Vocabulary for the engineering of unmanned aerial vehicles — aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, control, and platform classification.
Aerodynamics
- Airfoil — the cross-sectional shape of a wing
- Angle of Attack — the angle between chord line and oncoming airflow
- Aspect Ratio — wingspan to mean chord
- Boundary Layer — the thin air layer adjacent to surfaces
- Camber — airfoil curvature
- Chord — leading-edge to trailing-edge distance
- Drag — aerodynamic force opposing motion
- Endurance — maximum time airborne on a given fuel or battery load
- Induced Drag — drag from wingtip vortices
- Lift — aerodynamic force perpendicular to flight
- Lift-to-Drag Ratio — primary measure of aerodynamic efficiency
- Parasitic Drag — drag from friction, form, and interference
- Reynolds Number — scaling parameter governing flow behavior
- Span — tip-to-tip wing distance
- Stall — loss of lift beyond the critical angle of attack
- Washout — spanwise twist reducing tip angle of attack
- Wing Loading — weight to wing area
Structures and materials
- Composite — fiber-reinforced materials
- Fatigue — progressive failure under repeated loading
- Flutter — destructive aeroelastic oscillation
- Infill Density — weight-to-strength in 3D-printed parts
- Monocoque — skin-as-structure approach
- Rib — chordwise structural member
- Safety Factor — ultimate strength to expected load ratio
- Skin — outer airframe covering
- Spar — primary spanwise beam
Propulsion and control
- Aileron — hinged wing surface for roll control
- Control Surface — movable aerodynamic surface for flight control
- Elevator — hinged tail surface for pitch control
- Elevon — combined aileron and elevator on tailless aircraft
- ESC — electronic speed controller
- Flight Controller — autopilot hardware and firmware
- IMU — inertial measurement unit
- Propeller Pitch — blade angle
- Rudder — hinged vertical surface for yaw control
- Servo — control surface actuator
- Thrust-to-Weight Ratio — available thrust relative to weight
Fundamental parameters
- Center of Gravity — the point where aircraft weight acts
- Disc Loading — thrust per unit propeller or rotor disc area
- Trim — zero net moments in steady flight
Platform categories
- Attritable Aircraft — aircraft cheap enough that combat loss is acceptable
- HALE — high-altitude long-endurance platforms
- Loitering Munition — weapon combining drone and missile
- LUCAS — the Low-cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System
- MALE — medium-altitude long-endurance platforms