The methodology of documenting cultural heritage sites using photogrammetry, UAV, and 3D printing techniques: the case study of Asinou Church in Cyprus

As the affordability, reliability and ease-of-use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) advances, the use of aerial surveying for cultural heritage purposes becomes a popular choice, yielding an unprecedented volume of high-resolution, geo-tagged image-sets of historical sites from above.

As well, recent developments in photogrammetry technology provide a simple and cost-effective method of generating relatively accurate 3D models from 2D images. These techniques provide a set of new tools for archaeologists and cultural heritage experts to capture, store, process, share, visualise and annotate 3D models in the field.

This paper focuses on the methodology used to document the cultural heritage site of Asinou Church in Cyprus using various state of the art techniques, such as UAV, photogrammetry and 3D printing. Hundreds of images of the Asinou Church were taken by a UAV with an attached high resolution, low cost camera. These photographic images were then used to create a digital 3D model and a 3D printer was used to create a physical model of the church.

Such a methodology provides archaeologists and cultural heritage experts a simple and cost-effective method of generating relatively accurate 3D models from 2D images of cultural heritage sites.

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Emerging Threats: Cyber-Physical Attacks on Additive Manufactured UAV Parts

Additive Manufacturing (AM, or 3D printing) is an emerging manufacturing technology with far-reaching implications: AM is increasingly used to produce functional parts, including components for safety-critical systems, but its unique capabilities and dependence on computerization raise a concern that an AM generated part could be sabotaged by a cyber-physical attack.

In this paper, it is demonstrated the validity of this concern by presenting a novel attack: reducing the fatigue life of a 3D-printed quadcopter propeller, causing its mid-flight failure, ultimately leading to the quadcopter’s fall and destruction.

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Trends in Israeli Military Innovation

It should not be surprising that Israel has become a leader in military innovation given the demands of national security. Among the technologies that it has advanced are Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Even though other nations have conducted experiments with these vehicles, Israel developed and fielded them as battlefield systems.

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Structure Analysis and Optimization of Transitioning UAV

With the aim to develop more efficient aircraft configurations, the Blended-Wing-Body (BWB) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have grown attention in recent years. Compared to conventional aircraft configurations, the BWB structure has several advantages in aerodynamics and fuel efficiency.

Topology Optimization (TO) is also a relatively new structure optimization approach which has applied successfully in automotive industry for a considerable time. In this paper, topology optimization method will be applied on a special BWB structure UAV called BITU on both 2D and 3D models in ABAQUS.

The optimization goal is to minimize compliance energy under specified loading and boundary conditions which will be computed in modeling and simulation section. Finally, optimized result compared to initial design will demonstrate TO is a rational and efficient design tool for structure optimization, especially in Aircraft industry.

Enhancing aerospace engineering students' learning with 3D printing wind‐tunnel models

The purpose of this paper is to present the benefits offered by Rapid Prototyping (RP) models for wind‐tunnel testing as part of fourth‐year aerospace engineering student projects.

Ways of overcoming some of the difficulties associated with the 3D Printing Technology are also discussed.

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Innovative Approach for Future Aircraft Development at IAI

A description of the innovative approach of airplane development at Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Engineering & Development Group is presented.

The approach is a structured process including several steps and is the key to new product introduction. The first step is the generation of ideas, followed by a feasibility study and a product definition.

These steps are preliminary for either a demonstration program or a full-scale development program. The paper defines the innovation and describes the main elements, including the market demand evaluation, technologies evolution and product characteristics definition.

Typical examples of results of the innovation process at IAI are the Heron I Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) and the Mosquito micro UAV. Planned programs are the next generation of a Very Light Jet (VLJ), more autonomous aircraft, Autonomous Personal Air Vehicle (APAV) and in parallel the evaluation of electrical propulsion, solar UAV and other directions. 

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¿May the Industry 4.0 Challenge the U.S. Tactical Dominance?

The convergence of dramatic improvements in the fields of robotics, artificial intelligence, materials, additive manufacturing and nanoenergetics is dramatically changing the character of conflict in all domains.

This convergence is creating a massive increase in capabilities available to increasingly smaller political entities—extending even to the individual. This new diffusion of power has major implications for the conduct of warfare, not the least of which are the major hazards or opportunities that it presents to medium and even small powers.

The outcome will depend on the paths they choose.

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