Design Studies for Future EAD-Propelled Aircraft

Following the first flight of a heavier-than-air EAD-propelled aircraft in 2018 by Xu et al., this thesis contributes to designing and building the next iteration of EAD-propelled aircraft. The nominal design is based on aircraft parameters produced by a geometric programming aircraft design optimiz...

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Main Author: Perovich, Nicholas
Other Authors: Barrett, Steven R. H.
Format: Thesis
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2023
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/147532
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3320-4873
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author Perovich, Nicholas
author2 Barrett, Steven R. H.
author_facet Barrett, Steven R. H.
Perovich, Nicholas
author_sort Perovich, Nicholas
collection MIT
description Following the first flight of a heavier-than-air EAD-propelled aircraft in 2018 by Xu et al., this thesis contributes to designing and building the next iteration of EAD-propelled aircraft. The nominal design is based on aircraft parameters produced by a geometric programming aircraft design optimizer. This thesis presents an experimental campaign to validate and improve models used by the optimizer. Models of interest are mass, drag, electrical, and structural. Preliminary experiments involve wing bending, charge-buildup on flight components, and large-scale thrust measurements. Detailed design of aircraft components is completed and a full airframe is manufactured. A flight test campaign consisting of both indoor and outdoor tests is completed to quantify the flight characteristics of the airframe and evaluate thrust. Results are presented in the context of several technical, operational, and programmatic suggestions made to improve efforts to design, build, and fly future EAD-propelled aircraft.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1475322023-01-20T04:01:40Z Design Studies for Future EAD-Propelled Aircraft Perovich, Nicholas Barrett, Steven R. H. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Following the first flight of a heavier-than-air EAD-propelled aircraft in 2018 by Xu et al., this thesis contributes to designing and building the next iteration of EAD-propelled aircraft. The nominal design is based on aircraft parameters produced by a geometric programming aircraft design optimizer. This thesis presents an experimental campaign to validate and improve models used by the optimizer. Models of interest are mass, drag, electrical, and structural. Preliminary experiments involve wing bending, charge-buildup on flight components, and large-scale thrust measurements. Detailed design of aircraft components is completed and a full airframe is manufactured. A flight test campaign consisting of both indoor and outdoor tests is completed to quantify the flight characteristics of the airframe and evaluate thrust. Results are presented in the context of several technical, operational, and programmatic suggestions made to improve efforts to design, build, and fly future EAD-propelled aircraft. S.M. 2023-01-19T19:56:36Z 2023-01-19T19:56:36Z 2022-09 2022-09-21T13:14:55.049Z Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/147532 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3320-4873 In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted Copyright MIT http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/ application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Perovich, Nicholas
Design Studies for Future EAD-Propelled Aircraft
title Design Studies for Future EAD-Propelled Aircraft
title_full Design Studies for Future EAD-Propelled Aircraft
title_fullStr Design Studies for Future EAD-Propelled Aircraft
title_full_unstemmed Design Studies for Future EAD-Propelled Aircraft
title_short Design Studies for Future EAD-Propelled Aircraft
title_sort design studies for future ead propelled aircraft
url https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/147532
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3320-4873
work_keys_str_mv AT perovichnicholas designstudiesforfutureeadpropelledaircraft