Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T02:27:50.442Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Maritime flight trials of the Southampton University laser sintered aircraft–Project Albatross

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2017

A. Keane*
Affiliation:
University of Southampton, Southampton, England, United Kingdom
J. Scanlan
Affiliation:
University of Southampton, Southampton, England, United Kingdom
A. Lock
Affiliation:
University of Southampton, Southampton, England, United Kingdom
M. Ferraro
Affiliation:
University of Southampton, Southampton, England, United Kingdom
P. Spillane
Affiliation:
Maritime Warfare Centre, HMS Collingwood, United Kingdom
J. Breen
Affiliation:
AEO 700X NAS, RNAS Culdrose, United Kingdom

Abstract

As part of the ongoing development of small unmanned air systems by the University of Southampton, an all laser sintered aircraft has been test flown from the Royal Navy's ice patrol ship HMS Protector to assist with navigating through the Antarctic. These flights were carried out with pre-planned autopilot control with oversight from Andrew Lock, acting as the pilot embarked on HMS Protector. This is the first time the Royal Navy has used unmanned aerial vehicles in this part of the world. In this paper, we set out the trial reports and lessons learnt from this series of test flights.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Zhang, C. and Kovacs, J. The application of small unmanned aerial systems for precision agriculture: A review. Precisision Agriculture, 2012, 13, pp 693-712.Google Scholar
2. Adams, S. and Friedland, C. A survey of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) usage for imagery collection in disaster research and management. Proceedings of the 9th International Workshop on Remote Sensing for Disaster Response, 2011, Stanford University, Stanford California, US.Google Scholar
3. Goh, G., Agarwala, S., Goh, G., Dikshit, V., Sing, S. and Yeong, W. Additive manufacturing in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs): Challenges and potential. Aerospace Science and Technology, 2017, 63, pp 140-151.Google Scholar
4. Ahmed, N. and Page, J. Manufacture of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for advanced project design using 3D printing technology. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 2013, 397–400, pp 970-980.Google Scholar
5. Ferraro, M., Lock, A., Scanlan, J. and Keane, A. Design and flight test of a civil unmanned aerial vehicle for Marchitime patrol: The use of 3D-printed structural components. Proceedings of the 4th Aircraft Structural Design Conference, 2014, Belfast: Royal Aeronautical Society, Belfast, Ireland.Google Scholar
6. Marks, P. 3D printing: The world's first printed plane. New Scientist, 27 July 2011, 2823, pp 17-18.Google Scholar