UAV Work from 2026 Summer Interns by ehariton · Pull Request #1267 · OpenMDAO/Aviary

ehariton · 2026-08-18T13:48:13Z

Summary

Incorporating a small UAV aircraft example into aviary.

Related Issues

Resolves #

Backwards incompatibilities

None

AI Usage

Disclose any AI usage in this PR, including models used and files affected.

…files, and examples. Added dbf variables into variables.py and variable_metadata.py

Untracked from git (files kept on disk). Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

creating dbf mass external subsystem

into prop2

Cleanup of some lines of code not needed.

…26-UAV-Aviary into new_aviary_prop2_work Mergerd mission and Premission# the commit.

Propulsion Mission and Premission Merged, still need mass subsystem. All tests run except cruise attempt, still needs debugging

…n a 'simple' or 'medium' wing design

…and medium wing design

…iles that are solely used for options

Implementing an option for 'simple' vs 'medium' wing design and organizing option-focused files into a folder

…est file

ehariton · 2026-08-20T16:11:19Z

+
+    cruise_phase.add_objective('distance', loc='final', ref=-1000.0, units='m')
+
+    prob.add_driver('SNOPT', use_coloring=True, max_iter=100)


I had originally commented out all the IPOPT options because I was testing with SNOPT, but these should be reverted.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T16:34:01Z

+
+    prob.run_aviary_problem(run_driver=True, simulate=True)
+
+    """Debug Print"""


I think all this debug print can be nuked.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T16:34:46Z

@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+import numpy as np


Why do we need these plots? Is the regular aviary output not good enough?

ehariton · 2026-08-20T16:37:33Z

+        self.assertIn(Dynamic.Mission.VELOCITY, mission_inputs)
+        self.assertIn('alpha', mission_inputs)
+
+        # These commented values are not in mission inputs/outputs 


Why are these values commented out? If we don't need them nuke them.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T16:43:02Z

+# DEBUGGING BEFORE RUNNING THE MODEL
+# =========================================================
+
+if DEBUG_MODEL:


I don't think we should include any of this dibugging code

ehariton · 2026-08-20T17:05:57Z

+
+    return x_normalized, y_normalized
+
+def load_airfoil_if_needed(comp, Part):


Why do we really need this function as opposed to just saying the user must load an airfoil before calling a specific openmdao component?

ehariton · 2026-08-20T17:06:15Z

+    comp.rho_rib = np.array([materials.get_item(m)[0] for m in rib_materials])
+
+    rib_thickness, _ = comp.options[Part.RIB_THICKNESS]
+    if len(rib_materials) != len(rib_thickness):


This check can be moved into the individual compute_primals() of the functions that need to be checked.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T17:22:05Z

+        wetted_area = span * chord
+        type = self.options[Aircraft.Wing.TYPE]
+
+        if type == WingType.SIMPLE:


Inputs for simple wing vs. medium wing should be detailed to the user in docs

ehariton · 2026-08-20T17:24:36Z

+            'fuselage', fm, promotes_inputs=['*'], promotes_outputs=['*']
+        )
+
+        ribs = np.array([0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2])


what does this actually mean? how does this translate into a physical aircraft attributes?

ehariton · 2026-08-20T17:35:47Z

+
+        #Rib definitions
+        ribs = np.array([0] * 15 + [1] * 5)
+        rib_materials = ['Balsa'] * 15 + ['Ply'] * 5


Where can the user learn about the different materaisl they can select here>?

ehariton · 2026-08-20T17:39:42Z

@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+import numpy as np


Check with Jason if we want to keep this function around, otherwise it's not actually used by any of the other functions in the repo.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T17:49:08Z

+                'lower': 0.1,
+                'upper': 2.0,
+            },
+            # Aircraft.Fuselage.WETTED_AREA: {


If these are not design values we should probably remove them!

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:01:14Z

+# TODO: reading in of data should be changed later:
+from aviary.models.external_subsystems.UAV.propulsion.Parsing.PropDataReader import PropDataReader
+
+xt, ct, cp = PropDataReader()


why is this happening here rather than in init() ?

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:02:27Z

+            ],
+            promotes_outputs=[('kv', Aircraft.Engine.Motor.KV)],
+        )
+        # commented out for now, may add back in later


remove this if not used.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:04:07Z

@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+import numpy as np


This file is not used anywhere. Why is it here??
If this is here to help create prop tables, then that needs to be stated somewhere and example usage given.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:06:29Z

+import os
+
+
+def PropDataReader():


This function isn't actually used in a component!

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:08:07Z

+
+    prob.build_model()
+
+    prob.add_driver('IPOPT', use_coloring=False, max_iter=15)


Flip this back to just an IPOPT test, no need for SNOPT

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:08:33Z

+
+    prob.setup()
+
+    # use to see all the constraints in the problem


For the actual commit these notes should be removed.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:11:54Z

+    def test_subsystems_in_cruise_attempt(self):
+        prob = CruiseExample()
+
+        # TODO: turn these back into assert_near_equal checks once the example values are confirmed.


Add assert tests back in here.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:12:22Z

+    return prob
+
+
+# NOTE: no @use_tempdirs here. DBFMassBuilder reads its airfoil CSV via a repo-root-


what is going on here? why do we need to be in root? sounds like this is a workaround for something that should have been fixed elsewhere.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:31:58Z

+
+
+class TestBattery(unittest.TestCase):
+    @use_tempdirs


I think @use_tempdirs can be moved one level down before the class and then you only need to instantiate it once for all the tests

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:32:22Z

+
+
+class TestUAVMission(unittest.TestCase):
+    @use_tempdirs


move @use_temdirs down

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:32:41Z

+
+
+class TestUAVPreMission(unittest.TestCase):
+    @use_tempdirs


move @use_tempdirs down

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:33:42Z

+
+
+class UAVBuilder(EngineModel):
+    # UAVPropMission computes its own max-power chain (battery_max ... prop_max),


does it actually still do this? or are these comments based on old implementation?

