The latest edition of the leading resource on unmanned aerial vehicle systems

In the newly revised Fifth Edition of Introduction to UAV Systems, an expert team of aviators, engineers, and researchers delivers the fundamentals of UAV systems for both professionals and students in UAV courses. Suitable for students in Aerospace Engineering programs, as well as Flight and Aeronautics programs, this new edition now includes end-of-chapter questions and online instructor ancillaries that make it an ideal textbook.

As the perfect complement to the author's Design of Unmanned Aerial Systems, this book includes the history, classes, and missions of UAVs. It covers fundamental topics, like aerodynamics, stability and control, propulsion, loads and structures, mission planning, payloads, and communication systems. Brand-new materials in areas including autopilots, quadcopters, payloads, and ground control stations highlight the latest industry technologies.

The authors also discuss:

• A thorough introduction to the history of unmanned aerial vehicles, including their use in various conflicts, an overview of critical UAV systems, and the Predator/Reaper
• A comprehensive exploration of the classes and missions of UAVs, including several examples of UAV systems, like Mini UAVs, UCAVs, and quadcopters
• Practical discussions of air vehicles, including coverage of topics like aerodynamics, flight performance, stability, and control
• In-depth examinations of propulsion, loads, structures, mission planning, control systems, and autonomy