Composite Construction of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to develop an understanding of composite construction while building a systematic manufacturing and assembly process for the construction of an all-composite Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. This thesis in intended for both beginners and advanced composite builders and documents the entire construction of a molded composite aircraft from CAD to Runway.

Several processes are discussed including CNC Plug Milling and Foam Cutting, Wet Lay-up, Tooling Manufacturing and Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM - Infusion). Materials extensively used such as polyester resin/MEKP, gel coat, random directional matting, and carbon reinforcement are presented in an illustrated "how-to" approach to building.