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Wake vortex gliding as a new propulsion concept for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Project

Wake vortex gliding as a new propulsion concept for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles


Funding origin:
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Funding sources:
Czech Science Foundation
STRIA Roadmaps:
Connected and automated transport (CAT)
Connected and automated transport
Vehicle design and manufacturing (VDM)
Vehicle design and manufacturing
Transport mode:
Airborne
Airbone
Transport sectors:
Passenger transport
Passenger transport
Duration:
Start date: 01/01/2014,
End date: 01/12/2015

Status: Finished
Funding details:

Overview

Objectives:

The project deals with a new propulsion concept for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). The idea of gliding in wake vortices is coming from combination of some principles. These are formation flight, dynamic soaring and surfing. All principles are real applications of energy extraction by movement in fields with velocity gradient. Wake vortices induced by heavy airliners are such fields containing huge amount of energy. These vortices have been studied particularly due to dangerous consequences connected with another airplane wake vortex encounter. New technologies and UAVs development could allow useful utilization of the wake vortices as UAVs propulsion in the near future. Two basic motion ways are considered: steady gliding and dynamic soaring.

Methodology:

The project consists of the following parts to prove the idea feasibility:

  1. Wake vortices flow-field analysis,
  2. preliminary UAV design,
  3. optimal trajectory searching,
  4. wing load distribution unsteady analysis, and
  5. controllability analysis.

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