Simulation Framework for UAS Conceptual Design

Sensor systems typically have not played a significant role in the aircraft conceptual design process. However, with the proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), the role of sensor systems on vehicle conceptual design can no longer be ignored. This issue is accentuated at smaller scales, where the sensing equipment may place significant constraints on the size, weight and power requirements of the aircraft. In this paper, we present a novel method that incorporates sensor systems into vehicle conceptual design and mission capability analysis. The presented method relies on a simulation framework in which the Blender Game Engine is used to generate complex cluttered flight environments. The MORSE simulator is used to fly vehicles with varying sensor configurations in these cluttered environments in order to assess mission capabilities. Results show that this approach has the potential to assess mission capabilities as a function of sensor configurations and specifications.