• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
• /
• 2010.05a
• /
• pp.226-230
• /
• 2010

In this paper, the performance of an electric powered small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle which has a battery and electric motor is analysed. Aerodynamic data is obtained through flight test and flight performance is predicted. As a result, we present the optimum flight speed for the maximum endurance and predict endurance and range according to the variation of flight speed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.140-147
• /
• 2017

This paper describes the design and implementation of previously developed PMU (Power Monitoring Unit) for LiPB (Lithium-ion Polymer Battery) that is electric propulsion used as unmanned aerial vehicle's power source. Improved PMU provides stable voltage and current to various sensors and elctric motors necessary during flight. Voltage and current monitoring function that is measured by improved PMU more precisely be enhanced and the monitoring channel and temperature sensor is added. To verify the improved performance of the equipment, it is integrated to electric propulsion system of unmanned aerial vehicle. PMU is calibrated through the ground test. And PMU's performance is checked through the flight test.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.65-70
• /
• 2010

A small unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV), which uses a propulsion system consisting of electric motor and battery, weighs less than 8 kg, capable of hand launch. Because it is easy to operate and able to transmit image information in real time, the use of small UAV has been increasing. However, very few analysis methods or analysis results on flight performance of the small UAV have been known so far. In this paper, the performance analysis methods of a small UAV, which is manufactured to study an electric powered UAV, are suggested and their results are achieved. Aerodynamic data of the vehicle are obtained by making use of gliding performance from actual flight test, and required thrust and required power by flight speed are predicted. In addition, the methods to predict range and endurance in case of using battery as power source are suggested and their results are achieved.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.17-37
• /
• 2022

This paper discusses an improved unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, configuration characterized by telescopic booms to optimize the flight mechanics and fuel consumption of the aircraft at various loading/flight conditions.The starting point consists of a full-composite smaller UAV which was derived by a general aviation ultralight motorized aircraft ULM. The present design, named ToBoFlex, extends the two-booms configuration to a three tons aircraft. To adapt the design to needs relevant to different applications, new solutions were proposed in aerodynamic fields and materials and structural areas. Different structural solutions were reported. To optimize aircraft endurance, the innovative concept of Telescopic Tail Boom was considered along with two different tails architecture. A new structural configuration of the fuselage was proposed. Further consideration of hydrogen fuel cell electric propulsion is now being studied in collaboration between the Polytechnic of Turin and Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University which could be the starting point of future investigations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.79-86
• /
• 2010

The characteristics and classification of UAV power plants were studied. The energy source for electric generation and power source for internal combustion engine for UAVs were compared. The advantage and drawbacks of power plants were analyzed respectively and the performance demand condition was suggested for next generation UAV power plant finally.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2014

This paper presents the trade-off study of conducting a survey of the weights for various kind of propulsion systems installed in the Smart Unmanned Aerial Vehicle TR-100, a tilt-rotor vehicle, which is developed by Korea Aerospace Research Institute, in order to predict the appropriate propulsion system for present and future Personal Air Vehicle, which has single mode and vertical take-off & landing. In order to perform the trade-off study, we set the requirements that the vehicle hovers for 1 hour with 1,000 kg maximum take off weights. In this study, the power systems are classified engine, which uses the fossil fuel - turboshaft engine, piston engine, diesel engine and rotary engine, and electric motor with fuelcell or Li-Ion battery. The results of trade-off study shows the power systems using fossil fuel are superior to using fuelcell or Li-Ion battery for weight of propulsion system. Also turboshaft engine is the best power system for the aspects of system weight, and the nexts are rotary engine, piston engine, diesel engine, electric motor with Li-Ion battery, and electric motor with fuelcell.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.499-508
• /
• 2016

This paper describes a study of performance prediction of an electric propulsion system for multirotor UAVs. The electric propulsion system consists of motors, propellers, batteries and speed controllers, and significantly affects performance characteristics of the platform. The performance of the electric propulsion system for multirotor UAVs was predicted using an analytical model derived from the characteristics of each component, operation experiments and statistical analyses. Ground performance tests and endurance flights were performed to verify the reliability of the proposed performance prediction method. A quadrotor platform was designed to demonstrate the parcel delivery service used in the endurance flight. From the result of verification tests, it was confirmed that the proposed method has a good agreement.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.758-766
• /
• 2023

Multi-copter of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was initially developed as strategic technology in the only military field, but it is developing into an industrial field with a wide range of applications in the civil sector based on the development and convergence of aviation technology and information and communication technology. Currently, the degree of utilization of multi-copter is increasing in various industries for the purpose of performing classic tactical missions, logistics transportation, farm management, internet supply, video filming, weather management, life-saving, etc, and active technology development responding to market demand. Existing commercial multi-copter mainly use an electric energy propulsion system consisting of an electric battery and a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor. It is the limitations for usage in the flying time (up to 20 minutes) and payload (less than 20 kg). this study aims to overcome these limitations and expand the commercialization of engine-powered multi-copter of UAV in various industries in the futures.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.300-309
• /
• 2012

Long endurance is a key issue in the application of unmanned aerial vehicles. This study presents feasibility test results when fuel cell system as an alternative to the conventional engine is applied for the power of the UAV after the 150W fuel cell system is developed and packaged to the 1/4 scale super cub airplane. Fuel cell system is operated by dead-end method in the anode part and periodically purged to remove the water droplet in flow field during the operation. Oxygen in the air is supplied to the stack by the two air blowers. And fuel cell stack is water cooled by cooling circuit to dissipate the heat generated during the fuel cell operation. Weight balance is considered to integrate the stack and balance of plant (BOP) in package layout. In flight performance test, we demonstrated 4 times standalone take-off and landing. In the laboratory test simulating the flight condition to quantify the energy flow, the system is analyzed in detail. Sankey diagram shows that electric efficiency of the fuel cell system is 39.2%, heat loss 50.1%, parasitic loss 8.96%, and unreacted purged gas 1.67%, respectively compared to the total hydrogen input energy. Feasibility test results show that fuel cell system is high efficient and appropriate for the power of UAV.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
• /
• v.43 no.12
• /
• pp.1097-1107
• /
• 2015

General VTOL aircraft uses gas turbine engine which has high power to weight ratio. However, in the VTOL UAV in small sector, the gas turbine as a prime mover is not adequate because of the limitation of the high fuel consumption ratio of the gas turbine. In this research, The Series Hybrid-Electric Propulsion System(SHEPS) has been proposed and technology survey & comparison analysis has conducted to constitute propulsion system for engine, electric motor and battery. To achieve this object a 65kg-class P-UAV from "Company I" was used. And to estimate the validity of power control algorithm and developed power management control, Matlab/simulink$^{(R)}$ has been used for the simulation. As a result, the developed algorithm worked comparatively well and the research has predicted that SHEPS was satisfied enough for 7 hour of endurance for mission profile.