Executive Summary of Research

Executive Summary of Research

            My task for the WaterCopter project is to design and craft a multicopter frame and lift system to be used in the transportation and collection of water samples. In order to create a successful product I must consider the materials used in the structure, the layout of the structure, the arrangement of the motors and propellers, and the effect the materials used in the structure will have on the samples the final product will be taking.

            Many materials are useful in constructing a multicopter (see table 1). The overall goal of the materials is to be light, durable, and strong. Cost is also a factor that must be taken into consideration.

Material	Pros	Cons
Carbon Fiber	Lightweight, strong	Brittle, expensive, hard to machine, hard to glue
Fiber Glass	Easier to machine and glue, less expensive, less brittle	Slightly heavier, slightly less strong
Aluminum	Easy to machine and construct, cheap, readily available	Less strong, heavier, easily warped, carries vibrations, blocks radio frequencies
Injection Molded Plastic	Zytel is very strong and light	Most other forms are cheap and easily broken, less available, requires special machinery
Vacuum formed kydex	Very durable, great for water resistant or water proof products	Requires special machinery

There are also many options for the layout of the multicopter. Common types are the tri-branched, quad-branched, and the single-copter (Advanced Multicopter Design). 

One can attach one rotor to each branch, or attach two adjacent rotors, stacked in a coaxial arrangement. A single rotor arrangement is more efficient, however a coaxial arrangement is more stable with smoother control and provides the most lift in the smallest area, and less weight than an hexacopter or octocopter (Advanced Multicopter Design). Coaxial layouts permit one motor loss, however they are more complex and thus less reliable, heavier, and more costly.

Rotor size is dependent on the intended lift capacity and clearance limit of the structure. Larger rotors are more efficient but more prone to vibration and provide less stable flight than smaller, faster rotors (Advanced Multicopter Design). Another very important consideration for the materials used to construct the frame is the effect it will have on the samples we take.

             Different materials will release trace amounts of chemicals into the water that may skew the analysis results. For example, most plastics are usable in the analysis of inorganic compounds. However, most plastics skew the results of organic compound testing if they come in contact with the water being collected. Materials that are generally approved in use for the sampling of organic and inorganic compounds are fluorocarbon polymers, stainless steel, glass, and ceramics (Wilde, Table 2-1, pg. 6). Softer and more flexible plastics are more prone to contaminating samples (Wilde, pg. 7).

            In summary, the materials must be strong, light, and not release any harmful compounds into the water. The layout must be capable of lifting the structure and the water sample. In order for the WaterCopter to be successful, the materials, layout, and environmental impact of the structure and lift system must be optimized.