Design and development of an I-shaped UAV

Design, development and fabrication of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) otherwise known in practice as drone is described. The special configuration involves an I-shaped design with propellers fixed onto either side of the chassis. This design accounts for thermal stability encountered by UAVs during flight. The scheme involving this UAV model provides an effective solution for higher thrust generation than the conventional options currently available. As a part of the process covering detail design, a software-based analysis to act as validation for the model was carried out. A significant finding of the model refers to vastly enhanced hover stability across line-of-sight heights. One of the specific outcomes of the model pertains to its capability for solving problems related to narrow range of manoeuvrability. This is achieved owing to its narrow framework-based architecture. It is also being reported that installation of fins on the electronic speed controller (ESC) leads to temperature reduction of approximately 50oC. Deflection of 3 mm was observed on the propellers while applying equal loads to all the propellers. The key design aspects are the I-shaped contour, material selection for the main frame and incorporation of overlapping propellers. The benefits accruing from such a design are space efficiency and superior turning speed.