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:46:43Z

+    types=float,
+    desc='Thickness of a single rib',
+    default_value=[
+        0.003175,


we need some explanation of why these are arrays.

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:47:10Z

+# ========================================================
+
+av.add_meta_data(
+    Aircraft.Fuselage.AREAL_SKIN_DENSITY,


We need to confirm that each of these new meta data entries is actually used

ehariton · 2026-08-20T19:48:04Z

+    types=WingType,
+)
+
+##### RC Variables #####


what does RC mean? Why are these RC variables?

Kenneth-T-Moore · 2026-08-20T19:48:56Z

+        rib_materials = self.options[Aircraft.HorizontalTail.RIB_MATERIALS]
+        misc_mass, units = self.options[Aircraft.HorizontalTail.MISC_MASS]
+
+        load_airfoil_if_needed(self, Aircraft.HorizontalTail)


This should be moved out of compute_primal, and into setup.

This method computes self. rho_rib and self.n_area, but rho_rib is never used for any calculation, and can probably be removed.

self.n_area is a static variable, and needs to be specified in get_self_statics.

Kenneth-T-Moore · 2026-08-20T20:31:38Z

+        'user_options': {
+            'num_segments': 5,
+            'order': 3,
+            'mach_optimize': False,


Descent phase values (mach=.72, alt=34000 ft) probably still come from one of the transport aircraft.

Marinelli and others added 30 commits June 22, 2026 09:41

Created dbf_based_mass folder with structure mass calculations, test …

2c4d415

…files, and examples. Added dbf variables into variables.py and variable_metadata.py

Reincorporated operating mass into summation component

0877c34

Removed OPERATING_MASS from mass_subsystem

13d3781

Added custom dbf variable metadata for mass external subsystem

5b2bd2c

Implementing JAX automatic derivatives throughout mass subsystem

2edb773

All files added are needed to run prelim Propulsion

2f07442

Moved Variables to extended variables and metadata

15d71a1

Changing path to airfoil csv from relative to absolute

ed291a7

Rename dbf_based_mass's variable_info folder to dbf_variable_info

47b4a22

Updated airfoil_input

64291e0

Remove diag_*.py and dbf_level3_example.py from tracking

96f8829

Untracked from git (files kept on disk). Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Removed Silly Files

d11e208

Merge pull request #4 from PeterM764/mass_subsystem

88cc4cc

creating dbf mass external subsystem

Test ODE now working

7be3878

Merge branch 'prop2' of https://github.com/tad2216/2026-UAV-Aviary-Tyler

9364d2d

into prop2

Took out Subsystem Builder Base

1291700

Merge pull request #6 from tad2216/prop2

453a514

Cleanup of some lines of code not needed.

Premission & Mission merged with debugging cruise attempt

7ecde56

Merge branch 'prop2' of https://github.com/GRC-2026-Aviary-Interns/20…

0096572

…26-UAV-Aviary into new_aviary_prop2_work Mergerd mission and Premission# the commit.

Delete aviary/examples/small_uav/level2_newvars.txt

3a38c1c

Update RC mission and remove generated vars file

78f5a6e

Remove unneeded 2DOF example files

57ec1f5

Please enter the commit message for your changes. Lines starting

373c447

changes to prop_yt and x_t

50f173a

Merge pull request #7 from noorhabibhakim-netizen/new_aviary_prop2_work

2524096

Propulsion Mission and Premission Merged, still need mass subsystem. All tests run except cruise attempt, still needs debugging

Added an option to wing mass component allowing for the choice betwee…

247ceff

…n a 'simple' or 'medium' wing design

Added an option info folder and an option to choose between a simple …

7255e1e

…and medium wing design

Fixed tests for wing type option, created an option_info folder for f…

6aa072a

…iles that are solely used for options

Merge pull request #8 from PeterM764/mass_subsystem

17f7d73

Implementing an option for 'simple' vs 'medium' wing design and organizing option-focused files into a folder

Combining wing test files into one file, deleting extra pre-mission t…

a5b6866

…est file

ehariton commented Aug 20, 2026

View reviewed changes

ruff

345c104

ehariton commented Aug 20, 2026

View reviewed changes

Kenneth-T-Moore reviewed Aug 20, 2026

View reviewed changes


		cruise_phase.add_objective('distance', loc='final', ref=-1000.0, units='m')

		prob.add_driver('SNOPT', use_coloring=True, max_iter=100)


		prob.run_aviary_problem(run_driver=True, simulate=True)

		"""Debug Print"""


		return x_normalized, y_normalized

		def load_airfoil_if_needed(comp, Part):


		prob.build_model()

		prob.add_driver('IPOPT', use_coloring=False, max_iter=15)

		return prob


		# NOTE: no @use_tempdirs here. DBFMassBuilder reads its airfoil CSV via a repo-root-



		class UAVBuilder(EngineModel):
		# UAVPropMission computes its own max-power chain (battery_max ... prop_max),

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ehariton commented Aug 18, 2026

Summary

Related Issues

Backwards incompatibilities

AI Usage

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ehariton Aug 20, 2026 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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ehariton Aug 20, 2026 •

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