The overlapping camera footprints must sufficiently overlap for object detection or object confirmation during straight and level flight.
For this method, your team will pick a flight altitude, flight speed, and the zoomed camera field of view
to be used in straight and level flight. Show that the UAV flight speed is slow enough for object
detection (or for object confirmation). This can be demonstrated by calculating that the distance
travelled by the UAV during the detection time (flight speed times detection time) is not greater than
the forward camera footprint length.
Method 2: (Advanced) Sweep the sensor payload back and forth.
A more advanced method for object detection during straight and level flight is to sweep the sensor
payload left and right to increase the width of the coverage area beyond the width of a single camera
footprint. This method requires additional analysis to confirm that the full area traced during each
sweep cycle is covered for the full duration of the detection time requirement. Teams using this option
must consider the following:
When the sensor payload is not pointed straight down, it is no longer rectangular. If camera
pitch is zero, but the camera is rolled to the left or the right, then the camera footprint is
trapezoidal. If both the pitch and roll values are non-zero, the camera footprint becomes a
general quadrilateral.
The angular rate at which the sensor payload is swept back and forth cannot exceed the limits of
the sensor payload as specified in the payload catalog.
The coverage area for the sweeping motion must be shown for a full cycle.
23
At the maximum roll value used, the far corners of the camera footprint must be shown to be
within the viewable cone.
The sensor payload must briefly pause at the maximum pan left and pan right positions so that
the edges of these regions are covered for the required detection time.
The UAV forward flight speed must be slow enough to be compatible with the sweeping motion
so that an object would remain within a camera footprint for the required detection time with
no coverage gaps.
Object Detection during a Coordinated Turn The UAV must be able to turn around to continue scanning the area. Your team may find it useful to use
turns of different radii to fully cover your search area. During a coordinated turn, the body of the UAV is
rolled to provide a lifting force which points toward the center of the turning arc. The tighter the turn,
the more “g”s are pulled by the UAV, increasing the stress on the wings. Your wings must be designed
to sustain the tightest turn radius used in your Mission Flight Plan with the appropriate safety factor. Do
not plan to exceed 4 g’s when defining your tightest turn radius.
As shown in the figure below, during a coordinate turn, camera footprint rotates as the UAV rotates
about the turn. If the forward flight speed is maintained from straight and level flight during a
coordinated turn, then the middle of each camera footprint will cover the ground for the same duration;
however, at the inside of the turn the ground will be covered by a longer duration and at the outside of
the turn the ground will be covered by a shorter duration. The coverage duration of this outside edge
must be longer than the required detection time to contribute to the total coverage area.
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Figure 9. The overlapping camera footprints must sufficiently overlap for object detection or object confirmation during a coordinated turn at the inside of the turn and the outside of the turn.
Flight Path for Full Coverage of the Search Area Flight In the Search and Rescue mission, one of the primary goals is to scan the entire search area using object
detection criteria. The flight maneuvers calculated in your Mission Flight Plan become building blocks to
document how your UAVs would fly to cover the entire search area. Straight and Level Flight
Maneuvers can be stretched longer as needed. Coordinated Turn Flight Maneuvers can be created for
different radius values. Create a flight path for full coverage of the search area in support of your
Mission Flight Plan.
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Figure 10. Example of an assembled coverage area from pre-calculated flight maneuvers and their individual coverage areas.
Transitioning to Object Confirmation after Object Detection In the example mission, the UAV system crew must find the missing child among four decoy objects
which look like the missing child from far away. These five objects are scattered about the large search
area and each one requires detection and confirmation. Your team must specify in the mission plan
how the UAV system will transition from an object detection flight maneuver to a flight maneuver
appropriate for object confirmation. Example scenarios are provided to highlight transitions that
require controlling the sensor payload and transitions that require controlling the UAV altitude.
Depending on your teams UAV configuration, a combination of these two scenarios may be required.
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Scenario 1: UAV at High Altitude Zooming for Object Confirmation.
Figure 11. One method to transition from detection to confirmation is to zoom.
