Instruction Guide: UAV Aerodynamics
NOTE (Sept 2021): The TPP videos used as the Primary Instructional Material used in the first 5 units of this course are currently unavailable. We understand the TPP is creating an updated version of this series. In the meantime, please see Differentiated Instructional Material: ALTERNATIVE for resources you can use for these lessons.
The Primary Instructional Resource for this Lesson is TPP UAV Training Program Part 2: Lessons 5.
For the Hands-On portion of the lesson, students will use the appropriate aircraft checklist ( e.g. Tello) and the Student sUAV Pilot Log to track their progress through the Summative Assessment Flight Assignment.
Note 1: To access Part 2 of the TPP UAV Training Program, access code from Completing Part 1 is needed - this code is "TPP2017p2"
Note 2: As currently laid out, the TPP course is structured with a scope and sequence that logically follows the needs for a Part 107 overview course. However, we will be using their lessons out-of-sequence in some cases for our recreational drone operations over school property based course. The TPP site does not allow one to advance to a subsequent lesson until the quiz for the current lesson is successfully completed, which make skipping ahead or out-of-sequence awkward. However, if your browser is set to accept cookies and you run through the course/quizzes once, you may then choose "Resume" and then use the "Menu" tab in the upper-right to resume at any point already completed.
> You may use the TPP resource for direct instruction to a group, or allow students to work through the lessons individually. The first-time access process requires name, school, grade info - but none of this is verified (so non-identifying info may be used) and there is no email verification.
> Each lessons ends with a quiz that gates advancement to the next lesson - we suggest using this a Formative Assessment tool.
TPP UAV Training Program - Part 2, Lesson 5
> Aircraft Performance - use the TPP slide animation to explore the various aspects for aircraft performance and discuss these in the context of the student's UAV
> Force of Flight - use the TPP slide animation to explore the various aspects for aircraft performance and discuss these in the context of the student's UAV:
>>> Lift is produced by the props (rotating wings, rather than the fixed wing seen in the TPP animation
>>> Thurst is produced by the coordinated pairs of props having more lift than the opposing pair
(This video describes the science of drone flight)
> Axes of Control - use the TPP slide animation to explore Roll, Pitch and Yaw for a fixed wing aircraft.
> Climb Performance - use the TPP slide animation to convey the idea that a UAV will climb when it is producing more lift/thrust than is needed to overcome weight/drag
> Stall - use the TPP slide animation to explain the concept of Stall with the fixed wing example. Quadcopters have a very small stall window a recovery quickly, so this not not a major concern.
> Stability - use the TPP slide animation to review Maneuverability and Controllability
> Center of Gravity (CoG) - use the TPP slide animation to review Center of Gravity. The Summative Assessment for the Lesson will have students adjust CoG and demonstrate its impact on Stability and thereby Maneuverability and Controllability.
Extension
This Differentiated Instructional Material: Extended has a more detailed TPP lesson on Payloads and their impact on UAV stability and performance.
Hands-on
Upon completion of the TPP lesson, get students hands-on with the drones. Use the Student sUAV Pilot Log to document their progress though the Summative Assessment Flight Assignment while rotating through all 3 roles on a team. Be sure to use the checklist for the desired aircraft for every flight.
Check Differentiated Instructional Material and Additional Assessments for more resources around the topics covered in this TPP lesson.
