Application of CFRTP with braided structure to heavy lift drone frame

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) is used for various mechanical structures such as sporting goods, automobiles, and aircrafts because of its lightweight and high strength. Our research group focused on thermoplastic CFRP (CFRTP) with braided structures. We have conducted research to improve the productivity and strength design of hollow cylindrical pipes by combining CFRTP and braided structures. Applications of CFRTP with a braided structure, this report aims to apply CFRTP to heavy lift drone frames. If metals such as aluminum alloys, which are the main materials of drone frames, can be replaced with CFRTP, weight reduction and payload increase can be expected. However, with the hollow cylindrical CFRTP pipe proposed in previous research, it was not possible to achieve sufficient weight reduction due to the vibration caused by propellers attached to the free end of the frame. In this report, we aimed to improve the rigidity of the CFRTP pipe by changing its design, taking advantage of its tailor-made characteristics, which is an advantage of the CFRTP braid and press molding method. Furthermore, we report on our attempts to improve the dimensional accuracy of the mating parts. © 2024 The Textile Machinery Society of Japan.