Development of autonomy in fly-by-wire aircraft has long been limited to multi-million dollar systems, or large remotely operated vehicles due to regulatory restrictions and the difficulty of designing a system around existing light aircraft. This report summarises the development of an experimental, optionally piloted aircraft with the capability of fully autonomous decision making and controlled flight. Particular time is spent discussing the safety features of the mechanical and electrical systems, as well as a novel control system design for light aircraft autopilots. This phase of the project included independant ground tests of all electromechanical systems, and simulator tests of all autoflight software. The next phase of the project will include flight testing.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Henson, Killian Ceara
• Cyganski, Nicholas Charles
• Nadel, Erik Ilan
• Xu, Keshuai
• Gillette, Benjamin Kanzler

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042717-143558

Award

• Provost's MQP Award

Advisor

• Ciaraldi, Michael J.
• Looft, Fred J.

Year

• 2017

Sponsor

• Autonomous Cargo Aircraft Project

Date created

• 2017-04-27

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Robotics Engineering
• Computer Science
• Interdisciplinary

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2023-01-20