I'm a Computer Engineering student working on my final project which is an fixed wing UAV (or miniaturized version of it). I've run into the classic problem: my initial idea was way too big for my experience, budget and small team, so I'm scaling down and need some sanity checks!

The Dream vs. Reality

My initial vision was :

• Payload: A massive 200 kg (440 lbs) useful payload.
• Wing Span: Which will house the evenly distrubuted payload inside it. (No it is not military related project)
• Range: Fly to the end of the city and back.
• Engine: Thinking about a Paramotor engine

Time to get real.

My New, Achievable Plan:

• New Payload Target: 10–20 kg (22–44 lbs), maybe even less, depending on the motor.
• Everything is Smaller: Range, wingspan, and overall size are all miniaturized .
• Goal: A stable, autopilot-capable drone (Mostly this part is going to be "selling" part of my project).

Building the Airframe

This is where I need your opinions!

My Plan: I'm trying to build the plane on a tight budget, it needs to be forgiving when it comes to the flying crashes is not going to help.

1. Skeleton: I'll make a frame out of wood sticks.
2. Skin: Cover the frame with foam and maybe a light coat of paint.
3. Control: Use small motors to move the flight control surfaces.

The Big Question: Will this simple wood-and-foam structure be stiff and stable enough for a autopilot system to work correctly? If the airframe wobbles too much, the autopilot will have a terrible time flying it smoothly.

I'm designing a kind of mixture of fixed-wing UAVs for the best aerodynamic shape that I can get, but I'm open to design advice!

Other Next Steps

I still need to figure out the communication system (how I talk to the plane), but first, I need to know if the plane itself can even be built this way and fly!

(P.S. Yes, I'm following all aviation rules of my country, going to test safely with an experienced pilot, and won't fly it until it's 100% safe!)

What do you guys think? Is a wood-and-foam frame structurally sound enough for a UAV with 10–20 kg payload that relies on autopilot? I need some brain-storming and advices. I can commit my time and energy to this but if it is "impossible" finding another project will be more efficient

P.S Why this subreddit? I believe this one is also a RC Plane isn't it?