Assembling and Testing a Quadcopter

Welcome to Integration and Testing of Quadcopter Systems, the final course in the Engineering Design and Simulation Program. This course is focused on integrating all the quadcopter subsystems into a cohesive system-level model and conducting thorough testing to ensure optimal performance.

Building upon the airframe and electromechanical models developed in earlier courses, you will merge these subsystems into a system-level model. This integration process will enable you to simulate the quadcopter's flight virtually and gain valuable insights into its behavior. Through the creation of interactive tests, you can observe firsthand how the quadcopter behaves under different conditions. This iterative approach will aid in refining the design and achieving optimal performance. Additionally, scenario-based tests will be conducted to thoroughly evaluate the quadcopter's design. Advances in engineering design and simulation have led to the development of concepts like virtual prototyping and digital twins, allowing engineers to test and refine their designs without needing physical prototypes. Simulating various scenarios will ensure that the quadcopter functions as intended in real-world situations.

Just as we build up a system by combining smaller components into a larger, more complex one, we can also combine work divided among an engineering team. For instance, you can group the airframe blocks into a single subsystem, enhancing integration and organization.

In the course project, you will combine a go-kart model with a brake subsystem to comprehensively test designs under different track conditions. This practical application will strengthen your skills in integrating subsystems and evaluating system performance.

By the end of this course, you will learn the crucial skills of system-level integration, comprehensive testing, and organization. You'll gain the confidence to design and evaluate quadcopter systems effectively, ensuring optimal performance and functionality.

No prior modeling experience is required. Simulink and Simscape, industry-leading block diagram environments, are used throughout the courses to teach fundamental modeling workflows. You will be provided with a free license for the duration of the program.