People
Hugh Stone:
Hugh was the originator of the T-Wing concept. For his PhD thesis he developed
a variety of analysis tools to model the T-Wing vehicle and then incorporated
these in a multi-disciplinary optimization
(MDO) program which produced the preliminary configuration design of the
vehicle for a given mission specification. He has led the effort over the last
2.5 years to get a test demonstrator vehicle built and flying. His ongoing research is now mainly concerned
with the vehicle dynamics and control.
Colin
Hutchison: For his fourth year thesis, Colin optimised
the T-wing's structure to enhance producibility and
improve structural integrity over the original design. This gave rise to a
stronger and lighter composite airframe that is quicker and easier to
manufacture, and also increased payload volume. He now works on most aspects of
the project including airframe maintenance and development; flight test
operations and ground station software. Colin constructed the first fully
functional ground station in three weeks!
1999 Thesis Students: Julia Tims, Taniel
Boyadjian, Andrew Dropmann and Yongjae Yi: This group of thesis students took
the preliminary optimization results for the demonstrator vehicle and using
these, performed the detailed design and construction of the first operational
vehicle. Yongjae also helped out as a part time research assistant for a few
months in redesigning the fins.
Claudio Natoli: Claudio was instrumental
in converting the old (slow) dynamic model of the T-Wing into a real-time (or
faster) simulation with real-time graphics. Besides its use in initial CAS
controller design, the speed-up in the basic dynamic model offered by Claudio's
improvements has enabled much faster control design and testing in the SIMULINK
environment.
Aero Workshop:
Greg Cumberland., Greg Riviere., Duncan Stenger.: The
aero workshop has been invaluable in providing machining and technical support
for the project.
Chris Prescott: Chris has been working
for the T-Wing team over the last few months, mainly on airframe work. Chris is
responsible for the new paint scheme on the 2nd airframe.
KC Wong:
KC is the original UAV researcher at the
Peter Gibbens: Peter is becoming more
involved with the project as it moves into his field of automatic control.