Feasibility Study of a Load Alleviation Strategy on a Compound Helicopter Using Redundant Controls

The compound helicopter gains interest as operational needs push future rotorcraft capabilities beyond current standards. The compound helicopter is investigated as part of the Future Vertical Lift Program to replace the entire U.S. Army helicopter fleet. The compound helicopter resembles a mix between a fixed-wing aircraft...

Fuel Cell and Battery Hybrid System Optimization: Towards Increased Range and Endurance

Aircraft manufacturers are increasingly exploring emission-free flight or emission reduction for larger passenger aircraft. The low energy density of state-of-the-art battery technology limits the application to small, electric, fixed wing aircraft up to a flight time of approximately one hour. To overcome these limits, a combination of fuel...

Low Reynolds number Performance of contra-rotating Coaxial Rotors: Evaluated for use by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Looking at performance prediction of small coaxial rotorcraft, it was found that there are no fast methods available for designers. This research was aimed at using a blade element method in combination with the momentum theory to quickly predict the performance at small coaxial rotorcraft. These methods are successfully applied in larger...