TY  - JOUR
A1  - Finger, Felix
A1  - Braun, Carsten
A1  - Bil, Cees
T1  - Impact of electric propulsion technology and mission requirements on the performance of VTOL UAVs
T2  - CEAS Aeronautical Journal
N2  - One of the engineering challenges in aviation is the design of transitioning vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Thrust-borne flight implies a higher mass fraction of the propulsion system, as well as much increased energy consumption in the take-off and landing phases. This mass increase is typically higher for aircraft with a separate lift propulsion system than for aircraft that use the cruise propulsion system to support a dedicated lift system. However, for a cost–benefit trade study, it is necessary to quantify the impact the VTOL requirement and propulsion configuration has on aircraft mass and size. For this reason, sizing studies are conducted. This paper explores the impact of considering a supplemental electric propulsion system for achieving hovering flight. Key variables in this study, apart from the lift system configuration, are the rotor disk loading and hover flight time, as well as the electrical systems technology level for both batteries and motors. Payload and endurance are typically used as the measures of merit for unmanned aircraft that carry electro-optical sensors, and therefore the analysis focuses on these particular parameters.
Y1  - 2018
UR  - https://opus.bibliothek.fh-aachen.de/opus4/frontdoor/index/index/docId/8708
SN  - 1869-5582 print
SN  - 1869-5590 online
VL  - 10
IS  - 3
SP  - 843
PB  - Springer
ER  -