The Meridian UAV Flight Performance Analysis Using Analytical and Experimental Data

The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) is a Science and Technology Center established by the National Science Foundati on (NSF) in 2005, with the mission of developing new technologies and computer models to measure and predict the response of sea level change to the mass balance of ice sheets in G reenland and Antarctica. The CReSIS is developing sophisticated sensors and long-duration inhabitant aerial vehicle (UAV) which is called the Meridian. This paper presents the Meridi an flight performance analysis. A simulation model of the Meridian was developed using Advanced Aircraft Analysis (AAA) software. Using the AAA model stability derivatives and performance analysis were also. To validate the AAA results a parallel performance analysis was conduct ed using analytical methods and experimental data. Two different analytical methods were used f or the performance analysis; this helped to check the validity of the AAA results.