Design Optimizationand Strength Analysis of a Heavy-duty Quadrotor UAV

Abstract

The structure design of the unmanned air vehicle(UAV) with multiple rotors is an important process for UAV development. The structure optimization design method is the key for flight safety and performance. A heavy-duty quad-rotor UAV is designed according to the performance requirements that is foldable, light weight, high strength and 10 kg’s effective payload. The finite element model of the quad-rotor structure is established. Static and buckling analysis of the UAV arm and central plate are carried out based on the actual loading cases. The layer structures of the arm and central plate are optimized. The strength, stiffness and stability of the UAV are verified. An UAV static test platform is built, and the structure static loading test is completed. Results show that compared with the initial layout of the layer structures, the weight of the arms drops by 43%, and the weight of the central plate drops by 35%. The weight of the UAV structure drops by 560 grams. The lowest weight requirement is achieved. The strain relative error between the test value and the analysis value is less than 15%. The reliability of the UAV finite element model and the optimized layer structures are verified.

Keywords

• quadrotor
• uav
• structure design
• composite material
• optimization