Development of a small-scale autonomous UAV for research and development

Since recently, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) have increasingly been recognized as a reliable, and effective means of aerial surveillance. Deployment of UAVs in disaster management for aerial surveillance and real-time video feed, when land access is cut off, is one of the most prominent applications. The ability of small, lightweight UAVs in aerial access and gathering data, in areas that are insecure or impossible for humans to reach has significantly improved remote accessibility. In this research, a new low cost small scale UAV with fully-fledged autopilot system on board the aircraft with the capabilities of following a predefined path and returning home autonomously has been designed, built, and tested successfully. This small-scale UAV is capable of navigating through given GPS coordinates at given altitude, while providing real-time flying status back to the ground control station.