TY - JOUR
T1 - Conceptual design of long-endurance small solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle with multiple tilts and hovers
AU - Cao, Xiao
AU - Liu, Li
AU - Ge, Jiahao
AU - Yang, Dun
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© IMechE 2023.
PY - 2023/11
Y1 - 2023/11
N2 - This paper presents an overall scheme of a long-endurance small solar-powered convertible unmanned aerial vehicle (CUAV) that operates tilt-rotor for multiple hover tasks. First, a solar/battery hybrid energy strategy was proposed to comprehensively meet the requirements of CUAVs with long endurance and multiple hovers. The particular ability of the solar-powered fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), pure battery-powered CUAV, and the proposed long-endurance solar-powered CUAV with multiple cruises and hovers were comparatively analyzed from an energy standpoint. Second, a suitable conceptual design method and process for small solar-powered CUAV was given, and the robustness of the designed CUAV was using three performance metrics under nominal conditions. The approach was then applied to design a 6.5 kg CUAV, which was initially tested in flight. Finally, the performance and application potential of the designed CUAV was evaluated with operating conditions, mission requirements, energy input, and perpetual flight capability.
AB - This paper presents an overall scheme of a long-endurance small solar-powered convertible unmanned aerial vehicle (CUAV) that operates tilt-rotor for multiple hover tasks. First, a solar/battery hybrid energy strategy was proposed to comprehensively meet the requirements of CUAVs with long endurance and multiple hovers. The particular ability of the solar-powered fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), pure battery-powered CUAV, and the proposed long-endurance solar-powered CUAV with multiple cruises and hovers were comparatively analyzed from an energy standpoint. Second, a suitable conceptual design method and process for small solar-powered CUAV was given, and the robustness of the designed CUAV was using three performance metrics under nominal conditions. The approach was then applied to design a 6.5 kg CUAV, which was initially tested in flight. Finally, the performance and application potential of the designed CUAV was evaluated with operating conditions, mission requirements, energy input, and perpetual flight capability.
KW - conceptual design
KW - convertible unmanned aerial vehicle
KW - hybrid energy strategy
KW - multiple hovers
KW - solar-powered
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85170545548&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/09544100231181872
DO - 10.1177/09544100231181872
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85170545548
SN - 0954-4100
VL - 237
SP - 3185
EP - 3201
JO - Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
JF - Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
IS - 14
ER -