A Comprehensive Review of Propeller Design and Propulsion Systems for High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites
In both scientific and industrial fields, there has been a notable increase in attention toward High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPSs) in recent years. This surge is driven by their distinct advantages over traditional satellites and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPASs). These benefits are par...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| author | Eleonora Riccio Filippo Alifano Vincenzo Rosario Baraniello Domenico Coiro |
| author_facet | Eleonora Riccio Filippo Alifano Vincenzo Rosario Baraniello Domenico Coiro |
| author_sort | Eleonora Riccio |
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| description | In both scientific and industrial fields, there has been a notable increase in attention toward High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPSs) in recent years. This surge is driven by their distinct advantages over traditional satellites and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPASs). These benefits are particularly evident in critical areas such as intelligent transportation systems, surveillance, remote sensing, traffic and environmental monitoring, emergency communications, disaster relief efforts, and the facilitation of large-scale temporary events. This review provides an overview of key aspects related to the propellers and propulsion systems of HAPSs. To date, propellers remain the most efficient means of propulsion for high-altitude applications. However, due to the unique operational conditions at stratospheric altitudes, propeller design necessitates specific approaches that differ from those applied in conventional applications. After a brief overview of the propulsion systems proposed in the literature or employed by HAPSs, focusing on both the technical challenges and advancements in this emerging field, this review integrates theoretical foundations, historical design approaches, and the latest multi-fidelity optimization techniques to provide a comprehensive comparison of propeller design methods for HAPSs. It identifies key trends, including the growing use of CFD-based simulations methodologies, which contribute to notable performance improvements. Additionally, the review includes a critical assessment of experimental methods for performance evaluation. These developments have enabled the design of propellers with efficiencies exceeding 85%, offering valuable insights for the next generation of high-endurance, high-altitude platforms. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-62cfea9469444b74a19fdc868d60dde3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| spelling | doaj-art-62cfea9469444b74a19fdc868d60dde32025-08-20T02:45:37ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-07-011514801310.3390/app15148013A Comprehensive Review of Propeller Design and Propulsion Systems for High-Altitude Pseudo-SatellitesEleonora Riccio0Filippo Alifano1Vincenzo Rosario Baraniello2Domenico Coiro3Stratospheric Platforms Laboratory, The Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA), 81040 Capua, ItalyStratospheric Platforms Laboratory, The Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA), 81040 Capua, ItalyStratospheric Platforms Laboratory, The Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA), 81040 Capua, ItalyDepartment of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Naples, Federico II, 80125 Naples, ItalyIn both scientific and industrial fields, there has been a notable increase in attention toward High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPSs) in recent years. This surge is driven by their distinct advantages over traditional satellites and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPASs). These benefits are particularly evident in critical areas such as intelligent transportation systems, surveillance, remote sensing, traffic and environmental monitoring, emergency communications, disaster relief efforts, and the facilitation of large-scale temporary events. This review provides an overview of key aspects related to the propellers and propulsion systems of HAPSs. To date, propellers remain the most efficient means of propulsion for high-altitude applications. However, due to the unique operational conditions at stratospheric altitudes, propeller design necessitates specific approaches that differ from those applied in conventional applications. After a brief overview of the propulsion systems proposed in the literature or employed by HAPSs, focusing on both the technical challenges and advancements in this emerging field, this review integrates theoretical foundations, historical design approaches, and the latest multi-fidelity optimization techniques to provide a comprehensive comparison of propeller design methods for HAPSs. It identifies key trends, including the growing use of CFD-based simulations methodologies, which contribute to notable performance improvements. Additionally, the review includes a critical assessment of experimental methods for performance evaluation. These developments have enabled the design of propellers with efficiencies exceeding 85%, offering valuable insights for the next generation of high-endurance, high-altitude platforms.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/14/8013HAPSsstratospheric propellerspropulsion systems |
| spellingShingle | Eleonora Riccio Filippo Alifano Vincenzo Rosario Baraniello Domenico Coiro A Comprehensive Review of Propeller Design and Propulsion Systems for High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites Applied Sciences HAPSs stratospheric propellers propulsion systems |
| title | A Comprehensive Review of Propeller Design and Propulsion Systems for High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites |
| title_full | A Comprehensive Review of Propeller Design and Propulsion Systems for High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites |
| title_fullStr | A Comprehensive Review of Propeller Design and Propulsion Systems for High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Comprehensive Review of Propeller Design and Propulsion Systems for High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites |
| title_short | A Comprehensive Review of Propeller Design and Propulsion Systems for High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites |
| title_sort | comprehensive review of propeller design and propulsion systems for high altitude pseudo satellites |
| topic | HAPSs stratospheric propellers propulsion systems |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/14/8013 |
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