Unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) are revolutionizing the way we explore our global environment. Whether it's to monitor severe weather events or used in a military operation, these machines and the components that operate them are changing the way we approach flight. In his book, Designing Unmanned Aircraft Systems: A Comprehensive Approach, Jay Gundlach investigates all elements of UAS design, including architectural options, and design drivers across diverse systems classes. As the most authoritative single reference on UAS design, the book provides readers a solid understanding of the end-to-end unmanned aircraft system and gain a deeper appreciation for the multidisciplinary nature of UAS design.Topics Discussed Approach for developing competitive, balanced unmanned aircraft systems through a multidisciplinary systems philosophy Extensive survey and analysis of unmanned aircraft launch and recovery techniques, along with selection and design processes Communication systems Derivations of electric aircraft performance equations Overview of mission planning system and control station software functionality Design of aircraft geometry and payload placement Overview of ground control station types and functionality Cost analysis Special Features Equations with solutions at the chapter level Graphics such as line drawings, plots, and images illustrate the problem formulation, communicate data, or highlight system design features Use of examples Case histories
About the AuthorJay Gundlach is the Director of Conceptual Design at Aurora Flight Sciences, headquartered in Manassas, Virginia. He earned his Ph.D. in aerospace engineering with graduate research in aircraft multidisciplinary design optimization. Prior to working for Aurora Flight Sciences, Gundlach served as Vice President of Advanced Development for Insitu, Inc., where he led the development of the RQ-21A Integrator UAS. He helped develop 17 different UASs at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory as a contractor.
Book InformationISBN 9781600868436
Author Jay GundlachFormat Hardback
Page Count 805
Imprint American Institute of Aeronautics & AstronauticsPublisher American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics