International Journal of Unmanned Design of UAV for Aerial Photography

Systems Engineering (IJUSEng)

Research Article
IJUSEng – 2015, Vol. 3, No. 3, 40-49
http://dx.doi.org/10.14323/ijuseng.2015.12

Design and Flight Test of a Medium Range UAV

for Aerial Photography
Dewi Anggraeni , Dony Hidayat, AM Pramutadi, ?? Mujtahid
and Arifin Rasyadi.
National Institute of Aeronautics and Space
Aviation Technology Centre, Bogor, Indonesia.

Abstract: Anggraeni D, Hidayat D, Pramutadi AM, Mujtahid ?? and

Rasyadi A. (2015). Design and flight test of a medium range UAV for
aerial photography. International Journal of Unmanned Systems
Engineering. 3(3): 40-49. UAV-based remote sensing for supporting Keywords:
environmental forestry planning, ecosystem preservation, and Aerodynamics
agricultural planning has great potential in Indonesia. Wherefore it is Aerial photography
Ecosystem
necessary to develop a UAV for these applications. The development preservation
of a medium range UAV have been conducted at LAPAN (National UAV
Institute of Aeronautics and Space). The aircraft was designed with a Remote sensing
wing span of 5.5 meters and payload capacity of 30 kg, considered to
be an optimum solution for aerial photography. In this study, the
design activities included comparisons to an existing aircraft to
determine initial sizing for the UAV. A pusher high-wing twin-boom
aircraft was chosen because of its enhanced stability. Aerodynamic
analysis of the wing was conducted using a four method calculation to
obtain the design configuration. Wing structural strength was
analyzed, and then an appropriate engine–propeller configuration for
the UAV power generation was selected. Flight tests were successful
and UAV performance was confirmed. Results show that the new
medium range UAV concept can be applied to realize long endurance
flight for aerial photography missions.
© Marques Engineering Ltd.

I. INTRODUCTION
The role of geographic information system technology is important in environmental
forestry development planning. One benefit of this technology is the capability to plan for
forest and land rehabilitation in order to anticipate deforestation and land degradation.
Remote sensing data is effective in determining the parameters of deforestation and land
degradation [1]. Remote sensing technology with
high spatial resolution is expected to be used for
Correspondence mapping forest areas, specifically locations must
National Institute of Aeronautics & Space be protected from increased development so that
Aviation Technology Center ecosystem preservation in coastal areas can be
Bogor realized [2]. Remote sensing using UAVs must
Indonesia
dewi.anggraeni@lapan.go.id
achieve cost-effectiveness, fast production, ease

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International Journal of Unmanned Design of UAV for Aerial Photography
Systems Engineering (IJUSEng)

of operation by local staff, and good geometry accuracy (sub-meter) during the remote
sensing process [3]. For the development of Indonesia it is imperative to develop a UAV for
remote sensing [4].
This research was carried out at the Aviation Technology Centre LAPAN, with the aim of
designing a Medium Range UAV platform and manufacturing a scale sized UAV prototype.
The main objectives were to develop a medium range of UAV capable of carrying 30 kg of
payload. On the first year, configuration and sizing were conducted and also the engine and
propeller selection process was completed. In the following year, the structure was analyzed
and also aerodynamic analysis using wind tunnel testing was carried out to confirm the
performance of the design configuration. By the end of 2014 flight tests were conducted
successfully.

II. DESIGN OF A MEDIUM RANGE OF UAV

Goal of the Project
The general requirement is to develop a utility unmanned platform that is reliable, robust
and safe, that can be operated with minimum support, and which is able to carry out low
speed low altitude observation missions carrying on board electro-optic devices.

Aircraft Sizing
The sizing of the aircraft was carried out using a comparison method. Several existing
aircraft (Yabhon-H, Chacal, Skyblade IV, Acturus T-20) were used as a base of comparison
to determine the initial sizing for the aircraft. Initial weight sizing was performed with the help
of a method described in the literature [5]. The method, with the input of several parameters
and iteration, gives a result of 75 kg for the initial weight sizing. There empty weight was
31.37 kg, fuel weight was 13.77 kg and payload weight was 29.99 kg. The geometrical sizing
for the aircraft was carried out by variation of wing loading and speed for several lift
coefficients (cl); Fig. 1.

