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Conceptual design studies of vertical takeoff and landing remotely piloted aircraft systems for hybrid missions

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Abstract

Spurred by the rapid progress in sensor performance increase associated with contemporary miniaturization, many companies, organizations, and governments are interested in using new opportunities in civil remotely piloted aircraft system applications. Coupled with an enhancement in propulsion system performance as well as an optimized and well-matched aerodynamic design, flight envelope limits can be enlarged and new mission profiles arise. Due to these ambitions, resulting hybrid missions become more complex and individual with partially contradicting demands, such as vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, fast climb and cruise combined with a long-endurance loiter capability, and a hover capability up to altitudes of 5000 m. In order to fulfill the diverse mission requirements, several configuration concepts are investigated. The focus is laid on different propulsion system concepts where various technologies and energy storage types are considered, as well as their effects on the aerodynamic shape and the controllability of the configuration. The investigated concepts comprise tilt propeller, tilt ducted propeller, and tilt wing configurations with fixed and variable pitch propeller. Based on these studies, a feasible concept in the weight category of MTOW ≤150 kg was identified which accomplishes both the aerodynamic and performance demands and the controllability in all flight segments.

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Abbreviations

ATR (°/s):

Attained turn rate

AR:

Aspect ratio

b (m):

Wingspan

C DO :

Parasite drag coefficient

C Lα :

Aircraft lift slope

C L,max :

Maximum lift coefficient

c r (m):

Wing root chord

c t (m):

Wing tip chord

H (m):

Altitude

\(\dot{H}\) (m/s):

Climb speed

M (Nm):

Pitch moment

N :

Propeller blade number

n :

g-load factor

k :

k-factor

P (W):

Power

PL (N/W):

Power loading

PM (kg):

Payload mass

Q (Nm):

Torque

R (m):

Radius

S (m2):

Area

SEP (m/s):

Specific excess power

STR (°/s):

Sustained turn rate

T (N):

Thrust

TOM (kg):

Takeoff mass

TOW (N):

Takeoff weight

TWR:

Thrust-to-weight ratio

V (m/s):

Horizontal flight speed

W (N):

Weight

WL (N/m2):

Wing loading

w (m/s):

Gust speed

α (°):

Angle of attack

η :

Efficiency

σ (°):

Thrust installation angle

ρ (kg/m3):

Air density

0:

Static condition @ mean sea level (MSL)

P:

Propeller

ref:

Reference

z:

z-direction

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Author notes

  1. S. Herbst

    Present address: Institute of Aircraft Design, Technische Universität München, Boltzmannstraße 15, 85748, Garching, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fakultät für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Munich Aerospace, c/o Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V., Willy-Messerschmitt-Straße 1, 85521, Ottobrunn, Germany

    S. Herbst & G. Wortmann

  2. Institute of Aircraft Design, Technische Universität München, Boltzmannstraße 15, 85748, Garching, Germany

    M. Hornung

Authors
  1. S. Herbst
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  2. G. Wortmann
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  3. M. Hornung
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Herbst.

Appendices

Appendix 1: State-of-the-art VTOL RPAS

See Table 3.

Table 3 Technical data of current VTOL RPAS
Full size table

Appendix 2: Conceptual design study “Janus”

See Figs. 23 and 24.

Fig. 23
figure 23

Aircraft design chart limits

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Fig. 24
figure 24

Aircraft design chart limits (horizontal flight)

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Herbst, S., Wortmann, G. & Hornung, M. Conceptual design studies of vertical takeoff and landing remotely piloted aircraft systems for hybrid missions. CEAS Aeronaut J 7, 135–148 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13272-015-0176-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13272-015-0176-x

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