At point (a) the UAV is flying over an object that might be the missing child. The required detection
resolution allows a wide search cone, a wide camera field of view, and a large camera footprint to be
used. After the child has remained within the camera footprint for the required detection time, the
Sensor Payload Operator becomes aware of the object (i.e. object detection), but is not yet certain
whether or not it is really the missing child.
At point (b), the Sensor Payload Operator zooms in on the object to satisfy the required confirmation
resolution, which requires a narrower search cone, a narrower camera field of view, and smaller camera
footprint. When the missing child is within the narrower confirmation search cone, the Sensor Payload
Operator can see the object with enough detail to begin the confirmation process.
At point (c) the UAV continues flying over the object as the Sensor Payload Operator manually pans and
tilts the sensor payload to keep the center of the camera aimed at the object.
At point (d) the UAV is flying past the object and the Sensor Payload Operator is still in the process of
confirming whether or not the detected object is the missing child. The corners of the camera footprint
have exited the narrower confirmation search cone, but the camera center is still aimed at the detected
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object which is at a ground location within the confirmation search cone and the Sensor Payload
Operator can still see the details of the detected object.
If the required confirmation time has passed and if the detected object is still within the confirmation
search cone, then the detected object can be successfully identified (i.e. object confirmation) as either
the missing child or just something that happens to look like the missing child from far away.
Scenario 2: UAV Descends to Confirm Object Identity.
Figure 12. Another method to transition from detection to confirmation is to lower altitude.
Approach, Landing, and Refueling/Maintenance, as Required While conducting a mission, each UAV will have to return to base and land at some point. This will
happen at either a planned time, such as for refueling or at the end of the mission, or at an unplanned
time, for maintenance, erratic behavior, et cetera. In your Mission Flight Plan, describe this process and
demonstrate that each UAV in the system has enough fuel to complete its portion of the mission and
return home and land. If refueling is required, document this with the Flight Path. With regard to total
fuel requirements per flight, assume the worst case scenario where any of the UAV flights could
encounter all five object detection events and the requisite five object confirmation events and still have
enough fuel to return home and land. Add a 5% fuel margin to account for fuel that could get stuck in
the corners of the fuel tank.
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Total Mission Time Calculation The final portion of your team’s Mission Flight Plan is to tabulate to total mission time required to drive,
setup the UAS, launch each UAV, fly the chosen flight path to scan the entire area with all UAVs, refuel
as required, perform the five object detections and five object confirmations, return to base, land, and
breakdown the system to load it back into the trailer shelter and drive back.
Hypothetical Illustration: Low altitude, wings-level observational posture, moderate flight speed,
sensor orientation straight down. A new Search and Rescue (SAR) company was recently awarded an
“indefinite quantity/ indefinite delivery” contract to assist in rescue operations of potentially lost
children on the large Philmont Ranch in New Mexico. Just a few weeks after the contract was signed,
the company was notified that a child had gone missing and was potentially injured. Once at the
location, the search contractor team determined that the rugged terrain and large geographic area
dictated an unmanned aircraft search option as the fastest and most reliable method for locating the
lost child. The search team had also determined that a low altitude flight path would have the best
chance for detecting the lost child visually from the air due to the dense brush covering a large portion
of the terrain, and the unpredictable seasonal weather that could rapidly bring in low-lying clouds.
The SAR aircraft is flying its programmed search grid semi-autonomously at low altitude with an electro-
optical sensor oriented straight down when an object is detected by the ground station real-time target
identification software as potentially being the lost child. The software cues the Payload Operator, who
is seated at the ground control station, that a potential object of interest has been detected. The
software also automatically logs the registered geographic location and image frame at time of
detection in memory. Due to the low altitude, the camera footprint on the ground is small, and the
flight speed of the aircraft means that the object is rapidly out of frame before the Payload Operator has
a chance to observe it on the real-time video feed. The Payload Operator opens the stored frame and
associated geolocation information from the software on her secondary screen. The object is
inconclusive to the Payload Operator when she views the stored image on the screen. She
communicates the object geographical coordinates to the Operational Pilot, who reprograms the aircraft
flight route to return to that location and perform a loitering maneuver. The Operational Pilot also sets
the aircraft flight altitude to a higher altitude and reduces the flight speed so that the camera slew-rate
and aircraft maximum turn rate are not exceeded during the loitering maneuver. The loiter altitude,
flight speed, and turning radius were calculated in advance by the search team when they were
determining their mission search strategy so as to maximize the chances of target confirmation.
