Retrofitting a Private Aircraft for Autonomous Operation

The purpose of this project was to address the feasibility of retrofitting a four passenger private aircraft into an autonomous cargo transportation vehicle. A custom mechanical control mechanism prototype was developed that would replace a human pilot. The prototype developed addressed the three main controls on aircraft; roll, pitch and lift. Using knowledge of the selected aircraft configuration, the mechanical design each component was designed, analyzed to meet FAA guidelines and industry standards, and then constructed to demonstrate operation