Search results

This paper aims to describe the mechanical aspects of unmanned Mothership Plane and Sensing Drones. The presented conceptual system shows the idea and possible way of designing different sizes and objective systems based on experience gained during the SAE Aero Design Competition.

The UAS is based on a SAE Aero Design Competition designed and manufactured Mothership Plane converted to a high endurance platform modified to launch up to six small copters. The process of designing and converting the Mothership is described. The methodology of selecting and planning either the structure or hardware of the drones is presented.

A key finding is that the presented conception of mothership plane deploying in flight a group of small sensing multirotors is achievable. Moreover, the modular build of the system provides the possibility to adapt currently existing unmanned aircrafts to be converted to the described mothership plane.

To conduct flight tests and to study encountered problems. Presentation of the unmanned aerial system (UAS) concept that can be used to scan an area and create 3D maps for Search and Rescue missions as well as agriculture applications.

The paper describes the conceptual approach to design a UAS consisting of the mothership plane and the sensing drones. The paper highlights the potential solutions gained by using such a UAS. The focus is to present a technology and system that can perform real time observations in widespread and difficult to reach areas.

The expansion of the Panama Canal that is completed in 2016 provides container carriers with new opportunities to redeploy global oceangoing trunk routes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the cargo sources and geographical locations of three trunk routes, the departure points of which are all in East Asia.

The operating conditions of various shipping practices were used to simulate trunk route deployment after canal expansion. Subsequently, a clean-line strategy featuring liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a replacement for heavy oil is proposed to explore the effects that container carriers have on energy savings and emission reductions.

The results showed that the unit emissions of ships traveling trunk routes in East Coast North America and East Coast South America did not differ significantly regardless of whether the container carrier employed a conventional method or the new deployment plan following the expansion of the Panama Canal. By contrast, the adoption of a new method for sailing through the canal yields significant emission reductions for Far East/Europe routes. In addition, the slow-steam strategy adopted by carriers and the more costly clean-line strategy of LNG-fueled ships are both effective when applied to trunk routes.

The results of this study provide a reference to container carriers deploying route structures and the International Maritime Organization when promoting emission-reduction policies.

Summarises the content of the IEE Tustin lecture presented by Professor Katsuhisha Furuta of the Tokyo Institute of Technology. The work discussed is part of the $10 million super mechano systems project which concentrates on developing walking machines based largely on pendulae principles.

The aim of the research is to conduct a study into a configuration of an aircraft system with a focus on aerodynamics. In addition, trim condition and static stability constraints were included. The main application of this system is suborbital space flights. The presented concept of a modular airplane system (MAS) consists of two vehicles: a Rocket Plane and a Carrier. Both are designed in tailless configurations but coupled formed a classic tail aircraft configuration, where the Rocket Plane works as the empennage. The most important challenge is to define the mutual position of those two tailless vehicles under the assumption that each vehicle will be operating alone in different flight conditions while joined in one object create a conventional aircraft. Each vehicle configuration (separated and coupled) must fulfil static stability and trim requirements.

Aircrafts’ aerodynamic characteristics were obtained using the MGAERO software which is a commercial computing fluid dynamics tool created by AMI Aero. This software uses the Euler flow model. Results from this software were used in the static stability and trim condition analysis.

The main outcome of this investigation is a mutual position of the Rocket Plane and the Carrier that fulfils project requirements. Also, the final configuration of both separated vehicles (Rocket Plane and Carrier) and the complete MAS were defined. In addition, it was observed that in the case of classic aircraft configuration which is created by connecting two tailless vehicles increasing horizontal tail arm reduces static stability. This is related to a significantly higher mass ratio of the horizontal tail (the Rocket Plane) with respect to the whole system. Moving backward, the Rocket Plane has a notable effect on a position of a centre of gravity of the whole system static stability. Moreover, the impact of the mutual vehicles’ position (horizontal tail arm) and inclination angle on the coupled vehicle lift to drag ratio was analysed.

In terms of aerodynamic computation, MGAERO software using an inviscid flow model, therefore, both a friction drag and breakdown of vortex are not considered. But the presented research is for the computation stage of the design, and the MGAERO software guarantees satisfactory accuracy with respect to the relatively low time of computations. The second limitation is that the presented results are for the conceptual stage of the design and dynamic stability constraints were not taken into account.

The ultimate goal of the coupled aircraft project is to conduct flying tests and the presented result is one of the milestones to achieve this goal.

A design process for a conventional aircraft configuration is well known however, there are not many examples of vehicles that consist of two coupled aircrafts where both vehicles have similar mass. The unique part of this paper includes results of the investigation of the mutual position of the vehicles that can fly alone, as well as in coupled form. The impact of the position of the centre of gravity on trim conditions and static stability of the coupled configuration was investigated.

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of the most complex and serious environmental crimes affecting marine ecosystems around the globe and depriving coastal communities of vital subsistence resources. Many strategies have been developed to deal with the problem in hopes to eventually eradicate it. This chapter will review a total of 163 approaches implemented around the world, and classify these interventions according to the 25 techniques of situational crime prevention (SCP), one of the most effective crime reduction measures frequently used to deal with a variety of crime problems. This chapter will analyse what types of techniques are most and least frequently used and why; note similarities and differences among these intervention strategies; as well as examine whether there is a distinct difference between developed and developing countries in their use of particular SCP measures to combat IUU fishing. This chapter will also present examples of particularly interesting initiatives, and propose new ways forward.