Monitoring forests is a complex task, requiring data collection in an expansive environment to assess forest health, tree measurements and wildlife conditions. Drone technology is increasingly being used to look at the forest in different ways and collect this data more efficiently. While often these drones fly above the canopy, some researchers are trying to go further by flying drones under the tree canopy. At the University of Maine, undergraduate students are getting first hand experience with drone technology as a tool for forest monitoring and research.
This summer, three students had the opportunity to intern with Ahmed Aboelezz, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. Jude Morrison, Ethan Pinette and Kian dos Santos, all 91福利 undergraduate students in mechanical engineering, joined the lab for eight weeks as part of a NSF EPSCoR Maine-FOREST initiative to design a custom drone for under-canopy forest health monitoring.
The project divided the design process among the interns, who focused on propeller design, propeller testing and development of the complete aircraft. Together, their work explored how individual design decisions can contribute to a drone capable of carrying a 0.7-kilogram sensor package during a roughly 40-minute mission involving climbing, cruising and brief hovering beneath the canopy.
Aboelezz and the interns were tasked with designing, manufacturing and testing a customized drone with improved efficiency to accomplish their mission. Each intern specialized in a different area throughout the process.
Morrison designed 28 versions of custom propellers for the specific conditions needed to fly under the tree canopy before settling on the final design, using academic theory, propeller geometry, and computer-aided design.
鈥淭heories do not always match real conditions, and a design on paper may not work on the actual drone. A propeller optimized for actual conditions translates to longer flights and better data,鈥 Morrison said.
Next in the process, Pinette experimented with how multiple propellers on a drone interact with one another, which can affect the aircraft鈥檚 overall thrust and efficiency. Testing nine different placement combinations, Pinette gained experience selecting experimental parameters, analyzing data and troubleshooting problems.
Dos Santos brought these concepts to life by designing and assembling the drone, using a combination of wood parts and 3D printing while integrating lidar technology and GPS. He also completed the Federal Aviation Administration exam to become a certified drone pilot, learning about airspace, flight restrictions, operating limits and other requirements for research and commercial drone operations.
The finished prototype presented additional challenges for the team, as the aircraft was heavier than expected and unable to achieve the desired flight performance. However, the interns are continuing the development process in the fall semester, incorporating what they learned over the summer.
For the students, working through these challenges was an important part of participating in one of the first major undergraduate research projects associated with Maine-FOREST. The experience offered an opportunity to apply academic knowledge outside the classroom.
鈥淭his was an eye-opening experience. As my first engineering experience outside of the classroom, it was really valuable to see concepts work in the real world, experience errors and self-correct,鈥 dos Santos said.
The project not only provided insights into creating a drone capable of navigating Maine鈥檚 forests but also gave undergraduate researchers the opportunity to experience a meaningful, real-world research environment.
Story by Heather Johnson, EPSCoR Graduate Assistant