Once the Operational Pilot verifies that the aircraft is loitering over the correct geographic coordinates
and at the correct altitude and flight speed, the Payload Operator commands the camera payload to
point at the location identified by the software, and sets the camera zoom setting to the predetermined
optimal setting to guarantee that the minimum pixel specification required for confirmation is achieved.
She confirms that the object identified by the software is the lost child, and notifies the rescue squad of
the child’s coordinates. The aircraft remains loitering over the lost child while the ground rescue team
navigates their way over the difficult terrain. The Payload Operator maintains radio contact with the
rescue team to assist them with locating the lost child through the use of the live video feed from the
aircraft. Once the lost child is safely in the care of the rescue team, the Payload Operator informs the
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Operational Pilot, who then inputs the landing approach sequence into the aircraft control software
interface. While the aircraft is autonomously executing its standard approach to the designated landing
area, the Safety Pilot observes the aircraft making an unplanned rapid descent. The Safety Pilot
immediately takes over manual control from the software and safely lands the aircraft. The lost child is
treated for minor injuries and is returned safely home. The search contractor receives accolades from
their customer for the rapid and successful rescue under difficult circumstances.
Propulsion System Selection Guidelines Your selection of propulsion system is primarily driven by aircraft weight. Begin by estimating what size
of aircraft you would like to build, and go from there. The provided Mathcad worksheets will provide the
final verification that the engine choice you have made is sufficient to satisfy the airworthiness and
performance requirements. As an initial guess, assume that you need 100 Watts of engine power per
pound of UAV so, for example:
Table 3. Estimated engine sizing requirements.
Aircraft Gross Weight Engine power estimate in Watts
Engine power estimate in hp
5 500 0.7
25 2,500 3.4
55 5,500 7.4
The Mathcad worksheets which will be provided to you will provide a more refined analysis based on
the characteristics of your particular vehicle (lift-to-drag ratio, etc.), and you can refine your engine
selection if necessary. You may also wish to spread your power requirements out over multiple engines.
You will size your fuel/battery requirements based on your mission requirements and the load that your
aircraft is able to carry.
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Business Case Guidelines At the end of the day, systems which become available in the free market must present a compelling
value proposition to potential customers. The judges are interested in your team’s understanding of the
tradeoffs between cost and performance, and in your team’s ability to justify your particular design as
compared to other choices you could have made, and other competing approaches, from the standpoint
of cost and value. In order for your team to arrive at a place where this can be done convincingly, it will
probably be necessary for you to evaluate a variety of options (single vs. multiple UAV systems, large vs.
small UAVs, etc.) and be able to elucidate your down-selection process. In the event that you have
arrived at a solution which may not provide the best value to the potential customer, but which you
cannot change for other reasons, your ability to identify and explain that shortcoming is a valuable
demonstration of learning as well.
Amortized System Costs When considering a business venture, it is necessary to estimate the costs in advance, so that it is
possible to determine if a profit can be made at the price which the market will bear. While you are not
being asked whether or not your system will be profitable, you must estimate the cost of your system in
order to evaluate it against other designs you could have chosen, as well as other completely different
approaches.
For the purposes of this challenge, there are two primary components of cost. The first is the “initial
cost” – the capital which must be invested in order to design and build the system. This is normally a
difficult task because inevitably more engineering effort is required than originally estimated,
requirements sometimes change and require redesign, and unanticipated obstacles present themselves
and must be dealt with. In many cases, businesses fail while trying to execute this phase of a business
plan. This task has been significantly simplified for you by the removal of explicit engineering costs, cost
of capital, marketing, and overhead which a company must normally support. For this challenge, you will
only tally the cost of the individual components required to assemble your system in order to determine
the “initial cost.” In practice, however, the “initial cost” would be many times the value you will
calculate.
