Ph.D. Thesis Proposal: Lee Whitcher

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Event Details
  • Date/Time:
    • Monday August 7, 2017 - Tuesday August 8, 2017
      9:00 am - 10:59 am
  • Location: Montgomery Knight Room 317
  • Phone:
  • URL:
  • Email:
  • Fee(s):
    N/A
  • Extras:
Contact
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Summaries

Summary Sentence: “Design Considerations for the Control and Performance Optimization of a VTOL UAV Using the Coanda Effect”

Full Summary: No summary paragraph submitted.

PhD Thesis Proposal by

Lee Whitcher

(Advisor: Dr. Eric N. Johnson)

Monday, August 7th, 2017 @ 9am
Montgomery-Knight Building, Room 317

“Design Considerations for the Control and Performance Optimization of a VTOL UAV Using the Coanda Effect”

Abstract:

The Coanda effect is a phenomenon of fluid dynamics whereby a jet exhibits a strong tendency to become attached to, and flow around, a nearby surface. Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) utilizing the Coanda effect for lift generation have a number of potential benefits, including: (a) the creation of a large aerodynamically-neutral payload/systems bays, (b) a high payload-carrying ability for its size, and (c) the use of an enclosed rotor, enabling it to withstand contact with its surroundings.

Coanda effect UAVs have undergone some study, but remain a largely under-investigated and certainly un-optimized VTOL configuration. This proposed research aims to address this by:

  • Developing a physics-based model for the aircraft’s flight dynamics
  • Developing a robust flight controller for hover and low-speed flight
  • Developing analytical and numerical methods to predict performance characteristics
  • Incorporating this knowledge into an optimization strategy for maximizing the aircraft’s potential as a safer VTOL UAV for use in urban and otherwise challenging environments
  • Validating all of the above works with experimental data gained from static and flight tests

Committee:
Dr. Eric N. Johnson, School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Dr. Daniel P. Schrage, School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Dr. J.V.R. Prasad, School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Dr. Magnus Egerstedt, School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Dr. Tony J. Dodd, Dept.of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield (UK)
Dr. Suraj Unnikrishnan, Lockheed Martin Sikorsky

Additional Information

In Campus Calendar
Yes
Groups

School of Aerospace Engineering

Invited Audience
Faculty/Staff, Public, Graduate students, Undergraduate students
Categories
Seminar/Lecture/Colloquium
Keywords
aerospace engineering
Status
  • Created By: Margaret Ojala
  • Workflow Status: Published
  • Created On: Jul 31, 2017 - 9:21am
  • Last Updated: Jul 31, 2017 - 9:22am