Implementation of a Hybrid Power Testbed Model of a Hybrid Electric Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Abstract

Testbeds form an essential aspect in the construction of a Hybrid – Electric Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (HE – UAV)/Aircraft. Such testbeds have never been developed before even though a model of the HE – UAV was developed. This article explores the feasibility of implementing a prototype of a (HE – UAV) testbed. Several research papers in the domain were thoroughly explored and the results were grouped based on similar research findings. The grouping was done in terms of the sizing result achieved by each author, the UAV class used, the hybrid powertrain specifications of the components, and the testbed equipment used to construct the HE – UAV testbed. The result from this research shows that a HE – UAV testbed can be achieved if stringent measures are done in determining the size of the component for a given drone size and a careful selection of the components from the sizing result for the testbed construction.