The second component is “direct operating cost.” Again, this has been simplified. Considerations of
ongoing fixed costs other than those required to operate the system (insurance, interest, depreciation,
an administrative staff, sales staff, lawyers, engineers, computers, offices, paper, etc.) and a profit
margin are removed from this analysis. You must only tally the direct costs incurred in operating your
system during the given worst-case mission. Those direct costs include fuel and direct labor costs, as
outlined elsewhere in this document. You will almost certainly discover that the major cost in operating
your “unmanned” system is, ironically, human labor.
In order to determine a reasonable "total cost per mission," the initial costs should be spread out over
the anticipated life of the system, and added to the commensurate direct operating costs. As a good
approximation of the life of this system, add the initial system cost and the total operational cost per
mission for fifty missions and then divide this total cost by fifty missions. If the analysis included ongoing
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“fixed costs,” as well as those items removed from the “initial cost,” the total cost per mission would be
several times the value which you will calculate, and the price you would need to charge in order to
make a profit would be higher still.
Market Assessment Qualitatively assess the competitiveness of your system at your cost. This can be done by comparison to
other types of systems which do similar missions (manned aircraft, for example) or by comparison to the
costs encountered by other agencies which conduct SAR operations (US Coast Guard, local law
enforcement). What are the characteristics of missions for which sUAS provide a compelling value
proposition? Are there missions for which they aren’t compelling?
Cost / Benefits Analysis and Justification Clearly show the cost / benefits trade-offs which drove your major design choices and sensor payload
selection. (Why is your vehicle able to do this mission less expensively than another, or why is it a better
value?) Place special emphasis on justifying the decisions your team made with respect to cost when
compared to other options. If, with the benefit of hindsight, you feel that better decisions could have
been made, discuss those opportunities.
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Sensor Payload Catalog RWDC has created the following sensor payloads to be utilized in the design of the UAV system. Only
sensor payloads in this catalog may be used.
Sensor Payload Model X1000
Figure 13: Sensor Payload Model X1000
Sensor Payload Model: X1000
Price: $8,000
Stabilization: Excellent
Imager: Daylight Electro-Optical Camera
Roll Limits about x-axis: 30° pan left 30° pan right
Pitch Limits about y-axis: 30° tilt up 30° tilt down
Roll/Pitch Slew Rate: 50° per second
Video Format: NTSC
Video Frame Rate: 30 frames per 1.001 second
Video Scan: Interlaced
Continuous Zoom: No Zoom
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Sensor Payload Model: X1000
Camera Profile: Horizontal: Vertical:
Resolution: 640 pixels 480 pixels
Wide Angle Field of View: 40° 20°
Telescopic Field of View: n/a n/a
Weight: 0.50 pounds
Center of Gravity: (measured from front, right corner at red X)
x: 1.75 inches
y: 1.75 inches
z: 1.00 inches
Dimensions when Mounted: Internal Volume: External Volume:
x Length: 2.50 inches 2.50 inches
y Width: 2.50 inches 2.50 inches
z Height: 2.00 inch 0.25 inches
Voltage In: 5-12 volts
Power Draw: 1.5 watts (nominal) 2.0 watts (maximum)
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Sensor Payload Model X2000
Figure 14: Sensor Payload Model X2000
Sensor Payload Model: X2000
Price: $25,000
Stabilization: Excellent
Imager: Daylight Electro-Optical Camera
Roll Limits about x-axis: 85° pan left 85° pan right
Pitch Limits about y-axis: 85° tilt up 85° tilt down
Roll/Pitch Slew Rate: 100° per second
Video Format: NTSC
Video Frame Rate: 30 frames per 1.001 second
Video Scan: Interlaced
Continuous Zoom: 1x Wide Angle to 2x Telescopic
Camera Profile: Horizontal: Vertical:
Resolution: 640 pixels 480 pixels
Wide Angle Field of View: 80° 60°
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Sensor Payload Model: X2000
