Design and construction of a low-cost test bench for drones

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29105/ingenierias29.101-991

Keywords:

Experimental testing bench, unmanned aerial vehicles, force and moment measurement, load cell instrumentation, low-cost design

Abstract

This work presents the design, fabrication, and validation of a low-cost testing bench for measuring forces and moments in all six degrees of freedom (6 DoF) acting on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The system integrates a strategically arranged set of load cells and a mathematical model that relates sensor signals to the applied loads with respect to the UAV center of gravity. The structural design was developed using CAD and evaluated through numerical analysis, considering components manufactured from polylactic acid (PLA) and aluminum alloy 6061. Experimental results show good agreement with commercial reference sensors, demonstrating the feasibility of an accurate and cost-effective solution for UAV experimental research.

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Author Biographies

Alejandro Jiménez Flores, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

Aeronautical Engineer (2020) from the Universidad Politécnica de Chihuahua; Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering specializing in Flight Dynamics (2025) from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (CIIIA-FIME-UANL). Research interests: unmanned aerial vehicles, flight dynamics, control systems, additive manufacturing, and machine learning.

Luis Arturo Reyes Osorio, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

He holds a degree in Mechanical-Administrative Engineering, a Master of Science degree, and a Doctorate in Materials Engineering from UANL. A professor at FIME-UANL, he conducts research in structures, manufacturing, and simulation. He leads the UANL-CA-378 research group, holds SNI Level II status, and has an extensive record of scientific output, thesis supervision, and participation in academic projects.

María Eugenia Juárez Huitrón, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

Professor-researcher in materials engineering, with a background in Chemical Engineering (ITL, 2005), a Master of Science in Soil Science (ITT, 2008), and a PhD in Materials Engineering (FIME-UANL, 2026). Her research focuses on the study of semiconductors, particularly the development of ceramic materials with non-ohmic properties.

Edmundo Javier Ollervides Vázquez, TecNM/Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna

Electronic Engineer (1996) from TecNM/ITLaLaguna; Master of Science in Electronics and Telecommunications (2001) from CICESE; Doctor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from CIIIA-FIME-UANL (2021). Full-time Research Professor at the DEPI of TecNM/ITLaLaguna. Holds "Candidate" status in the SNII; research areas include drones, unmanned aerial systems, intelligent navigation, and avionics.

Octavio García Salazar, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

Electronic Engineer (2000) from TecNM-ITLaLaguna; Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (2003) from TecNM-ITLaLaguna. PhD in Systems Control from the University of Technology of Compiègne (2009). CNRS Postdoctoral Fellow at LAFMIA-CINVESTAV (2011). Research Professor at CIIIA-FIME-UANL since 2013. Holds SNII Level 2 status; research areas: drones and unmanned aerial systems.

References

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Portada: Cuadrirrotor, Centro de Investigación e Innovación en Ingeniería Aeronáutica (CIIIA) de la UANL.

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Published

2026-07-25

How to Cite

Jiménez Flores, A., Reyes Osorio, L. A., Juárez Huitrón, M. E., Ollervides Vázquez, E. J., & García Salazar, O. (2026). Design and construction of a low-cost test bench for drones. Revista Ingenierías, 29(101), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.29105/ingenierias29.101-991

Issue

Vol. 29 No. 101 (2026): Julio-Diciembre

Section

Artículos

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Copyright (c) 2026 Alejandro Jiménez Flores, Luis Arturo Reyes Osorio, Maria Eugenia Juárez Huitrón, Edmundo Javier Ollervides Vázquez, Octavio García Salazar

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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