- #1
TheArrow
- 8
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- TL;DR Summary
- Planning to build a model aircraft, looking for feedback
Hello Everyone,
I'm planning on designing a model aircraft that would be powered by an Arduino and electric motor. I'm interested in pursuing an aerospace degree and I figured the best way to get a headstart would be be to dive right into a project. This is also probably overthinking/overdoing it, but I want to get in the mindset of "thinking" like an engineer.
Thinking aloud, if anyone actually knows what they're doing, by all means correct me or give ideas:
For Step 2, a question that comes to mind off the top of my head would be whether the bottom of the fuselage counts as a lift surface when doing calculations pertaining to surface area (assuming this will be a cantilever wing monoplane design). So the bottom of the wing will be flush with the bottom of the fuselage.
Anyways, that's all I have for now. I'll update this thread with progress as I go along.
I'm planning on designing a model aircraft that would be powered by an Arduino and electric motor. I'm interested in pursuing an aerospace degree and I figured the best way to get a headstart would be be to dive right into a project. This is also probably overthinking/overdoing it, but I want to get in the mindset of "thinking" like an engineer.
Thinking aloud, if anyone actually knows what they're doing, by all means correct me or give ideas:
- Since I have a payload in mind (i.e. the Arduino board, the power supply, servos, etc.), I have to ballpark how much thrust the prop will need to generate to move the aircraft. From playing around with the industry standard design simulator, Kerbal Space Program, I'm looking at this similarly to Delta-V. A rocket needs to provide sufficient Delta-V to lift the payload and the mass of the rocket to fulfill whatever mission objectives are laid out for the payload.
- Design an airframe around the motor and other components with sufficient lift to make the plane do plane things.
- Design a controller to do pilot things.
For Step 2, a question that comes to mind off the top of my head would be whether the bottom of the fuselage counts as a lift surface when doing calculations pertaining to surface area (assuming this will be a cantilever wing monoplane design). So the bottom of the wing will be flush with the bottom of the fuselage.
Anyways, that's all I have for now. I'll update this thread with progress as I go along.