Managing CPS Complexity: Design Method for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) consist of complex systems that use an embedded computing system, typically network connected, to control an electro-mechanical device. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is a typical example of a CPS. In this paper authors present a model-driven design method devoted for the development of UAVs. Such method should be used by a multidisciplinary team composed of experts in aeronautics, mechanics, electronics, control systems, and embedded computer systems. The proposed method is highly inspired in integrated product design methods typically used by mechanical engineers. However, the proposal presented in this paper can be seeing as a kind of specialization of such methods, as it relies on model-driven engineering and focuses on a specific product (UAVs). The design of UAVs requires detailing it is aeronautical aspects, the related control system, and the required embedded electronics.