Development of a Long Endurance VTOL UAS Platform for Search and Rescue Missions

Abstract

The Penn State Autonomous Robotics Competition Club has developed a platform tailored for use in Search and Rescue missions to support first responders. The key design drivers included the capacity to carry a 10 lb LTE system to extend coverage for first responders on the ground, capability for long endurance flights, cost effectiveness, and ease of setup and operation for a solo operator. A coaxial octocopter with a hybrid power configuration was designed, verified in simulation, and flight tested. With an estimated operational endurance of over 3 hours and high levels of autonomy including obstacle avoidance and object detection, the proposed solution provides a versatile configuration capable of numerous applications including emergency operations.