§16§This book details the design and fabrication of a hovercraft through fundamental principles. The work described in this book was carried out at Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan, as part of research on non-conventional mobile platforms for remote exploration. In particular the design of the propulsion, skirt, rudder, frame, power, and control system is discussed. The design is eventually concluded to fabrication and the vehicle is subjected to various tests to verify the design. The process described in this book is especially biased towards the contemporary resources and equipment available in a developing country. Power storage, payload capacity, day light clearance, and operation times are highlighted. Limitations are discussed to show the boundaries of the design. Every step used in the design process is clearly explained and elaborated using the most basic of engineering concepts.
