Cost effectiveness and feasibility considerations on the design of mini-UAVs for balloon takedown. Part 2: Aircraft design approach selection

The widespread availability of cheap, mass-produced balloons puts a strain on the financial and manufacturing capacities of most aerial interception systems. In the past, high-altitude guided balloons that were between 65,000 ft (19.812 m) and 95,000 ft (27.432 m) in the air have been destroyed successfully by modifying bombers and airplanes to use a high-power laser system. High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) with laser systems are also on the market. Nevertheless, the cost to produce and maintain these systems is extremely high. A very cost-effective alternative is to create a mini—Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Interceptor (UAVI) that can intercept and bring down a balloon at a height of 65,000 ft (19.812 m) and has a Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW) under 100 kg. To enable mass production, the UAVI should make use of readily available components and a simplified carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) structure. The vehicle also has a commercial microjet engine with an appropriate air intake and nozzle. This paper introduces the design of a cost effective UAVI to minimize the cost this analysis starts from existing, off-the-shelf Radio Commanded (RC) models. An ad-hoc design was then compared.