M. Nakadate, T. Kohno, M. Okuyama

R&D on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems being conducted at JAXA is presented with emphasis on Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) type and its flight tests. Since Japan is a country subject to various and numerous natural disasters, earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons, etc., a series of fact-finding surveys among those organizations concerned about disasters, including local governments, was conducted to find potential needs in disaster related missions for UAVs. Based on UAV technologies at JAXA as well as fact-finding surveys mentioned above, the UAV system is for disaster monitoring mission and comprises of LTA as well as fixed-wing. Experimental vehicles of both types were manufactured to verify key technologies and flight tests were conducted on the LTA flying test bed in August and December of 2007. The test bed was 14 m long with a hull volume of around 120 m³, and powered by twin 2-stroke-cycle reciprocating gasoline engines that drove ducted propellers. The ducted propellers mounted on both sides of the gondola could tilt up and down as the SPF-2 low altitude stationary flight test vehicle for stratospheric platform airship project in Japan. Flight control and guidance system was basically similar to that in the SPF-2 and the vehicle could fly autonomous. Based on the lessons learned from SPF-2 flight tests in 2004, way points (WPs) for station-keeping/ observation in windy conditions were arranged in a figure eight with four vertices, top right, top left, bottom right, and bottom left, and its top and bottom sides in wind direction. The vehicle traced the figure eight without being blown leeward excessively. The vehicle succeeded in autonomous hovering flights and conducted simulated automatic landing trials onto an imaginary surface 50 m AGL (above ground level). The vehicle also conducted mission experiments on a long range image transmission system, a "sensor node rescue communicator" that dynamically creates information gathering and communications infrastructures over disaster stricken areas, and a stereo camera for 30 information.

7th International Airship Convention 2008, Friedrichshafen

Conference Paper

englisch

21,0 x 29,7 cm, 7 Seiten

DGLR-Bericht, 2008, 2008-03, 7th International Airship Convention 2008 - Proceedings; S.1-7; 2008; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt - Lilienthal-Oberth e.V., Bonn

NA

in getr. Zählung;

airship

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2008