Design, Integration, and Experimental Validation of a Lifting-Body Quadrotor

Abstract

This thesis describes the design, integration, and experimental validation of a lifting-body tailsitting quadrotor intended to retain vertical takeoff and landing capability while generating meaningful aerodynamic lift in forward flight. The work is divided into four areas. The first covers a PX4 Autopilot firmware port onto a custom flight controller with software-defined hardware, validated through manual and autonomous flight on a conventional quadrotor platform. The second presents the aerodynamic design of the tailsitter airframe through parametric modeling, vortex-lattice simulation, and wind tunnel testing. The third addresses mechanical design, covering structural reinforcement, manufacturability, and electronics packaging for an airframe manufactured entirely by FDM. The fourth presents hover flight results and a longitudinal transition simulation. The results establish a baseline for future work on multirotor vehicles that combine hover capability with efficient high-speed flight.