Topic of Research Seminar: Thrust Embedded 6DOF Modeling and Experimentation for Handling Fixed Wing Micro Aerial Vehicle Flight Instabilities
Abstract: A Flying Wing Micro Aerial Vehicle (FWMAV) flight characterization and experimental study associated with propeller flow has been carried out. Airfoil selection methodology, effect of propeller induced flow on low aspect ratio wing and computational estimation of longitudinal dynamic derivatives of FWMAV is worked upon. Left turning tendency of right-handed propellers was quantified in a form of newly proposed aerodynamic coefficients, which determined the change in aerodynamic coefficient with the change in advance ratio, J. These are C_(L_J ),C_(D_J ),C_(Y_J ),C_(l_J ),C_(m_J ) and C_(n_J ) . During research, large variation in lift force, drag force, yawing moment and rolling moment against angle of attack was observed at low advance ratios, which indicated their significance at high propeller rotational speeds and large propeller diameters. L/D at trim point of 2º was found to be a nonlinear function of propeller diameter to wingspan ratio D/b, and propeller rotational speed. It is found that propeller induced flow effects have a significant contribution in flight dynamic modeling for vehicles with large propeller diameter to wingspan ratio of 22% or more. Further, for even tailless aerial platforms, the acceleration derivative C_(m_α ̇ ), is found to exist and provided necessary augmentation in the pitch damping specially to Short Period mode. The proposed LTI solution methodology predicted two pairs of complex conjugates for the longitudinal flight up to a pitch angle of 89º whereas conventional methodology predicted the same up to 57º. During flight trails, it was observed that FWMAV can sustain straight and level flight, however, higher natural frequencies of Phugoid and Short Period modes are observed upon pilot input.
Subject Field of Topic: Aerodynamics
Name of Speaker: Taimur Ali Shams
Professorial Rank of Speaker: PhD Student
University Email of Speaker: [email protected]
NUST School/College of the Speaker: College of Aeronautical Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology (CAE-NUST)
Name of the School organizing the Seminar: Department of Aerospace Engineering, College of Aeronautical Engineering
University Profile Weblink: https://cae.nust.edu.pk/departments/department-of-aerospace-engineering/
Affiliation of Speaker: NUST Doctoral Student
Date and Venue: September 12, 2022, 1100 hrs