Telescopic Field of View: 40° 20°
Weight: 0.80 pounds
Center of Gravity: (measured from front, right corner at red X)
x: 2.0 inches
y: 2.0 inches
z: 0.5 inches
Dimensions when Mounted: Internal Volume: External Volume:
x Length: 4.00 inches 4.00 inches
y Width: 4.00 inches 4.00 inches
z Height: 0.75 inch 1.25 inches
Voltage In: 5-12 volts
Power Draw: 2 watts (nominal) 4 watts (maximum)
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Sensor Payload Model X3000
Figure 15: Sensor Payload Model X3000
Sensor Payload Model: X3000
Price: $38,000
Stabilization: Excellent
Imager: Daylight Electro-Optical Camera
Roll Limits about x-axis: 80° pan left 80° pan right
Pitch Limits about y-axis: 80° tilt up 80° tilt down
Roll/Pitch Slew Rate: 200° per second
Video Format: NTSC
Video Frame Rate: 30 frames per 1.001 second
Video Scan: Interlaced
Continuous Zoom: 1x Wide Angle to 10x Telescopic
Camera Profile: Horizontal: Vertical:
Resolution: 640 pixels 480 pixels
Wide Angle Field of View: 55.00° 5.500°
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Sensor Payload Model: X3000
Telescopic Field of View: 41.25° 4.125°
Weight: 2.10 pounds
Center of Gravity: (measured from front, right corner at red X)
x: 2.00 inches
y: 2.00 inches
z: 0.75 inches
Dimensions when Mounted: Internal Volume: External Volume:
x Length: 4.00 inches 4.00 inches
y Width: 4.00 inches 4.00 inches
z Height: 1.00 inch 2.00 inches
Voltage In: 9-24 volts
Power Draw: 10 watts (nominal) 14 watts (maximum)
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Sensor Payload Model X4000
Figure 16: Sensor Payload Model X4000
Sensor Payload Model: X4000
Price: $42,000
Stabilization: Excellent
Imager: Daylight Electro-Optical Camera
Roll Limits about x-axis: 85° pan left 85° pan right
Pitch Limits about y-axis: 85° tilt up 85° tilt down
Roll/Pitch Slew Rate: 200° per second
Video Format: NTSC
Video Frame Rate: 30 frames per 1.001 second
Video Scan: Interlaced
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Sensor Payload Model: X4000
Continuous Zoom: 1x Wide Angle to 16x Telescopic
Camera Profile: Horizontal: Vertical:
Resolution: 640 pixels 480 pixels
Wide Angle Field of View: 64.0° 4.0°
Telescopic Field of View: 48.0° 3.0°
Weight: 4.25 pounds
Center of Gravity: (measured from front, right corner at red X)
x: 2.5 inches
y: 2.5 inches
z: 0.0 inches
Dimensions when Mounted: Internal Volume: External Volume:
x Length: 5.00 inches 5.00 inches
y Width: 5.00 inches 5.00 inches
z Height: 2.25 inch 2.00 inches
Voltage In: 5-18 volts
Power Draw: 2.5 watts (nominal) 5 watts (maximum)
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Sensor Payload Model X5000
Figure 17: Sensor Payload Model X5000
Sensor Payload Model: X5000
Price: $75,000
Stabilization: Excellent
Imager: Daylight Electro-Optical Camera
Roll Limits about x-axis: 70° pan left 70° pan right
Pitch Limits about y-axis: 70° tilt up 70° tilt down
Roll/Pitch Slew Rate: 250° per second
Video Format: NTSC
Video Frame Rate: 30 frames per 1.001 second
Video Scan: Interlaced
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Sensor Payload Model: X5000
Continuous Zoom: 1x Wide Angle to 30x Telescopic
Camera Profile: Horizontal: Vertical:
Resolution: 640 pixels 480 pixels
Wide Angle Field of View: 60° 2.0°
Telescopic Field of View: 45° 1.5°
Weight: 7.50 pounds
Center of Gravity: (measured from front, right corner at red X)
x: 6.00 inches
y: 6.00 inches
z: 0.00 inches
Dimensions when Mounted: Internal Volume: External Volume:
x Length: 12.50 inches 12.00 inches
y Width: 12.50 inches 12.00 inches
z Height: 4.75 inch 5.00 inches
Voltage In: 12-30 volts
Power Draw: 15 watts (nominal) 25 watts (maximum)
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Propulsion System Catalog RWDC has created this catalog of propulsion systems to be used in designing your UAS. You may use
others, but must provide at least the same level of detail as is provided here. Note that, for the purposes
of CAD modeling, all propulsion modules will use the same volume and shape assumptions. Mass and
other performance characteristics will change according to the selection. The all-inclusive weights
include the ignition battery, if required, fuel lines, engine mounts, propellers, mufflers, and spinners.
