Project Description:    Design and Fabrication of a Vibration-Isolated Avionics Box

Sponsor:                      Penn State Corporate Focals Boeing Defense and Space Group, Helicopter Division

Technical Contacts:    Phil Lang, Penn State Corporate Focals Boeing Defense and Space Group, Helicopter Division

                                     Dr. Ed Smith, Dr. Joe Horn, and Dr. Joe Szefi - Department of Aerospace Engineering at Penn State University

Executive Summary: 

In the past the Raptor 60 model remote control helicopter was modified by other project design groups who added inertial / GPS navigational and vibrational measurement systems.  However, when flight tested, the electrical equipment was severely damaged by the high multiple vibrational frequencies produced by the helicopters main rotor, tail rotor, and engine.  Because of this our group was given the task to develop a vibration-isolated avionics box that would house and protect the inertial / GPS navigational and vibrational measurement systems.

 To begin this project the multiple vibrational levels produced by the helicopter and the design of the avionics box were analytically modeled and simulated three-dimensionally under flight conditions using Excel programs attached to this report.  When the avionics box was simulated it successfully isolated the helicopter’s multiple vibrational frequencies.  To confirm these results a vibration-isolated box was then fabricated using the analytical data and was tested experimentally multiple times to simulate flight conditions.  The experimental results accurately matched the analytical results and the experimental results were also used to improve the design of the avionics box.  Recommendations for aerodynamic testing and design were then further made before an actual flight test of the vibration-isolated avionics box is performed.

Analytical Results:

Figure 1 - Analytical Transmissibility Curve

Experimental Results:

Figure 2 - Experimental Transmissibility Curve