Harvard Students Develop Fixed-Wing VTOL Drone for Sperm Whale Tracking in Dominica
Harvard Students Develop Fixed-Wing VTOL Drone for Sperm Whale Tracking
Two mechanical engineering seniors from Harvard University have created a fixed-wing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone designed to assist marine biologists in locating sperm whales tagged with very high frequency (VHF) transmitters off the coast of Dominica. The project, led by students Kuma McCraw and Mikaya Parente, was part of their capstone work in the Engineering Design Projects course at Harvard’s John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Challenges of Current Tracking Methods
Current tracking efforts for sperm whales in Dominica primarily utilize quadcopter drones, which face limitations in marine environments. VHF tags on the whales transmit only signal strength, necessitating multiple flights to gather data for triangulating the whales’ locations. However, quadcopters have limited battery life, operate too low for optimal antenna separation, and lack the endurance needed to cover extensive areas. The fixed-wing drone developed by McCraw and Parente addresses these issues by transitioning to efficient forward flight after vertical launch, allowing for longer flight times and better data collection.
Design and Construction Process
The construction of the drone took approximately seven months, with the first month dedicated to defining the problem and selecting components. The following five months were spent fabricating the fuselage, wings, and tail. To balance cost and structural integrity, the students employed a combination of 3D printing, hot-wire foam cutting, and carbon fiber materials. The final month focused on flight testing and data collection, utilizing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to assess aerodynamic performance.
Connection to Project CETI
The drone project aligns with Project CETI, which aims to create a comprehensive dataset on sperm whale behavior and communication. The ability to accurately locate whales is crucial for this research, and the drone’s design enhances the capacity to gather VHF signal data effectively. Although the drone has not yet been deployed in Dominica, it represents a significant step toward developing specialized tools for marine research.
Implications for Marine Research
This project exemplifies a targeted approach to engineering, as McCraw and Parente identified specific challenges in whale tracking and designed a solution tailored to those needs. The development of this drone highlights the potential for drones to serve as active research instruments rather than merely observational tools. The success of the VHF triangulation method could lead to more efficient fieldwork, potentially reducing the need for multiple vessels in tracking operations.
As the field of wildlife drone research continues to evolve, the Harvard project stands out for its innovative approach to addressing specific measurement challenges in marine biology.