A Guided Payload for Small Unmanned Aerial Systems

Abstract

Small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) have seen rapid proliferation across commercial and military sectors owing to decreased costs, improved battery life, and added functionality via attachments. A common use case of such drones is delivery. Current delivery implementations from companies such as Zipline and Amazon require drones to land or use parachutes, leading to increased energy usage or decreased precision, respectively. This project seeks to develop a small form-factor ”bolt-on” guidance system capable of independently steering a drone-launched payload towards a pre-defined destination. First, background on the problem space is presented, followed by interviews with potential users to understand system requirements. Next, the guided payload is analyzed from mechanical, electrical, and aerodynamic perspectives. Finally, aerodynamic characteristics are presented, showing that even a low-cost and un-optimized guidance system can achieve control authority and extend payload range. Overall, this project contributes towards the growing trend of small drone add-ons in a low size, weight, & power (SWaP) form factor.