Peregrine Timeline
The Peregrine is a clean sheet UAS R&D program that kicked off in the fall of 2017, and two UAV designs are under development — Peregrine I and Peregrine II. Below is a timeline summary of the development of the project.
Year 1: 2017-18 Paper-based Design
Conceptual design was performed for the Peregrine I and II aircraft, as well as some preliminary analysis.
Year 2: 2018-19 Preliminary Design of the Peregrine I
During this academic year, the design of Peregrine I was reviewed. More analysis of the aircraft was conducted and the Multi-Scale Design Optimization (MSDO) for the UAV structure began development.
Year 3: 2019-20 Finalizing the Design of the Peregrine I, Manufacturing, Testing, and Flying
The MSDO process for the airframe was completed. Work on the autonomous flight system began.
Year 4: 2020-21 Integration of Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) Capability to Peregrine I
Work began on integrating vertical take-off and landing into the Peregrine I design. Several elements of the design were reworked to support this new capability, including the structure and the autonomous flight system.
Year 5: 2021-22 Continuation of the Integration of Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) Capability to Fully 3D Printed Peregrine I
Integration of the vertical take-off and landing systems is to be completed this year. After freezing the design, the Peregrine I will begin 3D printing and flight testing.
Year 6: 2024-25 Long Endurance Solar Powered Electric BWB for Mapping Applications
After a 2-year hiatus, this year’s efforts are centered on updating the Peregrine I’s conventional fixed-wing flight configuration for remote mapping applications. The revised design includes the integration of solar power capabilities and various structural optimizations to enhance performance. The goal is to complete the 3D printing and assembly of the updated aircraft by the end of the Winter 2025 term, with flight testing to follow.
Year 7: 2025-26 Achieving Flight with the Peregrine I
Building upon the previous year, this academic year entails structural redesigns and optimizations of the Peregrine I fixed-wing configuration to achieve flight. Carbon fiber spars were implemented within the wings, and subsystems such as the solar panels, elevons, and landing gear were redesigned. Continuation of 3D printing and assembly for flight testing and validation of CFD and MSC ADAMS models.