1. Thebudget ofthe 2010 project is representative ofthelevelof resources requiredto support theUniversityof Washington'ssenior capstoneairplanedesign program. Figure 51shows costs ofcommercial software(academic pricing), educational materials(reports,books,etc.), constructionmaterials,propulsionsystem, andothersystems, whichinclude control,communication, flight test measurement data acquisition system, and landinggear.The expensesinFig. 51amount to about $16,000/year. This amount will increasein years wheremoresoftwarelicenses havetoberenewedand wheremoreambitious flight test systems orlargerUAV would bebuilt.Thecost for softwarelicenses, materials,and systems is between $16,000 and $25,000/year. The addition ofon board active flight control system will addsignificantlytothis amount. Figure 51: Software(educational pricing), materials, propulsion, andotherlandinggear and avionic systems cost distribution forthe2010 jet-powered UAV.
2. To make thestudents developexperienceregarding not onlytheschedulebut also therealistic cost ofthe development ofsmall researchUAVs the project management teamkeeps careful accounting ofall expenses during theproject,including collectingfromall members ofthedesign teamlog-pages withinformation regardingthe hours eachstudent spent working onthe project divided into training, design and analysis,construction,testing, and management hours.A team of28 students in 2010 worked about 9,500hours overtwentyweeks to meet thedesign challenge presentedto them.Thenumberofhours perweekper student is not even, of course, anddependsonthe motivation, capability,initiative,and leadershipof eachstudent.
3. TheUniversityof Washington's undergraduatecapstoneairplanedesign programis uniqueinresources,scope, focus, andthecomplexityof the research UAVs is produces every year. The paper presented educational philosophy and education experienceregarding airplanedesign education mixed withsummaries oftheUniversityof Washington's capstone design projects fromthelast six years. Universityof Washington UAV projectsinvolve seniors as akeycomponent ofthecapstonecourse, andthus lead to majorparticipationbyseniorsinmeaningful aeronautics R&D.TheUniversityof Washington is continuouslyimprovingasignificant UAV design, test, build, and flight test capability,supported bystateofthe art computational and experimental resources and bysignificant engineeringwork. UAV'sdeveloped byUniversityof Washingtonstudents areresearchoriented: unusual configurations, designed to generatedatathat will beusefulto government andindustry. Such UAVs canbeused to generate data and answer exploratoryR&D questions at afraction ofthecost similarworkwill requireifdone elsewhere. Theresulting UAVs aresophisticated andincludeinstrumentation, allowing students to applyknowledge of flight test discipline, planning, and communications. Typical developmentcyclefromRFP to flying vehicleis 6-8 months.With follow-on graduatework,funded bygovernment andindustry, theresultingvehicles(and supporting windtunnel models) can be used formorein-depth researchin areas ofneed and interest.