Özer, Muhammed Mirac2025-03-172025-03-1720241860-949Xhttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-69769-2_18https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13099/1334This study presents a detailed avionics architecture for a fixed-wing armed unmanned aerial vehicle (FWA) capable of detecting and tracking targets during a flight mission. Equipped with an artificial intelligence-based development board and a wide variety of sensors, the aerial platform is able to detect target aircraft with high accuracy. The images obtained by the aircraft are processed with YOLOv5x algorithm to detect the target aircraft. Target tracking processes were modeled assuming that the target was fixed first, and then generalized by taking into account that the target was actually moving. During the flight mission of the armed UAV, all telemetry data were transmitted seamlessly with the ground station within the communication range. In addition, FWA can be controlled manually via radio frequency (RF) control and data transfer is provided without delay. With the designed avionics and electrical system architecture, the FWA can fly fully autonomously, as well as perform different tasks such as image acquisition and instant data transfer with high accuracy. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessAerospace electronicsAvionicsCommunication architecturesFixed-wing aircraftIntelligent automationMilitary vehiclesUAVBook Part10.1007/978-3-031-69769-2_1811714394802-s2.0-85211773005Q3