# A Novel Drone Design Based on a Reconfigurable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Wildfire Management
## 1 Introduction
This poses a prohibitive factor in cases where time is precious, such as in firefighting or fire prevention scenarios, where quick changes in both the drone's configuration and payload may be necessary for various missions. Another limiting factor is the maximum take-off weight (MTOW), including the UAV's construction, which is set at 2 kg. This limitation implies that the UAV may struggle to accommodate the variable payloads essential for missions in wildfires and prescribed fire sciences. In contrast to the previously mentioned drone, the UAV outlined in the paper by [PERSON] et al. [29] exhibits the capacity to transport payloads ranging from 5 to 50 kg, underscoring its adaptability to diverse mission requirements. Despite the UAV's suggested reconfigurability into three distinct configurations--quadcopter, hexacopter, and octocopter--the authors provide no details on the procedural aspects involved in altering its configuration or the associated ease and time commitments. Moreover, it remains undisclosed whether the uploading of the correct firmware for each configuration into the flight controller is performed automatically or not, representing a potentially time-consuming task demanding technical proficiency. Further contributing to this field, [PERSON], [PERSON] et al. [30] designed a modular multi-drone system with vertical assembly capability. The proposed design offers increased payload capacity due to modular stacking ability and operational flexibility, with the drone capable of functioning both individually and collectively. While the novel control method is beneficial, controlling a vertically assembled structure presents more complexity than a single UAV. Additionally, potential mechanical failures in the docking mechanism and regulatory challenges in densely populated areas also pose concerns. The Drone Reconfigurable Architecture (DRA) by [PERSON], [PERSON] et al. [31] offers enhanced versatility and customization for a variety of UAV applications, allowing end users to attach multiple modules for the desired configuration and thrust weight. However, the authors do not specify the maximum payload weight achievable nor detail the payload attachment procedures. Moreover, the absence of landing gear compromises the drone's ability to take off from varied terrains, which is essential for a multipurpose UAV. To conclude, these solutions do not have total modularity for all their elements (i.e., structural, avionic, and electrical parts) and they require some basic electronic and mechanical knowledge from the end users to be able to properly assemble the available elements. Moreover, none of the prior technical solutions solve the problem of providing a multifunction and multipurpose drone able to carry a generic payload that can vary in weight while also being deployable with simple and easy plug-and-play procedures. The concept presented in this paper goes beyond previous works on modular architectures. This paper adopts an offline modular strategy to introduce a \"never-seen-before\" reconfigurable architecture designed for multirotor drones. This innovative approach allows rapid assembly and configuration adjustments tailored to specific mission requirements, ensuring that the UAV is mission-ready in a short timeframe. Moreover, this architecture allows for the replacement or upgrade of individual parts of the UAV. In addition to offering various configurations, the innovation presented also extends to UAV control. The drone's specific configuration is identified automatically, and the UAV controller adapts accordingly. Delivery of the appropriate firmware to the controller is executed automatically through custom and pre-configured options and auto-install methods.