Powered Paraglider Longitudinal Dynamic Modeling and Experimentation

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A thesis research project investigating paraglider dynamics using a nonlinear lagrangian system. Meant to identify critical parameters to powered paraglider flight, it is hoped that a greater understanding of the design, optimization, and limitation of paragliders has been established. In this way aircraft of this type can be built easier, and research can focus on other endeavors.

Abridged Abstract:

  Paragliders and similar controllable decelerators provide the benefits of a compact packable parachute with the improved glide performance and steering of a conventional wing, making them ideally suited for precise high offset payload recovery and airdrop missions. This advantage over uncontrollable conventional parachutes sparked interest from Oklahoma State University for implementation into its Atmospheric and Space Threshold Research Oklahoma (ASTRO) program, where payloads often descend into wooded areas. However, due to complications while building a powered paraglider to evaluate the concept, more research into its design parameters was deemed necessary. Focus shifted to an investigation of the effects of these parameters on the flight behavior of a powered system.
  A longitudinal dynamic model, based on Lagrange’s equation for adaptability when adding free-hanging masses, was developed to evaluate trim conditions and analyze system response. With the simulation, the effects of rigging angle, fuselage weight, center of gravity (cg), and apparent mass were calculated through step thrust input cases. Test flights evaluated the behavior of the paraglider, and the design was revised based on observations and analysis.

• Type: Thesis Research
• Date: Dec 2016
• Tags: Dynamics

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Atmospheric Profiling UAS

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Modification of a 3DR Iris+ quadcopter to create an atmospheric profile with additional sensors. The profile consisted of air and wind properties, such as temperature, humidity, pressure, speed, and direction. These were obtained by an Arduino board with a temperature-pressure-humidity sensor as well as and anemometer for wind speed. The wind direction was obtained via the tilt angles, used to orient its velocity vector to overcome any drift from the wind.

• Type: Class Project
• Date: Fall 2015
• Tags: UAS Design

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DA-100 Dynamometer

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This class project originated to identify engine performance information for an aircraft in development by Oklahoma State University at the time. To extract data a test stand was configured to mount a Desert Aircraft DA-100 with an attached/aligned DYNOmite water-brake dynamometer. My portion of the project was to document the effects of using a smaller carburetor, from the DA-60, such as an increase or decrease in fuel economy or output power.

• Type: Class Project
• Date: Spring 2015
• Tags: Propulsion / Testing

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Modified Beechcraft Baron Certification

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*Image source: http://beechcraft.txtav.com/en/baron-g58

For this project a hypothetical situation was posed where a group had modified a Beechcraft Baron 58P with equipment and sensors for oceanic storm research. My group's assignment was to develop a test plan, based on FAR 23 requirements, to ensure the modified plane was airworthy and perform the first 3 test flights on a simulator. This involved many aspects of testing, from creating a months-long program to by-the-minute (estimated) flight plans to communication strategies.

• Type: Class Project
• Date: Spring 2016
• Tags: Certification / Testing

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Karmen Vortex Street Analysis

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As a study into unsteady aerodynamics, I created an experiment to determine how closely SolidWorks' CFD analysis modeled vortex shedding. To compare simulated and physical results, a simple setup was configured with acrylic rods of differing cross-sections placed in a water tunnel individually and the water speed set to that in the CFD analysis.

For a visual representation, dye was injected into the flow, which provided a qualitative view of the vortices. To match vorticity results from the CFD cases, glass particles were placed in the water and filmed while pulsing a laser parallel to the cross-section. Using the frames from the video, a PIV analysis calculated vorticity and velocity from movement of the particles.

• Type: Class Project
• Date: Fall 2014
• Tags: Fluid Dynamics

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Speedfest

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Description of the project.

• Type: Capstone Project
• Date: May 2014
• Tags: UAS Design / Composites / Performance

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Project

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Description of the project.

• Type: Thesis Research
• Date: Dec 2016
• Tags: Dynamics

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Project

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Description of the project.

• Type: Thesis Research
• Date: Dec 2016
• Tags: Dynamics

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Project

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Description of the project.

• Type: Thesis Research
• Date: Dec 2016
• Tags: Dynamics

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Project

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Description of the project.

• Type: Thesis Research
• Date: Dec 2016
• Tags: Dynamics

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