Solar-powered airplane design for long-endurance, high-altitude flight

Youngblood, J. W.; Talay, Theodore A.

doi:10.2514/6.1982-811

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…The parameter C 3=2 L =C D in Eq. (1) is referred to as the endurance parameter and is found in the literature as the key parameter for solar aircraft or any aircraft with a mission requiring it to fly at or near the endurance speed [30]. Since the ISR mission requires the HEUAV to fly near the endurance speed, the endurance parameter is critical.…”

Section: Wing and Propulsion System Component Sizingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptual Design and Simulation of a Small Hybrid-Electric Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Harmon

Frank

Chattot

2006

Journal of Aircraft

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Parallel hybrid-electric propulsion systems would be beneficial for small unmanned aerial vehicles used for military, homeland security, and disaster-monitoring missions involving intelligence, surveillance, or reconnaissance (ISR). The benefits include increased time on station and range as compared to electric-powered unmanned aerial vehicles and reduced acoustic and thermal signatures not available with gasoline-powered unmanned aerial vehicles. A conceptual design of a small unmanned aerial vehicle with a parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system, the application of a rule-based controller to the hybrid-electric system, and simulation results are provided. The twopoint conceptual design includes an internal combustion engine sized for cruise speed and an electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack sized for endurance speed. A rule-based controller based on ideal operating line concepts is applied to the control of the parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system. The energy use for the 13.6 kg (30 lb) hybridelectric unmanned aerial vehicle with the rule-based controller during one-hour and three-hour ISR missions is 54% and 22% less, respectively, than for a four-stroke gasoline-powered unmanned aerial vehicle. Nomenclature= maximum lift coefficient e = Oswald efficiency factor et = speed error signal, m=s J = objective function to be minimized m = mass, kg or lbs P EM = power output of the electric motor, W P ICE = power output of the internal combustion engine, W PR = power required, W S = wing area, m 2 TR = thrust required, N ut = controller command signals V Cruise = cruise speed, m=s or kn V Endurance = endurance speed, m=s or kn V Stall = stall speed, m=s or kn W = weight of UAV, N or lbs W Empty = empty weight, N or lbs W Fuel = fuel weight, N or lbs W 0 = gross takeoff weight, N or lbs W Payload = payload weight, N or lbs W Propulsion = propulsion system weight, N or lbs yt = output signal, UAV speed, m=s Prop = propeller efficiency = air density, kg=m 3

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Section: Wing and Propulsion System Component Sizingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptual Design and Simulation of a Small Hybrid-Electric Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Harmon

Frank

Chattot

2006

Journal of Aircraft

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“…where I is solar constant, ε is eccentricity of the earth, n is the day of the year [22,23]. Solar elevation angle is b, which means the included angle between vector of the sun and its projection in the horizontal plane.…”

Section: Solar Radiation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research of near space hybrid power airship with a novel method of energy storage

Yang

2015

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

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“…The most significant limitations of the model [Eqs. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)] are the assumptions of quasi-static equilibrium flight at constant altitude. Because these assumptions can be satisfied in practice but are restrictive, the energy optimization results presented in this paper provide conservative bounds on what can be achieved when these assumptions are violated.…”

Section: E Model Summary and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The necessary conditions for optimality for the maximization problem [Eqs. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)] are derived in [30]. Here, these necessary conditions are applied to the current problem.…”

Section: Optimal Path Planningmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Solar-Powered Aircraft: Energy-Optimal Path Planning and Perpetual Endurance

Klesh

Kabamba

2009

Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics

118

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This paper considers energy-optimal path planning and perpetual endurance for unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with solar cells on the wings, which collect energy used to drive a propeller. Perpetual endurance is the ability to collect more energy than is lost during a day. This paper considers two unmanned aerial vehicle missions: 1) to travel between given positions within an allowed duration while maximizing the final value of energy and 2) to loiter perpetually from a given position, which requires perpetual endurance. For the first mission, the subsequent problem of energy-optimal path planning features the coupling of the aircraft kinematics and energetics models through the bank angle. The problem is then formulated as an optimal control problem, with the bank angle and speed as inputs. Necessary conditions for optimality are formulated and used to study the optimal paths. The power ratio, a nondimensional number, is shown to predict the qualitative features of the optimal paths. This ratio also quantifies a design requirement for the second mission. Specifically, perpetual endurance is possible if and only if the power ratio exceeds a certain threshold. Comparisons are made of this threshold between Earth and Mars. Implications of the power ratio for unmanned aerial vehicle design are also discussed. Several illustrations are given.Nomenclature a = azimuth of the sun, degof the aircraft, N E R = energy ratio E T = total energy, J E in = energy collected, J E out = energy lost, J e = elevation of the sun, deg g = gravitational acceleration, m=s 2 H = Hamiltonian, W H VV = @ 2 H=@V 2 H V = @ 2 H=@@V H = @ 2 H=@ 2 i = incidence angle of sun rays, deg j = dummy summation index K = amount whereby the induced drag exceeds that of an elliptical lift distribution m = mass, kg P R = power ratio P in = power collected, W P out = power lost, W P sd = power spectral density of the sun, W=m 2 S = surface area of the wing, m 2 T = thrust of the aircraft, N T M = mission time, s t f = final time, s t o = initial time, s V = speed, m=s V energy min = speed at minimum energy out, m=s V power min = speed at minimum power out, m=s x = X position, m W = weight of the aircraft, N y = Y position, m = Oswald efficiency factor prop = efficiency of the propeller sol = efficiency of the solar cells = incidence angle of sunlight upon the aircraft, deg x = x costate, N y = y costate, N = costate, J = air density, kg=m 2 w = mass per unit area of the wing, kg=m 2 = bank angle, deg = heading, deg

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Solar-powered airplane design for long-endurance, high-altitude flight

Cited by 15 publications

References 0 publications

Conceptual Design and Simulation of a Small Hybrid-Electric Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Conceptual Design and Simulation of a Small Hybrid-Electric Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Research of near space hybrid power airship with a novel method of energy storage

Solar-Powered Aircraft: Energy-Optimal Path Planning and Perpetual Endurance

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