UAV concept

The uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) concept is a complex design and manufacturing challenge that provides a shareable testbed to demonstrate AMRC’s world-class capabilities and how they can be applied and linked through a digital thread.

The uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) concept is a complex design and manufacturing challenge that provides a shareable testbed to demonstrate AMRC’s world-class capabilities and how they can be applied and linked through a digital thread.

Challenge

The AMRC’s UAV design concept aims to:

• Combine two key features – VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) and point-to-point speed and efficiency – in a single UAV model.
• Make the airframe as light as possible to achieve the operational goals of the UAV, such as stronger flight control and ability to carry payloads.
• Incorporate features that result in enhanced safety of operation when operating in proximity to people and objects.
• Look visually appealing and demonstrate the calibre of AMRC’s design and manufacturing research capabilities.

Innovation

The demonstrator utilises vectoring, enclosed fan units in conjunction with fixed wings – enabling both VTOL and point-to-point mode and incorporates relevant features required for operation, which are mirrored in a digital model. This digital twin allows:

• a two-way flow of data between the digital and physical models, enabling validation of both evaluation and simulation of flight scenarios before committing to a design or operational change;
• feedback to compare the physical part with the simulated element; a small physical element can then be assumed to represent the whole finished UAV. 

It incorporates Hardware in the Loop system validation (HIL) testing, enabling full implementation of the digital thread approach to the design and manufacture. Siemens NX, Siemens Amesim and Siemens Teamcenter software are used among other interchangeable platforms to facilitate information exchange.

Future impact

The AMRC’s design concept exemplifies the potential for innovation in the field of UAV technology, and highlights how advanced manufacturing can help tackle design complexities to achieve commonly requested UAV capabilities for use in a range of missions such as logistics and environmental monitoring.

The single wing demonstrator showcases how integrating model-based design with software and hardware components can help rapid design and validation of a complex system.

Over the next few years, the AMRC will use the UAV demonstrator as a learning vehicle to develop and refine its expertise on digital thread – in turn addressing the significant real-world design and manufacturing challenge of taking the UAV from a conceptual model to a flying demonstrator.