A guide to unmanned aerial vehicles performance analysis—the MQ‐9 unmanned air vehicle case study
Abstract Great efforts are devoted for integrating Renewable Energy Sources (RES) on the propulsion system of Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs). This is applicable to small UAVs, having a horizon to expand to large UAVs within the next decades. For the conventional propulsion systems to be replaced, the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-06-01
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| Series: | The Journal of Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1049/tje2.12270 |
| _version_ | 1797794571729502208 |
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| author | Erietta Zountouridou George Kiokes Aris Dimeas John Prousalidis Nikos Hatziargyriou |
| author_facet | Erietta Zountouridou George Kiokes Aris Dimeas John Prousalidis Nikos Hatziargyriou |
| author_sort | Erietta Zountouridou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Great efforts are devoted for integrating Renewable Energy Sources (RES) on the propulsion system of Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs). This is applicable to small UAVs, having a horizon to expand to large UAVs within the next decades. For the conventional propulsion systems to be replaced, the required power needs of the aircraft should first be examined. The required power depends on the UAV's flight stage from takeoff to landing, whereas its calculation varies with regard to the propulsion system type, which is separated into two main categories, the propelled‐driven engines and the jet engines. Two obstacles are arising. First, the parameters needed for the power estimation are commercially sensitive and second the analysis alters with respect to the engine's type. This paper focuses on the mathematical analysis of the required power for both the main propulsion systems, presented extensively for each flight phase, proposing, at the same time, a parameter estimation method which is applicable to any UAV type. The main purpose of this paper is to act as a guide for the calculation of any type UAV's required power at any flight stage. To validate the analysis, the MQ‐9 Reaper/Predator B, a High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) turboprop UAV produced by General Atomics is analysed. Its unknown parameters are estimated and based on a selected flight profile, the required power in terms of horsepower from takeoff to landing is assessed, for two scenarios regarding the aircraft's initial weight. In the first scenario the UAV has the maximum gross takeoff weight, whereas in the second scenario it does not carry any payload. The estimated required shaft power per flight phase for each scenario is then marked into the TPE331‐10 turboprop engine characteristic curves. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T03:04:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-90e927f510b74c71955056a9a695d0cf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2051-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T03:04:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Journal of Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-90e927f510b74c71955056a9a695d0cf2023-06-27T07:44:34ZengWileyThe Journal of Engineering2051-33052023-06-0120236n/an/a10.1049/tje2.12270A guide to unmanned aerial vehicles performance analysis—the MQ‐9 unmanned air vehicle case studyErietta Zountouridou0George Kiokes1Aris Dimeas2John Prousalidis3Nikos Hatziargyriou4School of Electrical and Computer Engineering National Technical University of Athens Athens GreeceMerchant Marine Academy, Aspropyrgos Attica GreeceSchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering National Technical University of Athens Athens GreeceSchool of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering National Technical University of Athens Athens GreeceSchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering National Technical University of Athens Athens GreeceAbstract Great efforts are devoted for integrating Renewable Energy Sources (RES) on the propulsion system of Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs). This is applicable to small UAVs, having a horizon to expand to large UAVs within the next decades. For the conventional propulsion systems to be replaced, the required power needs of the aircraft should first be examined. The required power depends on the UAV's flight stage from takeoff to landing, whereas its calculation varies with regard to the propulsion system type, which is separated into two main categories, the propelled‐driven engines and the jet engines. Two obstacles are arising. First, the parameters needed for the power estimation are commercially sensitive and second the analysis alters with respect to the engine's type. This paper focuses on the mathematical analysis of the required power for both the main propulsion systems, presented extensively for each flight phase, proposing, at the same time, a parameter estimation method which is applicable to any UAV type. The main purpose of this paper is to act as a guide for the calculation of any type UAV's required power at any flight stage. To validate the analysis, the MQ‐9 Reaper/Predator B, a High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) turboprop UAV produced by General Atomics is analysed. Its unknown parameters are estimated and based on a selected flight profile, the required power in terms of horsepower from takeoff to landing is assessed, for two scenarios regarding the aircraft's initial weight. In the first scenario the UAV has the maximum gross takeoff weight, whereas in the second scenario it does not carry any payload. The estimated required shaft power per flight phase for each scenario is then marked into the TPE331‐10 turboprop engine characteristic curves.https://doi.org/10.1049/tje2.12270aircraft power systemsautonomous aerial vehiclesparameter estimation |
| spellingShingle | Erietta Zountouridou George Kiokes Aris Dimeas John Prousalidis Nikos Hatziargyriou A guide to unmanned aerial vehicles performance analysis—the MQ‐9 unmanned air vehicle case study The Journal of Engineering aircraft power systems autonomous aerial vehicles parameter estimation |
| title | A guide to unmanned aerial vehicles performance analysis—the MQ‐9 unmanned air vehicle case study |
| title_full | A guide to unmanned aerial vehicles performance analysis—the MQ‐9 unmanned air vehicle case study |
| title_fullStr | A guide to unmanned aerial vehicles performance analysis—the MQ‐9 unmanned air vehicle case study |
| title_full_unstemmed | A guide to unmanned aerial vehicles performance analysis—the MQ‐9 unmanned air vehicle case study |
| title_short | A guide to unmanned aerial vehicles performance analysis—the MQ‐9 unmanned air vehicle case study |
| title_sort | guide to unmanned aerial vehicles performance analysis the mq 9 unmanned air vehicle case study |
| topic | aircraft power systems autonomous aerial vehicles parameter estimation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1049/tje2.12270 |
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