Fig. 1: Baseline design value for wing loading

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International Journal of Unmanned Design of UAV for Aerial Photography
Systems Engineering (IJUSEng)

From Fig. 1 a design point is chosen. Therefore, to fly at a speed of 100 kph (28 m/s) and
with the assumption for cl of 0.533 the wing loading is about 229 N/m2. Then, by combining
the initial weight and the wing loading parameter, the wing area shall be 3.22 m2.

Aircraft Configuration
The configuration chosen for the aircraft is a pusher high-wing twin-boom aircraft. This
configuration is common among various UAVs and gives a good “clean” front area in the
aircraft that can be utilized to install various payloads without any interference. A high wing
aircraft gives better stability which is needed for an aircraft with the present objective. The
placement of the engine in the back of the aircraft with a pusher layout provides better center
of gravity placement; whereby, the twin boom is the result of placing the engine in a pusher
layout in the middle of the aircraft. The front of the fuselage is reserved for the installation of
various devices needed to support the mission. With good center of gravity placement and
good stability, the task of observation can be performed effectively. The center of gravity
placement also gives the flexibility to interchange devices without major changes to the
aircraft. The wing incorporates one pair of ailerons and two pairs of flaps. The flaps are
utilized during takeoff and landing. The flaps are also used during low speed observation
flight. Both the aileron and flap have a plain configuration. The boom is connected to the mid
wing. At the end of the tail boom lies the vertical tail. The horizontal tail is connected to both
tail booms. The landing gear is attached to the fuselage in a fixed tricycle layout.

III. AERODYNAMICS PERFORMANCE

From a wide selection of airfoils analyzed, the NACA 4415 was selected. Selection was
based on the needs of cl, ease of fabrication, and a requirement to incorporate high-lift
devices in the wings. Wind tunnel testing for various angles of attack (α) was conducted to
determine the performance of the wing designed. The results of wind tunnel tests were then
compared with the results of simulation using Datcom software and XFLR5 software, and
also to analytical calculations based on Raymer’s book [5], as shown in Fig. 2. Maximum α of
the wind tunnel test results was 12 deg, the same as the results of simulations using
Datcom, however in the graphic (Fig. 2) the slope of wind tunnel test result showed that from
an angle of 6 deg cl diverges from a linear trend. This indicates that the test model was not a
rigid body and caused large deflection at the wing and it will be noted in future research.
While the slope of the wind tunnel test data diverges compared to other lines after α of 6
deg, generally all lines showed identical slope.

IV. AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE

Structural Analysis
The UAV was constructed using glass fiber reinforced plastic and carbon fiber reinforced
plastic. The frame is shown in Fig. 3. The final weights are shown in Table 1, and the total
mass is less than 48 kg. Generally, for this prototype, the overweight was 34% of the total
weight [6,7]. This indicates that the assembly process was dominant and should be reduced to
improve structural performance in the design of the UAV. Analysis using Finite Element
Method (FEM) was conducted to ensure that each airframe structure was capable to
withstanding the applied load.

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International Journal of Unmanned Design of UAV for Aerial Photography
Systems Engineering (IJUSEng)

Fig. 2: Comparison graphic cl calculation with different methods

Fig. 3: Design of medium range of UAV

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International Journal of Unmanned Design of UAV for Aerial Photography
Systems Engineering (IJUSEng)

Table 1: Weight of components

Mass Mass
Component (design) (manfacture)
No
Breakdown
[kg] [kg]

1 Fuselage 3.27 7.30

2 Fuselage Cap 0.44 0.55
3 Inner Wing + insert 5.00 11.34
4 Outer Wing-left 5.00 5.90
5 Outer Wing-right 5.00 6.00
6 Tail Boom-right 1.68 1.05
7 Tail Boom-left 1.68 1.05
8 Right Vertical Tail 1.00 1.40
9 Left Vertical Tail 1.00 1.30
10 Horizontal Tail 3.00 3.25
11 Main Landing Gear 2.82 2.55
12 Right Wheel 1.61 2.24
13 Left Wheel 1.61 2.24
14 Nose Landing Gear 0.64 0.35
15 Nose Wheel 1.61 1.15

Total 35.35 47.67

The wing skin was constructed using WR 185 E-glass fiber and epoxy resin Bakelite EPR
174 with fiber directions at ± 45 deg. The spar was built from UD 300 carbon fiber material
and resin Bakelite EPR 174. From the tensile test performed, the strength of fiber composite
material E-glass was 119 MPa and 771 MPa for carbon fiber. The analysis found that the
stresses that occur in every airframe structural components are still under the material failure
strenght (Fig. 4). This shows that the component considered is capable of withstanding the
maximum force of varying stress.