The maximum horsepower available is given for sea-level standard-day conditions. This power should be
factored by the density ratio for the flight condition that you are considering. Tables of atmospheric
density are widely available, and one example calculator is at http://www.digitaldutch.com/atmoscalc/
Example. Standard-day sea-level air density is 1.225 kg/m3. If you are considering flight at 10,000 ft MSL
on a day which is 10°C warmer than standard conditions, the density at that flight condition will be
0.872, which gives a “density ratio” of 0.712. That ratio will provide a reasonable estimate of the
horsepower and static thrust available under those conditions, when compared to the horsepower and
static thrust available under sea-level standard conditions. For the purposes of this challenge, the effect
of air density on engine performance is negligible for electric-powered aircraft.
Propulsion Module GL-6 Description 1-cylinder, 2-cycle
Unit weight, all inclusive 0.5 lbs.
Displacement 0.25 cubic inches
Propeller 9 x 6 (inches)
Maximum horsepower 0.6 hp @ 15,000 RPM
Static Thrust at Sea Level, Standard Conditions 2.1 pounds thrust
Specific fuel consumption 60 fl-oz/hp/hr
In-flight propeller efficiency 75%
Fuel Glow fuel (10-20% Nitro)
Ignition Glow plug
Cost $109.99
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Propulsion Module GL-12 Description 1-cylinder, 4-cycle
Unit weight, all inclusive 1.4 lbs.
Displacement 0.81 cubic inches
Propeller 14 x 7 (inches)
Maximum horsepower 1.3 hp @ 11,000 RPM
Static Thrust at Sea Level, Standard Conditions 5.1 pounds thrust
Specific fuel consumption 55 fl-oz/hp/hr
In-flight propeller efficiency 80%
Fuel Glow fuel (10-20% Nitro)
Ignition Glow plug
Cost $499.00
Propulsion Module GL-25 Description 1-cylinder, 4-cycle
Unit weight, all inclusive 2.1 lbs.
Displacement 1.5 cubic inches
Propeller 17 x 12 (inches)
Maximum horsepower 2.5 hp @ 10,000 RPM
Static Thrust at Sea Level, Standard Conditions 13 pounds thrust
Specific fuel consumption 55 oz/hp/hr
In-flight propeller efficiency 80%
Fuel Glow fuel (5-20% Nitro)
Ignition Glow plug
Cost $545.00
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Propulsion Module GA-55 Description 2 cylinder, 2-cycle
Unit weight, all inclusive 4.9 lbs.
Displacement 3.7 cubic inches
Propeller 24 x 8 (inches)
Maximum horsepower 5.5 hp @ 8,500 RPM
Static Thrust at Sea Level, Standard Conditions 33 pounds thrust
Specific fuel consumption 22 fl-oz/hp/hr
In-flight propeller efficiency 85%
Fuel 87 octane mixed 30:1 with oil
Ignition Electronic (4.8-12V input)
Cost $595.00
Propulsion Module GA-110 Description 2 cylinder, 2-cycle
Unit weight, all inclusive 6.9 lbs.
Displacement 6.8 cubic inches
Propeller 26 x 12 (inches)
Maximum horsepower 11.2 hp @ 7,500 RPM
Static Thrust at Sea Level, Standard Conditions 56 pounds thrust
Specific fuel consumption 20 fl-oz/hp/hr
In-flight propeller efficiency 85%
Fuel 87 octane
Ignition Electronic (4.8-12V input)
Cost $795.00
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Propulsion Module E-6 Description Brushless DC electric
Unit weight, including gearbox, propeller, and speed control 0.43 lbs
Propeller 11 x 7 (inches)
Maximum power 600 Watts @ 6,500 RPM
Static Thrust at Sea Level, Standard Conditions 2.0 pounds thrust
Engine efficiency 94%
In-flight propeller efficiency 80%
Input voltage 11.1-14.5V
Batteries Not included
Cost $170.00
Propulsion Module E-20 Description Brushless, DC electric
Unit weight, including gearbox, propeller, and speed control 1.1 lbs.
