TY - CHAP A1 - Thoma, Andreas A1 - Stiemer, Luc A1 - Braun, Carsten A1 - Fisher, Alex A1 - Gardi, Alessandro G. T1 - Potential of hybrid neural network local path planner for small UAV in urban environments T2 - AIAA SCITECH 2023 Forum N2 - This work proposes a hybrid algorithm combining an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) with a conventional local path planner to navigate UAVs efficiently in various unknown urban environments. The proposed method of a Hybrid Artificial Neural Network Avoidance System is called HANNAS. The ANN analyses a video stream and classifies the current environment. This information about the current Environment is used to set several control parameters of a conventional local path planner, the 3DVFH*. The local path planner then plans the path toward a specific goal point based on distance data from a depth camera. We trained and tested a state-of-the-art image segmentation algorithm, PP-LiteSeg. The proposed HANNAS method reaches a failure probability of 17%, which is less than half the failure probability of the baseline and around half the failure probability of an improved, bio-inspired version of the 3DVFH*. The proposed HANNAS method does not show any disadvantages regarding flight time or flight distance. Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-2359 N1 - AIAA SCITECH 2023 Forum, 23-27 January 2023, National Harbor, MD & Online PB - AIAA ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Möhren, Felix A1 - Bergmann, Ole A1 - Janser, Frank A1 - Braun, Carsten T1 - On the determination of harmonic propeller loads T2 - AIAA SCITECH 2023 Forum N2 - Dynamic loads significantly impact the structural design of propeller blades due to fatigue and static strength. Since propellers are elastic structures, deformations and aerodynamic loads are coupled. In the past, propeller manufacturers established procedures to determine unsteady aerodynamic loads and the structural response with analytical steady-state calculations. According to the approach, aeroelastic coupling primarily consists of torsional deformations. They neglect bending deformations, deformation velocities, and inertia terms. This paper validates the assumptions above for a General Aviation propeller and a lift propeller for urban air mobility or large cargo drones. Fully coupled reduced-order simulations determine the dynamic loads in the time domain. A quasi-steady blade element momentum approach transfers loads to one-dimensional finite beam elements. The simulation results are in relatively good agreement with the analytical method for the General Aviation propeller but show increasing errors for the slender lift propeller. The analytical approach is modified to consider the induced velocities. Still, inertia and velocity proportional terms play a significant role for the lift propeller due to increased elasticity. The assumption that only torsional deformations significantly impact the dynamic loads of propellers is not valid. Adequate determination of dynamic loads of such designs requires coupled aeroelastic simulations or advanced analytical procedures. Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-2404 N1 - AIAA SCITECH 2023 Forum, 23-27 January 2023, National Harbor, MD & Online PB - AIAA ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Thoma, Andreas A1 - Fisher, Alex A1 - Braun, Carsten T1 - Improving the px4 avoid algorithm by bio-inspired flight strategies T2 - DLRK2020 - „Luft- und Raumfahrt – Verantwortung in allen Dimensionen“ Y1 - 2020 N1 - Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 2020, 1. bis 3. September 2020 – Online, „Luft- und Raumfahrt – Verantwortung in allen Dimensionen“ ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Thoma, Andreas A1 - Fisher, Alex A1 - Bertrand, Olivier A1 - Braun, Carsten ED - Vouloutsi, Vasiliki ED - Mura, Anna ED - Tauber, Falk ED - Speck, Thomas ED - Prescott, Tony J. ED - Verschure, Paul F. M. J. T1 - Evaluation of possible flight strategies for close object evasion from bumblebee experiments T2 - Living Machines 2020: Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems KW - Obstacle avoidance KW - Bumblebees KW - Flight control KW - UAV KW - MAV Y1 - 2020 SN - 978-3-030-64312-6 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64313-3_34 N1 - 9th International Conference, Living Machines 2020, Freiburg, Germany, July 28–30, 2020, Proceedings SP - 354 EP - 365 PB - Springer CY - Cham ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Götten, Falk A1 - Finger, Felix A1 - Braun, Carsten A1 - Havermann, Marc A1 - Bil, C. A1 - Gomez, F. T1 - Empirical Correlations for Geometry Build-Up of Fixed Wing Unmanned Air Vehicles T2 - APISAT 2018: The Proceedings of the 2018 Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Aerospace Technology (APISAT 2018) N2 - The results of a statistical investigation of 42 fixed-wing, small to medium sized (20 kg−1000 kg) reconnaissance unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) are presented. Regression analyses are used to identify correlations of the most relevant geometry dimensions with the UAV’s maximum take-off mass. The findings allow an empirical based geometry-build up for a complete unmanned aircraft by referring to its take-off mass only. This provides a bridge between very early design stages (initial sizing) and the later determination of shapes and dimensions. The correlations might be integrated into a UAV sizing environment and allow designers to implement more sophisticated drag and weight estimation methods in this process. Additional information on correlation factors for a rough drag estimation methodology indicate how this technique can significantly enhance the accuracy of early design iterations. KW - Unmanned Air Vehicle KW - Geometry KW - Correlations KW - Statistics KW - Drag Y1 - 2019 SN - 978-981-13-3305-7 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3305-7_109 N1 - APISAT 2018 - Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Aerospace Technology. 