Design and Development of Modular Cargo Casings for Lightweight Drones

Devina P. Sanjaya; Kristen Karman-Shoemake; Aidan S. Lay; Tor B.T. Burwell; Chayapat Bunterngsook; Michael P. Sutton; Trenton S. Henderson; Cristiano Beck; Gustavo Luiz Olichevis Halila

doi:10.2514/6.2026-0685

Design and Development of Modular Cargo Casings for Lightweight Drones

Devina P. Sanjaya
, Kristen Karman-Shoemake
, Aidan S. Lay
, Tor B.T. Burwell
, Chayapat Bunterngsook
, Michael P. Sutton
, Trenton S. Henderson
, Cristiano Beck
, Gustavo Luiz Olichevis Halila

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

In emergencies, the ability to rapidly design, build, and attach cargo casings to lightweight drones for transporting first-aid kits and medicines is highly valuable. This work contributes to this goal by using 3D scanning, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), 3D printing, and flight testing to develop aerodynamically efficient, modular cargo casings. To ensure consistency between computational approaches and flight testing, the computer-aided design (CAD) model of the drone is derived from a 3D scan of the physical drone, and CAD models of the cargo casings are 3D printed. Results show that modular cargo casings can be rapidly developed, offering an effective approach to emergency medical deliveries and rapid-response logistics. This rapid-prototyping workflow can also be carried out by an interdisciplinary team of early-career researchers, providing hands-on training while achieving the cargo-casing design objective. © 2026, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. All rights reserved.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech 2026 Forum
Publisher	American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA
Number of pages	13
ISBN (Electronic)	9781624107658
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2026-0685
Publication status	Published - 2026
Externally published	Yes
Event	AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition (AIAA SciTech Forum 2026) - Orlando, United States Duration: 12 Jan 2026 → 16 Jan 2026

Publication series

Name	AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum

Conference

Conference	AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition (AIAA SciTech Forum 2026)
Place	United States
City	Orlando
Period	12/01/26 → 16/01/26

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) Program under Grant No. 2244052. The 2024 IREAAMU NSF-REU site and the 2025 IREAAMU NSF-REU & Collaborative REU sites are held at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The IREAAMU Collaborative REU site is approved by and at zero cost to the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. The first, third, and seventh authors also acknowledge the financial support of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Finally, the authors gratefully acknowledge the computational resources provided by Cadence Design Systems.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

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10.2514/6.2026-0685

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Sanjaya, D. P., Karman-Shoemake, K., Lay, A. S., Burwell, T. B. T., Bunterngsook, C., Sutton, M. P., Henderson, T. S., Beck, C., & Halila, G. L. O. (2026). Design and Development of Modular Cargo Casings for Lightweight Drones. In AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech 2026 Forum (AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum). American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2026-0685

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title = "Design and Development of Modular Cargo Casings for Lightweight Drones",

abstract = "In emergencies, the ability to rapidly design, build, and attach cargo casings to lightweight drones for transporting first-aid kits and medicines is highly valuable. This work contributes to this goal by using 3D scanning, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), 3D printing, and flight testing to develop aerodynamically efficient, modular cargo casings. To ensure consistency between computational approaches and flight testing, the computer-aided design (CAD) model of the drone is derived from a 3D scan of the physical drone, and CAD models of the cargo casings are 3D printed. Results show that modular cargo casings can be rapidly developed, offering an effective approach to emergency medical deliveries and rapid-response logistics. This rapid-prototyping workflow can also be carried out by an interdisciplinary team of early-career researchers, providing hands-on training while achieving the cargo-casing design objective. {\textcopyright} 2026, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. All rights reserved.",

author = "Sanjaya, \{Devina P.\} and Kristen Karman-Shoemake and Lay, \{Aidan S.\} and Burwell, \{Tor B.T.\} and Chayapat Bunterngsook and Sutton, \{Michael P.\} and Henderson, \{Trenton S.\} and Cristiano Beck and Halila, \{Gustavo Luiz Olichevis\}",

year = "2026",

doi = "10.2514/6.2026-0685",

language = "English",

series = "AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum",

publisher = "American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA",

booktitle = "AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech 2026 Forum",

note = "AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition (AIAA SciTech Forum 2026) ; Conference date: 12-01-2026 Through 16-01-2026",

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Sanjaya, DP, Karman-Shoemake, K, Lay, AS, Burwell, TBT, Bunterngsook, C, Sutton, MP, Henderson, TS, Beck, C & Halila, GLO 2026, Design and Development of Modular Cargo Casings for Lightweight Drones. in AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech 2026 Forum. AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA, AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition (AIAA SciTech Forum 2026), Orlando, Florida, United States, 12/01/26. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2026-0685

Design and Development of Modular Cargo Casings for Lightweight Drones. / Sanjaya, Devina P.; Karman-Shoemake, Kristen; Lay, Aidan S. et al.
AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech 2026 Forum. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA, 2026. (AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum).

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Design and Development of Modular Cargo Casings for Lightweight Drones

AU - Sanjaya, Devina P.

AU - Karman-Shoemake, Kristen

AU - Lay, Aidan S.

AU - Burwell, Tor B.T.

AU - Bunterngsook, Chayapat

AU - Sutton, Michael P.

AU - Henderson, Trenton S.

AU - Beck, Cristiano

AU - Halila, Gustavo Luiz Olichevis

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - In emergencies, the ability to rapidly design, build, and attach cargo casings to lightweight drones for transporting first-aid kits and medicines is highly valuable. This work contributes to this goal by using 3D scanning, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), 3D printing, and flight testing to develop aerodynamically efficient, modular cargo casings. To ensure consistency between computational approaches and flight testing, the computer-aided design (CAD) model of the drone is derived from a 3D scan of the physical drone, and CAD models of the cargo casings are 3D printed. Results show that modular cargo casings can be rapidly developed, offering an effective approach to emergency medical deliveries and rapid-response logistics. This rapid-prototyping workflow can also be carried out by an interdisciplinary team of early-career researchers, providing hands-on training while achieving the cargo-casing design objective. © 2026, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. All rights reserved.

AB - In emergencies, the ability to rapidly design, build, and attach cargo casings to lightweight drones for transporting first-aid kits and medicines is highly valuable. This work contributes to this goal by using 3D scanning, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), 3D printing, and flight testing to develop aerodynamically efficient, modular cargo casings. To ensure consistency between computational approaches and flight testing, the computer-aided design (CAD) model of the drone is derived from a 3D scan of the physical drone, and CAD models of the cargo casings are 3D printed. Results show that modular cargo casings can be rapidly developed, offering an effective approach to emergency medical deliveries and rapid-response logistics. This rapid-prototyping workflow can also be carried out by an interdisciplinary team of early-career researchers, providing hands-on training while achieving the cargo-casing design objective. © 2026, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. All rights reserved.

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U2 - 10.2514/6.2026-0685

DO - 10.2514/6.2026-0685

M3 - RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication)

T3 - AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum

BT - AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech 2026 Forum

PB - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA

T2 - AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition (AIAA SciTech Forum 2026)

Y2 - 12 January 2026 through 16 January 2026

ER -

Sanjaya DP, Karman-Shoemake K, Lay AS, Burwell TBT, Bunterngsook C, Sutton MP et al. Design and Development of Modular Cargo Casings for Lightweight Drones. In AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech 2026 Forum. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. 2026. (AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum). Epub 2026 Jan 8. doi: 10.2514/6.2026-0685

Design and Development of Modular Cargo Casings for Lightweight Drones

Abstract

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Funding

UN SDGs

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