Fused Deposition Modelling for fabrication of a hybrid Vertical Take-off and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Abstract

The use of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) has shown significant benefits in various applications. Integrating UAV's with a Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) fabrication method, allows for modular and on-demand configurations according to required specifications. A new prototype named the Triodactyl was designed and fabricated using the FDM method. An experimental setup validated the prototypes structural and aerodynamic capabilities. It was noted that modifications to certain FDM parameters provided an increased structural integrity.