ABSTRACT
An electrical system is essential to the operation of all controllable unmanned aircraft (UA). Even the least complex, remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) rely upon the electrical power to receive, process, and distribute input signals to achieve command and control and often for propulsion. The electrical system provides the power for controlled flight, subsystem intercommunication, onboard intelligence, telemetry, navigation, and payload operation. The electrical system is the subsystem nexus common to all unmanned aircraft system (UASs). On the macro-level, the electrical systems of unmanned aircraft may be characterized in broad terms, generally descriptive of those found in the majority of UASs. Aviation quality wire (i.e., manufactured according to Federal Aviation Administration standards and specifications) is sized according to the American Wire Gage (AWG) system in which larger numbers indicate a smaller diameter wire. Another important characteristic of wire is the dielectric quality of the insulation.
