Coaxial UAV tier 2

Project Goal: Design and manufacture a coaxial rotor head assembly that will integrate with a Tier-2 UAV.

Few unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are designed with commercial or industrial applications in mind, and those that do serve a singular purpose, such as photography or lidar. The team designed and built a drivetrain for a UAV versatile enough to accept a myriad of sensors and equipment for use in commercial sectors. An additional concern was improving UAV safety. Tail rotors are one of the most common sources of failures.

The Coaxial Tier-2 UAV rotor head had to fit the constraints of a Tier-2 UAV: weigh less than 55pounds, operate at no higher than 400 feet above ground level, and fly no faster than 100miles per hour. The design used a coaxial rotor system and a continuously variable transmission that varied the speed of the top and bottom rotors, allowing the UAV to yaw without a tail rotor. Lightweight 7075 aluminum alloy and nylon carbon fiber parts were used to increase payload potential and fuel efficiency.

The coaxial rotor head assembly offers greater performance and versatility compared to competitive designs.