Propeller 18 x 8 (inches)
Maximum power 1800 Watts @ 8,000 RPM
Static Thrust at Sea Level, Standard Conditions 13 pounds thrust
Engine efficiency 96%
In-flight propeller efficiency 80%
Input voltage 18.5-22.1V
Batteries Not included
Cost $295.00
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Propulsion Module E-70 Description Brushless, DC electric
Unit weight, including gearbox, propeller, and speed control 3.5 lbs.
Propeller 26 x 10 (inches)
Maximum power 5300 Watts @ 6,500 RPM
Static Thrust at Sea Level, Standard Conditions 35 pounds thrust
Engine efficiency 97%
In-flight propeller efficiency 85%
Input voltage 33.3-55.5V
Batteries Not included
Cost $559.00
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Ground Station Description and Catalog Figure 1 (shown in an earlier section) is provided as guidance of one possible configuration of the
ground control station. Your configuration will depend on the UAV design choices made by your team.
The required ground control station equipment is described in the following table:
Table 4. Description of Ground Control Station Equipment.
Component Description Required Quantity
Per Item Cost
Safety Pilot Flight Box
Handheld flight yolk for the Safety Pilot to directly manipulate the control surfaces of a single UAV during an emergency. Transmits data via the Command Datalink. Used by 1 Safety Pilot.
1 per UAV
$200
Operational Pilot Workstation Computer
Laptop computer and software for the Operational Pilot to configure, manage, and update waypoints for a single UAV. Flight altitudes, flight speeds, coordinated turns, loiter points, and directions of travel can be commanded. Feedback regarding UAV position, orientation, and velocity are reported. Transmits and receives data via the Command Datalink. Used by 1 Operational Pilot.
1 per UAV
$1,500
Sensor Payload Workstation Computer - Version A
Laptop computer and software to display video data to the Sensor Payload Operator. Includes controls to manually modify the pan, tilt, and zoom of a single sensor payload and/or command the sensor payload to follow a repeated routine of pan, tilt, and zoom commands. Displays feedback information regarding the orientation of the sensor payload with respect to the mounted UAV axes and with respect to the inertial frame of reference. Displays the position on the ground toward which the sensor payload is pointed. Receives video data via the Video Datalink. Transmits sensor payload commands and receives sensor payload feedback via the Command Datalink. Used by 1 Sensor Payload Operator. (*Note: Any combination of Version A and Version B Sensor Payload Workstation Computers may be selected as long as provisions are specified for the control and monitoring of each sensor payload.)
1 per sensor payload*
$2,000
Sensor Payload Workstation Computer - Version B
Advanced laptop computer and software suite capable of the following:
simultaneous display of video data from up to 4 sensor payloads,
manual pan, tilt, and zoom control of a single sensor payload when selected,
command of a selected sensor payload to follow a repeated routine of pan, tilt, and zoom commands
automated detection of objects according to the specifications of Table 2 in Requirements for Selected Detection Method,
1 per set of 4 sensor payloads*
$12,000
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Component Description Required Quantity
Per Item Cost
display of feedback information regarding the orientation of the sensor payload with respect to the mounted UAV axes,
display of feedback information regarding the orientation of the sensor payload with respect to the inertial frame of reference, and
display of the position on the ground toward which the sensor payload is pointed.
When the video scanning software has automatically detected an object, the sensor payload operator is alerted and must take manual action to confirm the identity of the detected object. Receives video data from up to four separate Video Datalinks. Transmits sensor payload commands and receives sensor payload feedback via the Command Datalink. Used by 1 Sensor Payload Operator. (*Note: Any combination of Version A and Version B Sensor Payload Workstation Computers may be selected as long as provisions are specified for the control and monitoring of each sensor payload.)
Command Datalink Ground Transceiver
Signal amplifier and omni-directional antenna mounted on a collapsible tripod used to transmit and receive command data between a single UAV and the ground control station. Communicates with the Command Datalink UAV Transceiver at distances up to 3 miles. Interfaces with 1 Safety Pilot Box, 1 Operational Pilot Workstation Computer, and up to 10 Sensor Payload Operator Workstation Computers that are communicating with the same UAV.
