This project centered on the optimization of a quadcopter airframe for enhanced reliability, manufacturing efficiency, and design for excellence (DFX) within the UAV/Aviation sector. The comprehensive approach involved conducting a trade study to gather crucial customer feedback regarding past flight failures, common assembly difficulties, and potential areas for improvement. Additionally, vehicle subsystems were thoroughly evaluated…
This project by ALTEN Technology focused on optimizing the WAVY sTe Quadcopter airframe for enhanced reliability, simplified manufacturing, and improved design for excellence (DFX). The team conducted thorough trade studies, incorporating customer feedback on flight failures and assembly challenges to target a modular design that significantly reduced maintenance needs and boosted overall reliability. Key achievements included modifying payload interface subassemblies to reduce their mass by 23 percent, managing fuselage redesigns for next-generation drones to achieve greater modularity, and optimizing the airframe design in preparation for FAA type certification for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. Advanced engineering techniques, such as destructive composite testing and finite element analysis, were employed to characterize system strength and ensure robust performance.