Design and Development of Hovercraft for Warehouse Application

The aim of the study was to develop a hovercraft and evaluate different skirt designs for the hovercraft intended for use in a warehouse setting. A computer-aided design model featuring an aluminum structure was used to incorporate the payload onto the hovercraft. Performance tests and computational fluid dynamics analysis were conducted to determine the most suitable skirt design for the intended warehouse application. A steering mechanism using a rudder system and servo motor was also developed. A prototype hovercraft was created using wood that could lift a payload of 16 kg and move forward with a propulsion system. The prototype was tested to assess the functioning of the hovering and propulsion system. The goal of the project was to produce a hovercraft with the optimal skirt design for use in a warehouse setting. Calculations are done to determine the airflow needed to lift the target weight.