The Design, Test, and Development Challenges of Converting the K-MAX~(~R) Helicopter to a Heavy Lift Rotary Wing UAV

摘要

Development of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for multiple roles has become a priority for the military services. To date, the maximum payload capability of most UAV's is approximately 200 pounds. Requirements call for a lifting capacity much greater than the capability of UAV's currently in development or production. The Marine Corps' Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) contracted with Kaman Aerospace Corporation to provide the capability of carrying external loads, up to 6,000 pounds, with a K-MAX~(~R) helicopter operating as a UAV. The UAV needed to be capable of conducting an automatic takeoff, an automatic departure with an external load, autonomously navigate to as many as four drop off locations, and return to a staging site for an automatic landing. Some of the technical challenges associated with the project included; conducting frequency response testing with external loads up to 5,000 pounds, developing the flight control software to meet the control requirements while maintaining a stable aircraft and external load, and developing a UAV ground and airborne hardware system that would allow the K-MAX~(~R) helicopter to be piloted during all phases of system development. The entire process needed to be completed in only 18 months. This paper will discuss the many challenges associated with this program, and will step through the development and test process used to successfully meet the system contractual requirements.