<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The paper contains a description of a novel approach to the load spectra estimation applied to UAVs. The authors have developed a number of tools in the LabVIEW environment enabling an in-depth analysis of flight-log data. One major achievement was the separation of the load spectra induced by steering and the load spectra induced by turbulence. The authors have shown a significant influence of both of the main load sources on the fatigue life of the UAV airframe, calculated based on the P-M hypothesis. This approach to fatigue testing of composite UAV airframes needs to take into account the rate of load variations as these may affect the fatigue life of tested structures. The paper presents several schemes of calculation algorithms and a number of well-illustrated examples of the tests and investigations results.</p></abstract>

The paper contains a description of a novel approach to the load spectra estimation applied to UAVs. The authors have developed a number of tools in the LabVIEW environment enabling an in-depth analysis of flight-log data. One major achievement was the separation of the load spectra induced by steering and the load spectra induced by turbulence. The authors have shown a significant influence of both of the main load sources on the fatigue life of the UAV airframe, calculated based on the P-M hypothesis. This approach to fatigue testing of composite UAV airframes needs to take into account the rate of load variations as these may affect the fatigue life of tested structures. The paper presents several schemes of calculation algorithms and a number of well-illustrated examples of the tests and investigations results.

Investigations into Load Spectra of UAVS Aircraft

Warsaw University of Technology, Institute of Aeronautics and Applied Mechanics, Warsaw, Poland

Fatigue of Aircraft Structures

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Investigations into Load Spectra of UAVS Aircraft"}

The paper contains a description of a novel approach to the load spectra estimation applied to UAVs. The authors have developed a number of tools in the...

Investigations into Load Spectra of UAVS Aircraft

Published Online: Aug 21, 2014

Page range: 40 - 52

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fas-2013-0004

Keywords
UAV loads, load spectrum, manual control, autopilot

© 2013 Miroslaw Rodzewicz and Dominik Glowacki

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Investigations into Load Spectra of UAVS Aircraft

Published Online: Aug 21, 2014

Page range: 40 - 52

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fas-2013-0004

KeywordsUAV loads, load spectrum, manual control, autopilot

© 2013 Miroslaw Rodzewicz and Dominik Glowacki

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
UAV loads, load spectrum, manual control, autopilot