V. ENGINE AND PROPELLER SELECTION

Choosing an engine involves several considerations such as twin tail boom pusher
configuration, propeller fixed pitch effect, propeller ground clearance, and engine operation
at mission profile. A thrust requirement was established to select suitable engine and
propeller. From the design configuration data (Table 2) the thrust needed is 294 N and the
ground clearance of the aircraft is suitable for a propeller of 28 inch to preserve it from
sweeping the ground. Engine power shaft is determined to generate minimum power
required by the UAV to select the proper engine available in the market. It is necessary to
define the thrust to weight ratio coefficient for low loading and high loading, then calculate
the thrust force and thrust coefficient for both loading conditions and, lastly, determine the
total efficiency of the propeller to deliver the engine power shaft. See Table 2 for the UAV’s
engine shaft power calculation data input and Table 3 for the UAV’s engine shaft power data
output. From the three-step process of determining and calculation, the required power to
turn the propeller with 28 inch x 12 inch dimension at heavy loading condition is 18

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International Journal of Unmanned Design of UAV for Aerial Photography
Systems Engineering (IJUSEng)

horsepower. At a light loading condition of 11.2 hp, the propeller met the requirement of
weight to power ratio at cruise. Therefore, we could conclude that the UAV needs an engine
that can supply a minimum power of 18 hp [8].

Fig. 4: Finite element results for the wing

Table 2. UAV’s engine shaft power calculation - Input data

INPUT Value Units

Max Take Off Weight (MTOW) 75 kg

Max Cruising Speed 33.3 (65) m/s (kts)
Target : Weight to Power (W/P) Ratio 65.76 at static sea – level
cruise
Propeller Radius (Dimension: 30 x 12) 38.1 cm
Propeller Efficiency 0.85 literature
(T/W) Ratio at Take – Off 0.4
(T/W) Ratio at Cruise 0.3
Thrust coefficient at Take-Off 0.94
Thrust coefficient at Cruise 0.68
Viscous Efficiency at Take-Off 0.35
Viscous Efficiency at Cruise 0.85 literature
Thrust (T) at Take – Off 294 N
Thrust (T) at Cruise 212 N
Density of Air (sea level) 1.225 kg/m³
Max Cruising Speed (Airspeed) 33.43 m/s

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International Journal of Unmanned Design of UAV for Aerial Photography
Systems Engineering (IJUSEng)

Table 3: UAV’s engine shaft power calculation - Output data

OUTPUT Value Units

Power at Heavy Loading 13.358 Watts

18 hp
Power at Light Loading 8356 Watts
11.2 hp
Weight to Power (W/P) Ratio 65.65

VI. FLIGHT TESTS

Flight tests were conducted succesfully in the morning of a sunny day by the end of the
year 2014, precisely on 22nd December 2014. Flight tests were conducted on a grass type
runway or airfield at Pameungpeuk Beach, Garut, West Java. The flight was controlled by a
pilot on the ground using a remote wireless control system. The flight data was transmitted
by onboard autopilot module to the ground and was displayed and recorded by the ground
station.
Fig. 5 shows the prediction of take-off distance and maximum take-off weight with
variations of flap configuration [9,10]. A flight test was conducted to measure various
parameters of ground distance and loiter speed performance. The flight route of the UAV
was restricted to a small range, the radius was about 150 m. The measurement method of
ground distance at take-off consisted of using onboard instrumentation from the autopilot
module. According to data transmitted and recorded by the onboard autopilot module, the
altitude was mostly varied in the range of 150 – 230 m, and the speed ranged between 25 –
38 m/s, the average speed was 30 m/s. Fig. 6 shows the measurements of altitude and
speed at take-off. The calculated ground distance is 143 m. The takeoff profile (Fig. 6)
agreed with the prediction for take off performance (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5: Take-off performance prediction

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International Journal of Unmanned Design of UAV for Aerial Photography
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Fig. 6: Take-off profile

