A Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation (MDO) Algorithm for the Automatic Sizing of an Unmanned Lighter-Than-Air Platform

This study aims to present a Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation (MDO) algorithm for the automatic sizing and design of an Unmanned Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) platform, given its mission requirements. The mission in question consists of a territorial mapping, made possible through the implementation of several remote sensing onboard systems. Once assigned the parameters of the mission as inputs, the algorithm, through a process of iterations, returns the optimal sizing of the airship, shows the distribution of all the systems’ masses, and chooses the preferable energy system between the two considered (fuel cells or batteries). Moreover, a sensitivity analysis on the main variables allows to examine how the variation of each of the parameters of the mission affects the distribution of the masses in the airship, and therefore how the optimal design and sizing change. Finally, further studies on the energy systems are presented, to verify the convenience of one option above the other one as a function of the distance from the mission location and the survey area.