The development, optimisation and testing of an unmanned parafoil launch system

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorRedelinghuys, Christiaanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorNorton, William Alexanderen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-07-31T11:19:22Z
dc.date.available2014-07-31T11:19:22Z
dc.date.issued2010en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes summary.
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (leaves 70-73).
dc.description.abstractParafoils have been used in various aerospace, military and sport applications to return both personnel and payloads safely to the ground. Deflection of the trailing edge flaps by means of control lines allows for turn rates of up to 60° per second, which provides superior controllability when compared to conventional round parachutes. This steering ability has led to the development of autonomous control systems that are able to navigate a payload to land in close proximity to a designated landing site. In order to develop an autonomous navigation system a suitable dynamic model of the parafoil with suspended payload is required to determine the parameters and characteristics of the system in free flight. Flexible ram-air inflated parafoils display high sensitivity to atmospheric disturbances which complicates the comparison of measured flight-dynamic data to theoretical models in an open air free flight test. In order to improve the quality of results in studying the flight dynamics of an unmanned parafoil system in free flight, controlled conditions and a repeatable flight path are required to perform data analysis for various trim configurations. This leads to the requirement of a launching system that ensures consistent inflation of the canopy and repeatable launch velocities for various canopy and payload configurations.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationNorton, W. A. (2010). <i>The development, optimisation and testing of an unmanned parafoil launch system</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Mechanical Engineering. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5496en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationNorton, William Alexander. <i>"The development, optimisation and testing of an unmanned parafoil launch system."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5496en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNorton, W. 2010. The development, optimisation and testing of an unmanned parafoil launch system. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Norton, William Alexander AB - Parafoils have been used in various aerospace, military and sport applications to return both personnel and payloads safely to the ground. Deflection of the trailing edge flaps by means of control lines allows for turn rates of up to 60° per second, which provides superior controllability when compared to conventional round parachutes. This steering ability has led to the development of autonomous control systems that are able to navigate a payload to land in close proximity to a designated landing site. In order to develop an autonomous navigation system a suitable dynamic model of the parafoil with suspended payload is required to determine the parameters and characteristics of the system in free flight. Flexible ram-air inflated parafoils display high sensitivity to atmospheric disturbances which complicates the comparison of measured flight-dynamic data to theoretical models in an open air free flight test. In order to improve the quality of results in studying the flight dynamics of an unmanned parafoil system in free flight, controlled conditions and a repeatable flight path are required to perform data analysis for various trim configurations. This leads to the requirement of a launching system that ensures consistent inflation of the canopy and repeatable launch velocities for various canopy and payload configurations. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 T1 - The development, optimisation and testing of an unmanned parafoil launch system TI - The development, optimisation and testing of an unmanned parafoil launch system UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5496 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/5496
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationNorton WA. The development, optimisation and testing of an unmanned parafoil launch system. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2010 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5496en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Mechanical Engineeringen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherMechanical Engineeringen_ZA
dc.titleThe development, optimisation and testing of an unmanned parafoil launch systemen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
thesis_ebe_2010_norton_w_a.pdf
Size:
9.24 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
Masters