TY - JOUR
T1 - Analysis of Aerodynamic Characteristics of Propeller Systems Based on Martian Atmospheric Environment
AU - Zhang, Wangwang
AU - Xu, Bin
AU - Zhang, Haitao
AU - Xiang, Changle
AU - Fan, Wei
AU - Zhao, Zhiran
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Compared to detection methods employed by Mars rovers and orbiters, the employment of Mars UAVs presents clear advantages. However, the unique atmospheric conditions on Mars pose significant challenges to the design and operation of such UAVs. One of the primary difficulties lies in the impact of the planet’s low air density on the aerodynamic performance of the UAV’s rotor system. In order to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of the rotor system in the Martian atmospheric environment, a rotor system suitable for the Martian environment was designed under the premise of fully considering the special atmospheric environment of Mars, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the rotor system in the compressible and ultra-low Reynolds number environment were numerically simulated by means of a numerical calculation method. Additionally, a bench experiment was conducted in a vacuum chamber simulating the Martian atmospheric environment, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the UAV rotor system in the Martian environment were analyzed by combining theory and experiments. The feasibility of the rotor system applied to the Martian atmospheric environment was verified, and the first generation of Mars unmanned helicopters was developed and validated via hovering experiments, which thereby yielded crucial data support for the design of subsequent Mars UAV models.
AB - Compared to detection methods employed by Mars rovers and orbiters, the employment of Mars UAVs presents clear advantages. However, the unique atmospheric conditions on Mars pose significant challenges to the design and operation of such UAVs. One of the primary difficulties lies in the impact of the planet’s low air density on the aerodynamic performance of the UAV’s rotor system. In order to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of the rotor system in the Martian atmospheric environment, a rotor system suitable for the Martian environment was designed under the premise of fully considering the special atmospheric environment of Mars, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the rotor system in the compressible and ultra-low Reynolds number environment were numerically simulated by means of a numerical calculation method. Additionally, a bench experiment was conducted in a vacuum chamber simulating the Martian atmospheric environment, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the UAV rotor system in the Martian environment were analyzed by combining theory and experiments. The feasibility of the rotor system applied to the Martian atmospheric environment was verified, and the first generation of Mars unmanned helicopters was developed and validated via hovering experiments, which thereby yielded crucial data support for the design of subsequent Mars UAV models.
KW - Martian atmospheric environment
KW - aerodynamic characteristics
KW - compressed
KW - low air density
KW - ultra-low Reynolds number
KW - vacuum chamber experiment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85163819031&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/drones7060397
DO - 10.3390/drones7060397
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85163819031
SN - 2504-446X
VL - 7
JO - Drones
JF - Drones
IS - 6
M1 - 397
ER -