Optimization of Hybrid-Electric Propulsion Systems for Small Remotely-Piloted Aircraft

Abstract

Small electric-powered remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA) used by today's warfighters for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions lack desired endurance and loiter times, while the acoustics and thermal signatures of those configured with internal combustion engines (ICE) may make them unpractical for ISR. Outfitting RPA with parallel hybrid-electric propulsion systems (H-EPS) would meet the military's needs by combining the advantages of both systems while reducing fuel consumption and environmental impacts. An analysis tool was created, using constrained static optimization, to size the H-EPS components. Based on the RPA's required power and velocity for the endurance phase, an electric motor (EM) can be designed or selected and matched with a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) propeller for maximum efficiency. The ICE is then sized for the RPA's required power and velocity for the cruise phase.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 24, 2011
Accession Number
ADA540147

Entities

People

  • Todd A. Rotramel

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Brushless Dc Motors
  • Combustion
  • Dc Motors
  • Electric Motors
  • Electric Propulsion
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Engineering
  • Engineers
  • Fuel Consumption
  • Hybrid Electric Vehicles
  • Internal Combustion Engines
  • Propulsion Systems
  • Remotely Piloted Vehicles
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.