16-18 October 2018. Chengdu, China. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering (LNEE, volume 459) SP - 1365 EP - 1381 PB - Springer CY - Singapore ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Finger, Felix A1 - Götten, Falk A1 - Braun, Carsten A1 - Bil, C. T1 - On Aircraft Design Under the Consideration of Hybrid-Electric Propulsion Systems T2 - APISAT 2018: The Proceedings of the 2018 Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Aerospace Technology (APISAT 2018) N2 - A hybrid-electric propulsion system combines the advantages of fuel-based systems and battery powered systems and offers new design freedom. To take full advantage of this technology, aircraft designers must be aware of its key differences, compared to conventional, carbon-fuel based, propulsion systems. This paper gives an overview of the challenges and potential benefits associated with the design of aircraft that use hybrid-electric propulsion systems. It offers an introduction of the most popular hybrid-electric propulsion architectures and critically assess them against the conventional and fully electric propulsion configurations. The effects on operational aspects and design aspects are covered. Special consideration is given to the application of hybrid-electric propulsion technology to both unmanned and vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The authors conclude that electric propulsion technology has the potential to revolutionize aircraft design. However, new and innovative methods must be researched, to realize the full benefit of the technology. KW - Hybrid-electric aircraft KW - Aircraft design KW - Design rules KW - Green aircraft Y1 - 2019 SN - 978-981-13-3305-7 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3305-7_99 N1 - APISAT 2018 - Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Aerospace Technology. 16-18 October 2018. Chengdu, China. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering (LNEE, volume 459) SP - 1261 EP - 1272 PB - Springer CY - Singapore ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Bergmann, Ole A1 - Götten, Falk A1 - Braun, Carsten A1 - Janser, Frank T1 - Comparison and evaluation of blade element methods against RANS simulations and test data T2 - CEAS Aeronautical Journal N2 - This paper compares several blade element theory (BET) method-based propeller simulation tools, including an evaluation against static propeller ground tests and high-fidelity Reynolds-Average Navier Stokes (RANS) simulations. Two proprietary propeller geometries for paraglider applications are analysed in static and flight conditions. The RANS simulations are validated with the static test data and used as a reference for comparing the BET in flight conditions. The comparison includes the analysis of varying 2D aerodynamic airfoil parameters and different induced velocity calculation methods. The evaluation of the BET propeller simulation tools shows the strength of the BET tools compared to RANS simulations. The RANS simulations underpredict static experimental data within 10% relative error, while appropriate BET tools overpredict the RANS results by 15–20% relative error. A variation in 2D aerodynamic data depicts the need for highly accurate 2D data for accurate BET results. The nonlinear BET coupled with XFOIL for the 2D aerodynamic data matches best with RANS in static operation and flight conditions. The novel BET tool PropCODE combines both approaches and offers further correction models for highly accurate static and flight condition results. KW - BET KW - CFD propeller simulation KW - Propeller aerodynamics KW - Actuator disk modelling KW - Propeller performance Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13272-022-00579-1 SN - 1869-5590 (Online) SN - 1869-5582 (Print) N1 - Corresponding author: Ole Bergmann VL - 13 SP - 535 EP - 557 PB - Springer CY - Wien ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Götten, Falk A1 - Finger, Felix A1 - Havermann, Marc A1 - Braun, Carsten A1 - Marino, Matthew A1 - Bil, Cees T1 - Full Configuration Drag Estimation of Small-to-Medium Range UAVs and its Impact on Initial Sizing Optimization T2 - Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress - DLRK 2020 Y1 - 2020 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Hippe, Jonas A1 - Finger, Felix A1 - Götten, Falk A1 - Braun, Carsten T1 - Propulsion System Qualification of a 25 kg VTOL-UAV: Hover Performance of Single and Coaxial Rotors and Wind-Tunnel Experiments on Cruise Propellers T2 - Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress - DLRK 2020 Y1 - 2020 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Finger, Felix A1 - Khalsa, R. A1 - Kreyer, Jörg A1 - Mayntz, Joscha A1 - Braun, Carsten A1 - Dahmann, Peter A1 - Esch, Thomas A1 - Kemper, Hans A1 - Schmitz, O. A1 - Bragard, Michael T1 - An approach to propulsion system modelling for the conceptual design of hybrid-electric general aviation aircraft T2 - Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 2019, 30.9.-2.10.2019, Darmstadt N2 - In this paper, an approach to propulsion system modelling for hybrid-electric general aviation aircraft is presented. Because the focus is on general aviation aircraft, only combinations of electric motors and reciprocating combustion engines are explored. Gas turbine hybrids will not be considered. The level of the component's models is appropriate for the conceptual design stage. They are simple and adaptable, so that a wide range of designs with morphologically different propulsive system architectures can be quickly compared. Modelling strategies for both mass and efficiency of each part of the propulsion system (engine, motor, battery and propeller) will be presented. Y1 - 2019 ER -