Drone Engineering: Design, Construction, and Flight of Multirotor Unmanned Aircraft - Softcover

A. Graig, Thomas

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798189917974

Publisher: Independently published, 2026

Synopsis

The rapid evolution of unmanned aircraft has transformed industries around the world. From aerial mapping and precision agriculture to infrastructure inspection, filmmaking, logistics, emergency response, scientific research, and autonomous robotics, drones have become one of the most important engineering technologies of the twenty-first century.

But designing a drone that flies safely, efficiently, and reliably requires far more than assembling motors and propellers.

It demands a deep understanding of aerodynamics, propulsion, structural mechanics, electronics, sensors, control theory, embedded systems, navigation, software, autonomy, and systems engineering.

Drone Engineering brings all of these disciplines together into one comprehensive engineering reference.

Designed for university students, aerospace engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, robotics researchers, UAV developers, educators, and professional drone designers, this book provides both the scientific foundations and the practical engineering knowledge needed to design, analyze, build, and operate modern multirotor aircraft.

Unlike introductory drone books that focus primarily on flying or assembling commercial platforms, this textbook explains why every engineering decision matters. Beginning with multirotor fundamentals and progressing through propulsion, power systems, structural design, flight dynamics, sensor fusion, autonomous navigation, advanced control, and complete vehicle integration, readers develop a systems-level understanding of how every subsystem interacts to create a capable aircraft.

Inside you'll discover:

Multirotor aircraft fundamentals and engineering principles

Rotor aerodynamics, momentum theory, and blade-element analysis

Airframe design, structural analysis, and composite materials

Brushless motors, ESCs, batteries, and complete electric propulsion systems

Flight dynamics, rigid-body modeling, and nonlinear vehicle behavior

Sensors, IMUs, GNSS, barometers, and state estimation

Kalman filtering and advanced sensor fusion

PID control, trajectory control, and advanced flight control techniques

Flight controllers, embedded firmware, and communication systems

Computer vision, obstacle avoidance, and autonomous navigation

Guidance, mission planning, and UAV autonomy

Payload integration, reliability engineering, safety analysis, and certification

Advanced multirotor design optimization and real-world engineering case studies

Whether your goal is to develop commercial UAV platforms, conduct university research, improve autonomous flight systems, or gain a deeper understanding of drone technology, this book provides the rigorous engineering framework needed to solve real design problems with confidence.

From the first sizing calculations to advanced autonomous flight, Drone Engineering serves as both a university textbook and a long-term professional reference, helping you understand not only how drones fly, but how engineers create the next generation of unmanned aircraft.

About this title

About the Author

Thomas A. Graig is an author of educational and technical publications focused on making complex subjects clear, practical, and accessible. His work includes professional study guides, certification exam resources, and engineering textbooks designed to support both academic success and professional development. With an emphasis on clear explanations, real-world applications, and structured learning, Thomas creates reliable resources that help students, professionals, and lifelong learners build confidence, deepen their understanding, and apply knowledge effectively.

From the Back Cover

ENGINEER THE COMPLETE MULTIROTOR
Anyone can see the components of a drone.
The engineering challenge is understanding how they work together.
Drone Engineering is a comprehensive systems-oriented guide to the science and engineering behind modern multirotor aircraft.
Rather than treating aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, electronics, control, and autonomy as disconnected subjects, this book demonstrates how every subsystem contributes to—and constrains—the complete vehicle.
Inside you'll discover:
Multirotor flight physics and engineering fundamentals
Coordinate systems and three-dimensional vehicle motion
Rotor aerodynamics and propeller performance
Electric motors, propulsion systems, batteries, and endurance
Structural mechanics and material selection
Vibration and mechanical design
Rigid-body dynamics and aircraft modeling
Euler angles, quaternions, and attitude representation
Simulation and flight-dynamics analysis
Sensors and state estimation
Feedback and flight-control systems
Navigation, perception, and autonomous operation
Payload integration and mission considerations
Reliability and system safety
Airworthiness, operational risk, and regulation
Integration, verification, and flight testing
A complete multirotor design case study
The manuscript intentionally draws together disciplines that are frequently taught separately—including aerodynamics, control, structures, estimation, perception, autonomy, reliability, and systems engineering—into the engineering of the complete aircraft.
Throughout the book, worked examples turn theory into physical understanding. The reader sees not only how to calculate forces, motion, power, performance, and system behavior, but how to interpret the result as an engineer.
At the heart of the book is a consistent running vehicle: a 3.2 kg cinematography and inspection quadrotor. Its engineering decisions are traced across the disciplines until the final integrated case study brings the complete aircraft together.
The result is a guide designed not merely to explain how drones fly, but to develop the multidisciplinary judgment required to engineer them.
DESIGN THE SYSTEM.
UNDERSTAND THE TRADEOFFS.
VERIFY THE AIRCRAFT.
ENGINEER FOR FLIGHT.
A practical engineering reference for students, UAV designers, robotics engineers, researchers, educators, and professionals working with modern multirotor systems.

From the Inside Flap

FROM FIRST PRINCIPLES TO A COMPLETE FLYING SYSTEM
A multirotor is more than motors, propellers, batteries, sensors, and software.
It is an integrated aircraft system in which every engineering decision influences another.
Drone Engineering takes readers inside that complete system, developing the multidisciplinary knowledge required to understand, analyze, design, integrate, and verify modern multirotor aircraft.
Beginning with requirements and the fundamental physics of flight, the book develops the principles behind aerodynamic forces, rotor performance, propulsion, electric motors, batteries, structures, materials, and vibration.
From there, the reader enters the dynamics and intelligence of the aircraft: coordinate systems, rigid-body motion, attitude representation, stability, simulation, state estimation, feedback control, navigation, sensing, perception, and autonomy.
The treatment extends beyond simply making a vehicle fly. Payload integration, reliability, safety, regulation, airworthiness, operational risk, and real-world flight constraints are incorporated into the engineering process.
Inside you'll explore:
AERODYNAMICS & FLIGHT PHYSICS
Understand the forces that make multirotor flight possible.
ELECTRIC PROPULSION
Connect propellers, motors, batteries, power, thrust, and endurance.
STRUCTURES & MATERIALS
Engineer an airframe capable of carrying real loads and surviving vibration.
DYNAMICS & CONTROL
Model vehicle motion and understand the principles that keep an inherently coupled aircraft stable.
ESTIMATION & AUTONOMY
Connect sensors, navigation, perception, and intelligent vehicle behavior.
SAFETY & RELIABILITY
Design beyond nominal operation by considering failures and system-level risk.
REGULATION & OPERATIONS
Understand why an aircraft must be not only technically capable but fit to operate safely within real airspace.
SYSTEM INTEGRATION
Bring every discipline together into one coherent aircraft.
The concluding design case study demonstrates this philosophy by integrating the running 3.2 kg quadrotor from its initial sizing through verified flight.
Learn the disciplines. Understand the connections. Engineer the aircraft.

Edition details

• Publisher: Independently published
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798189917974
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 406