Development and integration of an autopilot system for a full-sized aircraft using open-source UAV technology

This study presents the integration and validation of an open-source autopilot system for a full-sized motor glider, demonstrating its suitability for autonomous operations. The Whisper motor glider was retrofitted with a Cube Orange flight controller running ArduPlane, and control force measurements were used to size actuators and inform system tuning. A structured approach, which combined control force characterization, SITL simulation, and progressive flight testing, was used to configure and refine the system. Autonomous missions were successfully executed, with an average flight path tracking error of 1.75 m between waypoints and an altitude error of 28.7 m. The results confirm the feasibility of adapting manned aircraft for autonomous flight using low-cost, open-source tools, offering a practical foundation for high-endurance UAV applications.