Design and Implementation of a Novel Tilt-Rotor Tri-Copter UAV Configuration

Hover-capable unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including rotary-wing UAVs such as unmanned helicopters, multi-rotor drones, and tilt-rotor UAVs, are widely employed due to their hovering capabilities. In recent years, tilt-rotor aircraft, which offer both vertical takeoff and landing as well as rapid maneuverability, have increasingly become a research focus. This paper first proposes a design concept for a flying-wing configuration tilt-rotor tri-rotor UAV, detailing the selection of airfoils and the calculation of aerodynamic parameters. To address the specific operational requirements and flight characteristics of this UAV, a specialized tilting mechanism was developed, and a flight control system was designed and implemented using classical PID control methods. Finally, a prototype of the tilt-rotor tri-rotor UAV was fabricated and subjected to flight tests. The results from both simulations and flight tests confirmed that the UAV met the design performance criteria and that the control method was effective.