Developing Design for Reliability of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Motors

Abstract

A new kind of electric motor using composite stator windings for harsh aerial conditions has beendeveloped by Alva Industries AS (Alva). Failure of the electric motors in these conditions cancause significant financial loss or even danger to human beings. Therefore the research question:

How to determine the reliability of UAV motors and incorporate design for reliabilityin the product development process.

In this thesis an overview over drone technology, their applications, payloads and classifications wasgiven. Electric motors, their types and their failure modes were presented. Important reliabilityterms were discussed. The Design for Reliability(DfR) process as a method to improve the intrinsicreliability of electric motors was given. The operational, environmental, legal and social conditionsin which drones are used were analyzed at length. It showed that as drones get more and moreused in different applications, the requirements on the reliability of drones increase. As a part ofthe DfR a qualitative fault tree analysis of the drone motor by Alva was conducted to create abetter overview over failure mechanisms. Finally testing methods for drone motors were suggestedin brief which can be used to validate and verify their reliability.

A new kind of electric motor using composite stator windings for harsh aerial conditions has beendeveloped by Alva Industries AS (Alva). Failure of the electric motors in these conditions cancause significant financial loss or even danger to human beings. Therefore the research question:

How to determine the reliability of UAV motors and incorporate design for reliabilityin the product development process.

In this thesis an overview over drone technology, their applications, payloads and classifications wasgiven. Electric motors, their types and their failure modes were presented. Important reliabilityterms were discussed. The Design for Reliability(DfR) process as a method to improve the intrinsicreliability of electric motors was given. The operational, environmental, legal and social conditionsin which drones are used were analyzed at length. It showed that as drones get more and moreused in different applications, the requirements on the reliability of drones increase. As a part ofthe DfR a qualitative fault tree analysis of the drone motor by Alva was conducted to create abetter overview over failure mechanisms. Finally testing methods for drone motors were suggestedin brief which can be used to validate and verify their reliability.