1 per UAV
$300
Video Datalink Ground Receiver
Signal amplifier and pair of omni-directional antennas mounted on a collapsible tripod used to receive video data from a single sensor payload. Communicates with the Video Datalink UAV Transmitter at distances up to 3 miles. Interfaces with 1 Sensor Payload Operator Workstation Computer.
1 per sensor payload
$400
Shelter/Trailer Essentially a mobile office and workshop, this will provide the desk space for the workstations outlined above, as well as room to transport the aircraft, tools, fuel, generators, and other ancillary equipment. Shelters are available in different sizes to accommodate your team’s particular UAS configuration. The size is indicated by the number of UAV Racks that can be installed within the Shelter. A single UAV Rack can hold either two UAVs that are 5 feet or less in length or one UAV that is 10 feet or less in length. There are three shelter models available:
The Streamline Shelter model supports 1 UAV Rack.
1 per sUAS
$12,000 Streamline
$14,000
Fleet
$16,000 Armada
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Component Description Required Quantity
Per Item Cost
The Fleet Shelter model supports 2 UAV Racks.
The Armada Shelter model supports 3 UAV Racks.
Operating Personnel
The humans required to operate the sUAS including the pilot, payload operator, and others. You will identify your crew needs based on your sUAS design.
See section “sUAS Operational Personnel Requirements”
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Additional UAV/UAS Equipment Catalog Following are the other components which you may select from in order to complete your sUAS.
Table 5. Description of UAV components.
Component Description Dimensions LxWxH (inches)
Weight Required Quantity
Per Item Cost
Video Datalink UAV Transmitter
The device which transmits the video captured by the payload to the ground control station. Wired to a single sensor payload. Communicates with a single Video Datalink Ground Receiver. Install at least 18 inches from other antennas. Consumes 0.4 Watts. Variable input voltage 5V to 24V.
1.0 x 1.0 x 0.5 (interior) 0.25 x 0.25 x 3.00 (exterior)
0.05 lb 1 per sensor payload
$200
Command Datalink UAV Tranceiver
The device which sends and receives the communication signals between the FCS and the pilot in the Ground Station. Communicates with a single Command Datalink Ground Tranceiver. Install at least 18 inches from other antennas. Consumes 0.3 Watts. Variable input voltage 5V to 24V.
3.0 x 2.0 x .0.5 (interior) 0.25 x 0.25 x 5.00 (exterior)
0.10 lb 1 per UAV
$300
Onboard Video Recorder
The optional device records the video should you choose to store it on-board for later review rather than transmitting the data live. Alternative to Video Datalink. Consumes 0.3 Watts. Variable input voltage 5V to 24V.
5.0 x 4.0 x 2.0 (interior)
0.35 lb 1 per sensor payload
$600
Flight Control System
The system which actually controls the aircraft and communicates with the pilot in the ground station. This system will be provided to you. Consumes 0.1 Watts. Variable input voltage 5V to 24V. Functionality includes:
GPS navigation and telemetry for operating the vehicle and payload.
Ability to relay sensor payload commands (pan, tilt, zoom) from ground control station, and ability to implement repetitive sensor payload command routines (e.g. sweeping pan back and forth) .
4.0 x 2.0 x 0.5 0.10 lb 1 per UAV
$2,000
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Component Description Dimensions LxWxH (inches)
Weight Required Quantity
Per Item Cost
Autonomous flight controls can include capabilities to fly a pre-programmed fight path (waypoint following) as well as the ability for the ‘operational pilot’ to update aircraft flight patterns in real-time during the mission.
Fuel tank Holds the fuel. Shape and size determined by your team to fit within the airframe and hold sufficient fuel.
Either COTS solution with characteristics provided by vendor or custom design by team with characteristics determined by team analysis.
Batteries Choose light-weight batteries to supply enough energy to the various UAV components included in your sUAS design. Note that if you have selected a “gasoline” engine, you will need to provide ignition power.
COTS solution. Characteristics provided by vendor.