Upgrading performance of a SUAV system via synchronous and indeterminate redesign of propulsion, control surface, autonomous flight systems

In this article the effect of multi-objective synchronous and indeterminate redesign on a small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) system having liquid-fuel powered piston-prop propulsion system by using its propulsion system, its control system (i.e., elevator and aileron), and its autonomous flight system (AFS) for enhancement of both autonomous flight performance (AFP) and general flight performance (GFP) is investigated. For this consideration a piston-prop SUAV is built up in Erciyes University Drone Laboratory (ERUDL) and called as Erciyes-Qtar-piston-prop-SUAV. Its control surface system variables (i.e., area ratios of elevator and aileron), propulsion system variables (i.e., fuel mass/total mass, propeller pitch, and propeller rotational speed) and AFS variables (i.e., coefficients of relevant PID controllers) can be varied before starting the flight with regard to the results of multi-objective synchronous and indeterminate redesign stage satisfying maximization of both AFP and GFP. An indeterminate optimization concept (i.e. constrained simultaneous perturbation stochastical approximation: c-SPSA) is implemented as well for this intention. Resulted redesign variables are implemented during creating simulation environment of autonomous flight for our piston-prop SUAV. The most important contribution of this research is implementation of multi-objective synchronous and indeterminate redesign concept meanwhile finding optimum values of control surface system, propulsion system, and AFS. Another crucial contribution of this research is application of c-SPSA optimization methodology for the previously stated purpose. These important contributions cause satisfactory fuel economy and clean sky. Additionally, nearly % 24 upgrade in total cost index, % 40 upgrade in autonomous cost index and % 8 upgrade in general flight cost index are found for this relevant piston-prop SUAV with regard to the condition in which multi-objective synchronous and indeterminate redesign concept is not applied.