Design, Construction and Testing of a Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Platform for Agricultural Surveillance: Propulsion System

ME Project Study II iv

ABSTRACT
Designing a propulsion system with high energy density but less weight
is difficult to achieved, since weight is one of the main problem. Recent
developments in battery and motor technology have seen an upsurge in the
utility and performance of electric small unmanned aerial vehicle. This thesis
considers the design of such configuration from an overall propulsive, and
energy perspective.
A prototype system was constructed with an electric propulsion system.
The selected propulsion systems for the small unmanned aerial vehicle are
Turnigy D2836/8 Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) Outrunner Motor with a
power rating of 336W, Hobbyking 30C Electronic Speed Controller 3A UBEC,
Turnigy 5000mAh 3S LiPo battery pack and 10x4.5 SF Black Counter
Rotating Propeller.
The system was tested using the constructed test rig and the results
show that 10x4.5 SF Black Counter Rotating Propeller produced the
maximum thrust of 1.201 kg
f
or equivalent to 11.782N at full throttle among
other propellers where it exceeds the drag force(>3.35046N=341.54 grams)
of the selected designed.
In terms of endurance, the selected battery is a two Turnigy 5000mAh
3S LiPo battery pack weighting 404 grams and has energy density of 494.55
kilojoule per kilogram, which can last for 33.33 minutes.