ALPHA
Autonomous Light Platform for High Altitude atmospheric imaging
ALPHA is a student project with the aim of developing an autonomous high altitude long endurance UAV to study optical phenomena in the upper atmosphere using scientific imaging instruments.
The idea
Auroras, sprites, blue jets and noctilucent clouds all happen at high altitudes far above the troposphere. In good conditions they can be observed from the ground, but clouds (which reside around 5-15 km) are often in the way. Also, the availability of imagers is often limited (at sea, in the mountains or other remote locations), especially when it comes to observations under sounding rocket/satellite trajectory.
A UAV would solve this!
The UAV
ALPHA is a 4m wingspan and 2m length UAV designed to fly in the Arctic at night in cold and low density air. It is able to carry a DSLR camera and other instruments up to 7kg MTOM (maximum take-off mass). It has a 15km cruising altitude with a 40 m/s cruising speed powered entirely by electric brushless DC motors and Li-Ion batteries. It has a high AR (aspect ratio) and AE (aerodynamic efficiency) and has several control surfaces (ailerons, flaps, flaperons) to create a flexible platform capable of flying at the best aerodynamic conditions as much as possible.
The different areas
Currently, the team has developed the feasibility study and the overall CAD and Fluent CFD Aerodynamic analysis. This has helped us decide on an exterior shape to obtain the best aerodynamic characteristics possible at the cruising altitude. However, the work is definitely not done!
The team still needs to develop a more detailed aerodynamic (autumn 2021) and manufacturing design (early 2022), create the composite parts (spring 2022), design the payload and electrical system (spring 2022), perform test flights in the Stockholm area (summer 2022) and finally test fly at Esrange/Kiruna (late 2022).
For this we will need people in the different areas of:
Aerodynamics
Structures & manufacturing
Control
Electronics
Meet the members!
A list of active and alumni members and their contribution.
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Join the Team!
If you are interested in joining the team and becoming part of one of the most exciting projects at KTH, send us an email with your CV & letter of motivation. We are looking forward to hearing from you!