Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences (한국항공우주학회지)

The Korean Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences (한국항공우주학회)
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Measurement of the Flow Field Around a Quadcopter in Vertical Descending Flight

수직 하강 비행 조건에서의 쿼드콥터 주위의 유동장 계측

  • Kwon, Min-Jeong (Department of Aerospace System Engineering, Korea University of Science & Technology) ;
  • Kwon, Ki-Jung (Aerodynamic Research Team, KARI(Korea Aerospace Research Institute)
  • Received : 2017.12.29
  • Accepted : 2018.03.06
  • Published : 2018.05.01
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Abstract

The vortex ring state that occurs during the descending flight of a rotorcraft generates a circulating flow like a donut near the rotating surface, and it often causes a rotorcraft fall due to loss of thrust. In this paper, we have physically identified the flow field in the vortex ring state of the quadcopter, one of the types of unmanned aerial vehicles. The descending flight of the quadcopter was simulated in a 1m subsonic wind tunnel of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute(KARI) and the Particle Image Velocimetry(PIV) was used for the flow field measurement. The induced velocity in the hovering state is estimated by using the momentum theory and the test was carried out in the range of descent rate at which the vortex ring condition could be caused. The development and the direction of the vortex ring were confirmed by the measurement of the flow field according to not only the descent rate but also propeller separation distance. In addition, the results of the study show the vortex ring state can be predicted sufficiently by measuring the flow velocity around the quadcopter.

회전익기가 하강 비행 시 발생하는 와류 고리 상태는 회전면 근처에 도넛 모양의 순환유동을 발생시키며, 추력 상실로 인한 기체의 추락을 유발한다. 본 논문에서는 무인 비행체의 종류 중 하나인 쿼드콥터의 와류 고리 상태에서의 유동장을 물리적으로 규명하였다. 한국항공우주연구원 1m 아음속 풍동에서 쿼드콥터의 하강 비행을 모사했으며, 유동장 계측을 위해 입자 영상 유속계(PIV)를 이용했다. 정지 비행 상태의 유도 속도를 운동량이론을 이용하여 추정하고, 이를 통해 와류 고리 상태를 유발할 수 있는 하강 속도의 범위에서 시험을 수행하였다. 또한 하강률에 따른 유동장 계측뿐만 아니라 프로펠러 간의 간격을 달리 주어서도 와류 고리의 발달 및 진행방향을 확인하였다. 더불어 본 연구 결과는 쿼드콥터 주변의 유속 측정을 통해서도 와류 고리 상태를 예측할 수 있다는 것을 보여준다.

Keywords

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