UAV Tail Boom Reuse for Faster Design Qualification
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high non-recurring design and qualification costs, as well as risks, associated with new Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), especially man-rated UAVs, are significant and require a cost-effective and risk-mitigating approach.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing tail boom assemblies from pre-existing aircraft designs, particularly from qualified man-rated helicopter designs, to reduce design and certification efforts and costs by mechanically coupling them with a fuselage and tail boom couplers in UAVs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If new UAV designs are developed from scratch, then design flexibility and customization are improved, but design and certification costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV is divided into segments: new custom components (fuselage, payload systems) and pre-existing proven components (tail boom assemblies from qualified aircraft). This segmentation allows customization where needed while leveraging proven designs to reduce costs.
Solution Approach 2:
Tail boom assemblies are procured from pre-existing aircraft designs that have already undergone qualification and certification processes. This preliminary action of using pre-qualified components eliminates the need to repeat expensive certification testing for these components.
2Reliability
If new UAV designs are developed from scratch, then performance optimization is improved, but certification time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Tail boom assemblies from pre-existing qualified aircraft designs have already completed certification processes. By incorporating these pre-certified components, the new UAV design inherits their certification status, dramatically reducing the time required for regulatory approval.
Solution Approach 2:
Proven tail boom assemblies are copied from existing qualified aircraft designs. These copied components retain their certification status and proven reliability, allowing the new UAV to achieve certification faster while maintaining performance standards.
3Adaptability or versatility
If new UAV designs are developed from scratch, then design innovation is improved, but risks associated with new design increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design is segmented into innovative new components and proven existing components. The tail boom assemblies from qualified aircraft provide a proven, low-risk foundation while allowing innovation in other areas of the UAV design.
Solution Approach 2:
Pre-existing qualified tail boom assemblies act as intermediaries between the new UAV design requirements and proven aircraft design standards. They provide a bridge that reduces risk while enabling design innovation in other system areas.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein describe UAVs that utilize tail boom assemblies from pre-existing aircraft designs as lift generating elements. In one embodiment, a UAV includes a fuselage having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a first tail boom coupler disposed at the first end, and a second tail boom coupler disposed at the second end. Each of the first tail boom coupler and the second tail boom coupler are configured to mechanically couple with a plurality of tail boom assemblies procured from a pre-existing aircraft design.