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"BTT"
UAV ready for flight.
Above
is a picture of the GPS-guided UAV that six Iowa State
students, including Sam and Ben, built in the Spring of
2002. It has an onboard computer and other electronics
for automated flight. It is powered by a 6"
ducted fan mounted in the fuselage. The airplane is
built of mostly composite materials.
Because
most of the students who were involved in this project have
graduated, very little flight testing has been done.
Here is a video of the first
flight. Although the video doesn't show it,
the UAV was unstable after takeoff and it rolled inverted
and crashed. Despite the impact speed of about 30 mph, the
airplane only had minor damage done to its nose and
tail fin. More pictures and videos are available in the downloads directory.
The
crash damage has been repaired and the stability problem
has been addressed. The UAV is currently undergoing
improvements at Homer's
Happy Hog Farm. The most recent flight testing
shows a cruise speed of 96 mph, and a takeoff speed of about
35 mph. The UAV has been crashed several more times,
but the only thing that usually breaks is the nose gear.
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BTT Specifications |
| Weight: |
18 lbs |
| Wing Span: |
79 inches |
| Length: |
67 inches |
| Engine: |
O.S. .91 DF |
| Fan: |
6" custom |
| Computer: |
386 w/XDos |
| GPS:
|
Garmin Etrex
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