Implications of Propeller-Wing Interactions on the Control of Aerodynamic-Surface-Free Tilt-Rotor Quad-Planes

Implications of Propeller-Wing Interactions on the Control of Aerodynamic-Surface-Free Tilt-Rotor Quad-Planes

Wechtler, Noah (TU Delft Aerospace Engineering)

Smeur, E.J.J. (mentor)
Mancinelli, A. (graduation committee)

Delft University of Technology

Aerospace Engineering

2024-04-29

Quad-planes are a type of vehicle which combine the hovering capability of quadcopters and the forward flight efficiency of winged aircraft. Flight tests conducted on a dual-axis tilting-rotor quad-plane, designed to fly without aerodynamic surfaces, observed that the quad-plane suffered from insufficient roll authority during fast, forward flight. Subsequent wind tunnel testing confirmed a two- to fourfold reduction in roll moment generation from propellers mounted in front of the wing at similar levels of tilt as their rear counterparts, caused by propeller-wing interactions. To address the mismatch in actuator effectiveness shown by the wind tunnel experiment, the effect of the propeller-wing interactions was incorporated into the aero-propulsive model by means of a global polynomial, the structure of which was found using multivariate orthogonal function modelling. New flight tests demonstrated that, by including the propeller-wing interactions in the control allocation, the vehicle is capable of tracking a figure 8 maneuver without aerodynamic surfaces, and without compromising tracking performance.

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:3193131c-6b68-46a2-afe1-964a044dd6f9

Student theses

master thesis

© 2024 Noah Wechtler