University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Elevating the future of urban mobility autonomous passenger drones design

Ai, Siyu

Content Files
AI-THESIS-2019.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/106280

Description

Title
Elevating the future of urban mobility autonomous passenger drones design
Author(s)
Ai, Siyu
Issue Date
2019-12-12
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Weightman, David
Department of Study
Art & Design
Discipline
Art and Design
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.F.A.
Degree Level
Thesis
Date of Ingest
2020-03-02T22:03:24Z
Keyword(s)
  • VTOL
  • Industrial design
  • design
  • UAVs
Abstract
With the rapid development of technology in markets and industries, public focus has moved to the economic and social impacts that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may bring. Many technology companies have revealed their plans to launch electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOLs) and believe that on-demand aviation has an enormous potential to enhance urban mobility and will reform our transportation system. VTOLs can travel to the destination independently of any specific routine to avoid delays. These flying vehicles will use three- dimensional airspace to alleviate traffic congestion and traffic on the ground, shorten the time people spend on their daily commutes and have the potential to reduce global emissions by utilizing electricity as the primary energy source. This thesis project aims to design a short-distance multi-copter system which combines a drone structure with a passenger pod. The focus was on the conceptual development of a tilt fan and pod system that is fully powered by electricity. Two types of passenger drones were developed based on engineering specification, human factors, aesthetics, and industrial regulations. Multiple VTOL iterations with different interior layouts and structures were explored.
Graduation Semester
2019-12
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/106280
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2019 Siyu Ai

Owning Collections

Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois PRIMARY
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois
MFA Theses - Art and Design