VII. CONCLUSIONS
This paper presents the design and flight test of a medium range UAV. The configuration
was pusher twin-tail boom, high-wing, with fixed tricycle landing gear. The UAV was mainly
constructed with glass fiber reinforced plastic and carbon fiber reinforced plastic, and was
analyzed using FEM to achieve an aircraft that withstands maximum force of varying
stresses. The NACA 4415 airfoil was selected and the characteristic cl /α were analyzed
using Datcom software, XFLR5 software, analytical calculations based on Raymer’s book [5],
and also wind tunnel tests result. The results show that cl /α curves from different method
were identical. The propeller was determined to use 28 inch x 12 inch, and the engine
required about 18 hp minimum of power. According the flight test result of take-off distance
about 143 m was similar with the take-off design consideration of 150 m in clean
configuration. It was shown that the UAV have the capability for long endurance flight. It can
be concluded that the weight of the preliminary UAV may be further reduced and the

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International Journal of Unmanned Design of UAV for Aerial Photography
Systems Engineering (IJUSEng)

aerodynamic performance may be improved to obtain better flight performance.

VIII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors wish to thank Mr. Gunawan Setyo Prabowo and Mr. Ari Sugeng B. for the
financial support for this research. Thank you also to all group members who have worked
hard to complete this research program.

IX. REFERENCES
1. Rusdiyatmoko A. (2015). Forest and land rehabilitation based on watershed
management by using remote sensing data and geographic information system (Case
study: watershed Kahayan, Central Kalimantan province). VI Congress of Indonesia
Remote Sensing Professional Community. Bogor Institute of Agriculture. P5-2.
2. Anggraini N and Hasyim B. (2015). Landsat data utilization for the analysis of spatial
northern coast of Jakarta. VI Congress of Indonesia Remote Sensing Professional
Community. Bogor Institute of Agriculture. P7-2.
3. Laily R. (2015). LAPAN: Drone more efficient for remote sensing. Antara.
http://www.antaranews.com.
4. Rokhmana CA. (2015). The potential of UAV-based remote sensing for supporting
precision agriculture in Indonesia. Procedia Environmental Sciences. 24: 245-253.
5. Raymer DP. (2012). Aircraft design: A conceptual approach. (5th ed.). American Institute
of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Reston, VA.
6. Abdurrohman K, Wandono FA and Hidayat D. (2014). Stress and analysis of LSU 05
twin tail boom using FEM. International Seminar on Aerospace Science and Technology
I. LAPAN, Tangerang. 7: 51-60.
7. Wandono FA, Ardiansyah R and Hidayat D. (2014). Failure analysis on main landing
gear frame structure LSU-05 based on Tsai-Hill failure criterion. Research and Scientific
Thought Concerning Aircraft Technology. 5: 70-85.
8. Anggraeni D, Sumaryanti AR, Sumarna E and Rahmadi A. (2014). Engine and
propeller selection for propulsion system LAPAN Surveillance UAV – 05 (LSU-05) using
analytic and experimental test. Proceedings International Seminar of Aerospace
Science and Technology II. Tangerang. 6: 41–50.
9. Ruijgrok GJJ. (2009). Elements of airplane performance. Delft Academic Press. Delft.
The Netherlands.
10. Roskam J and Lan CT. (1997). Airplane aerodynamics and performance. DAR
Corporation. Lawrence. Kansas.

X. NOTATION
AR Aspect ratio
C Chord length (m)
Cl Lift coefficient
CD Drag coefficient
CDO Zero-lift drag coefficient
E Wing efficiency factor
GPS Global Positioning System
H Altitude (ft)
L/D Lift-to-drag ratio
LAPAN Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space
LLT Lifting Line Theory

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International Journal of Unmanned Design of UAV for Aerial Photography
Systems Engineering (IJUSEng)

MAC Mean aerodynamic chord (m)

MPa Mega Pascal
MTOW Maximum take-off weight
NACA National Administrative Committee for Aeronautics
RC Radio control
Re Reynolds number
RPA Remotely piloted aircraft
S Wing area (m2)
T/W Thrust to weight ratio
UAV Unmanned aerial vehicle
UD Unidirectional
VLM Vortex Lattice Method
W/P Weight to power ratio
W/S Wing loading (kg/m2)
WR Woven roofing
X, Y Cartesian coordinates

α Angle of attack (°)

ρ Air density (kg/m3)

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