Design and Modeling of a High-Peak-Power Distributed Electric Propulsion System for a Super-STOL UAV

Electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft utilize the slipstream generated by distributed propellers to significantly increase the effective lift coefficient and reduce the takeoff and landing distances. By utilizing the blown lift, eSTOL UAVs can achieve similar takeoff and landing site r...

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Main Authors: Jia Zong, Zhou Zhou, Jinhong Zhu, Zhuang Shao, Sanya Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Drones
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/8/12/761
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author Jia Zong
Zhou Zhou
Jinhong Zhu
Zhuang Shao
Sanya Sun
author_facet Jia Zong
Zhou Zhou
Jinhong Zhu
Zhuang Shao
Sanya Sun
author_sort Jia Zong
collection DOAJ
description Electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft utilize the slipstream generated by distributed propellers to significantly increase the effective lift coefficient and reduce the takeoff and landing distances. By utilizing the blown lift, eSTOL UAVs can achieve similar takeoff and landing site requirements as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) UAVs, while having lower takeoff and landing energy consumption and thrust requirements. This research proposes a high-peak-power distributed electric propulsion (DEP) system model and overload design method for eSTOL UAVs to further improve the power and thrust of the propulsion system. The model considers motor temperature factors with the throttle input, which is solved through three-round iterative calculations. The experimental and simulation results indicate that the maximum error of the high-peak-power propulsion unit model without considering temperature is 19.52%, and the maximum error when considering temperature is 1.2%. The propulsion unit ground test indicates that the main factors affecting peak power are the duration of peak power and the temperature limit of the motor. Finally, the effectiveness of the propulsion system model is verified through ground tests and UAV flight tests.
format Article
id doaj-art-27c4f44d576943339ea00df73e03dcfd
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issn 2504-446X
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Drones
spelling doaj-art-27c4f44d576943339ea00df73e03dcfd2025-08-20T02:00:37ZengMDPI AGDrones2504-446X2024-12-0181276110.3390/drones8120761Design and Modeling of a High-Peak-Power Distributed Electric Propulsion System for a Super-STOL UAVJia Zong0Zhou Zhou1Jinhong Zhu2Zhuang Shao3Sanya Sun4School of Aeronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, ChinaElectric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft utilize the slipstream generated by distributed propellers to significantly increase the effective lift coefficient and reduce the takeoff and landing distances. By utilizing the blown lift, eSTOL UAVs can achieve similar takeoff and landing site requirements as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) UAVs, while having lower takeoff and landing energy consumption and thrust requirements. This research proposes a high-peak-power distributed electric propulsion (DEP) system model and overload design method for eSTOL UAVs to further improve the power and thrust of the propulsion system. The model considers motor temperature factors with the throttle input, which is solved through three-round iterative calculations. The experimental and simulation results indicate that the maximum error of the high-peak-power propulsion unit model without considering temperature is 19.52%, and the maximum error when considering temperature is 1.2%. The propulsion unit ground test indicates that the main factors affecting peak power are the duration of peak power and the temperature limit of the motor. Finally, the effectiveness of the propulsion system model is verified through ground tests and UAV flight tests.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/8/12/761Distributed Electric PropulsionHigh-Peak-PowerSuper-STOL UAV
spellingShingle Jia Zong
Zhou Zhou
Jinhong Zhu
Zhuang Shao
Sanya Sun
Design and Modeling of a High-Peak-Power Distributed Electric Propulsion System for a Super-STOL UAV
Drones
Distributed Electric Propulsion
High-Peak-Power
Super-STOL UAV
title Design and Modeling of a High-Peak-Power Distributed Electric Propulsion System for a Super-STOL UAV
title_full Design and Modeling of a High-Peak-Power Distributed Electric Propulsion System for a Super-STOL UAV
title_fullStr Design and Modeling of a High-Peak-Power Distributed Electric Propulsion System for a Super-STOL UAV
title_full_unstemmed Design and Modeling of a High-Peak-Power Distributed Electric Propulsion System for a Super-STOL UAV
title_short Design and Modeling of a High-Peak-Power Distributed Electric Propulsion System for a Super-STOL UAV
title_sort design and modeling of a high peak power distributed electric propulsion system for a super stol uav
topic Distributed Electric Propulsion
High-Peak-Power
Super-STOL UAV
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/8/12/761
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AT jinhongzhu designandmodelingofahighpeakpowerdistributedelectricpropulsionsystemforasuperstoluav
AT zhuangshao designandmodelingofahighpeakpowerdistributedelectricpropulsionsystemforasuperstoluav
AT sanyasun designandmodelingofahighpeakpowerdistributedelectricpropulsionsystemforasuperstoluav