Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided, that is cost effective to use and manufacture and that includes a low count of component parts, allowing mission planners to use the UAVs in a disposable manner. The UAV includes an airframe having a central body and wings extending from the central body, defining an interior cavity. The airframe includes an upper and a lower shell, each configured of a unitary piece of plastic. The upper and lower shells have walls among them that define a fuel tank and a payload bay in a stacked configuration. The airframe can further include a payload cover configured to enclose the payload bay and to contribute to the central body of the airframe. A launch assembly is also provided. In a first configuration, a launch assembly is provided, that includes a container for housing multiple UAVs and a deployment mechanism that initiates rapid ejection of the UAVs from the container.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided, that is cost effective to use and manufacture and that includes a low count of component parts, allowing mission planners to use the UAVs in a disposable manner. The UAV includes an airframe having a central body and wings extending from the central body, defining an interior cavity. The airframe includes an upper and a lower shell, each configured of a unitary piece of plastic. The upper and lower shells have walls among them that define a fuel tank and a payload bay in a stacked configuration. The airframe can further include a payload cover configured to enclose the payload bay and to contribute to the central body of the airframe. A launch assembly is also provided. In a first configuration, a launch assembly is provided, that includes a container for housing multiple UAVs and a deployment mechanism that initiates rapid ejection of the UAVs from the container.

Abstract: A positioning system is provided for use in a wind tunnel that results in accurate and dynamic orientation for a model while reducing aerodynamic interference. The system includes a pitch-yaw sleeve having a generally cylindrical shape and a torque tube disposed askew within the sleeve and rotatable about its longitudinal axis to drive a shaft. The shaft is generally elongated and crooked. The sting, to which a model is affixed, is rotatably attached to a distal end of the shaft. Rotation of the pitch-yaw tube and/or the pitch-yaw sleeve provides precise pitch and yaw orientation of the model, and rotation of the sting relative to the shaft provides precise roll orientation.