A MODULAR RECONFIGURABLE MULTI-ROTOR-WING TESTBED FOR DATA GENERATION, ANALYSIS, AND MODEL DEVELOPMENT
Abstract
At RPIs Center for Mobility with Vertical Lift (MOVE), we propose to develop a reconfigurable multi-rotor-wing testbed that can operate in free-flight, as well as be mounted on the rear of a pickup truck and driven down a runway for simulated wind-tunnel tests. The testbed’s base frame uses 1.5ft aluminum bolt-together framing, allowing for flexibility in the arrangement of individual rotors-motors on the frame to configure various multi-rotor-wing assemblies with up to 10 rotors. The tip-to-tip dimensions extend from 13ft to 16ft and the nominal gross weight in free flight varies between 150-250 lbs. The testbed is heavily instrumented to obtain high-fidelity data streams from each of the individual rotors and sub-systems. The testbed will be operated at NUAIR’s FAA designated UAS Test Site at Griffiss International Airport, Rome NY. Griffiss Airport has a very long (2.24 mile) runway, allowing for data streams extending over a long-time duration. There are no US university wind-tunnels that could accommodate such a large multi-rotor assembly, and development and operating costs of such a tunnel would be prohibitive. The proposed facility represents a cost-effective way of testing large multi-rotor-wing assemblies in simulated cruise and free-flight conditions. The reconfigurable rig will allow experiments with rotors of different sizes at different disk loadings and forward speeds, with different longitudinal, lateral and vertical spacing, different mounting inclinations (cant angles), edgewise rotors operating with axial propellers in-proximity, axial rotors operating with wing in proximity with changes in vertical and longitudinal offset of the propellers relative to the wing, and coaxial rotor assemblies with different vertical and in-plane spacing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 07, 2023
- Source ID
- FA95502110126
Entities
People
- Farhan Gandhi
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- United States Air Force