Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Methodology for Distributed Electric Propulsion Aircraft Control Development with Simulation and Flight Demonstration
Project Description
In the proposed STTR study, Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) will create a methodology for the development of a flight control algorithm featuring differential thrust provided by a distributed electric propulsion (DEP) system. The focal piece of the study is a dynamically scaled Cirrus SR22T UAV at UIUC, which will be modified to include multiple electrical ducted fans (EDF) arranged to exhibit strong propulsion-airframe integration (PAI) effects. Although aeropropulsive efficiency of the DEP system will be monitored, the team's goal is to establish a methodology which can be applied to any DEP aircraft regardless of how well it is designed. The study will include a combination of low-order aerodynamic simulation via OpenVSP/VSPAERO, dynamics modeling in MATLAB/Simulink, wind tunnel characterization of the EDF units, and flight testing to educate and demonstrate the flight control algorithm. During Phase I, the team will characterize the baseline vehicle as the control for the experiment and then compare measured control authority of the DEP system against a simple thrust-line dynamics model to determine the influence of PAI. Subsequent phases will develop and demonstrate closed-loop flight control using differential thrust from the DEP system.
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Anticipated Benefits
Flight control of DEP aircraft using differential thrust has been identified as an enabling technology for ARMD's Strategic Thrust #3 (Ultra-Efficient Commercial Vehicles) and #4 (Transition to Low-Carbon Propulsion). In particular, it is a major component of the envisioned hybrid electric distributed propulsion (HEDP) integrated autonomous controller (IAC) (a.k.a. "super controller") which is sought to realize the proposed efficiency, safety, and reliability of HEDP aircraft. Upon completion of this study, the team will be able to apply their experience in DEP flight control system development to other NASA flight test programs such as the X-57 "Maxwell" and the upcoming Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transport (UEST) X-Plane program. Additionally, lessons learned from the program regarding the as-built effectiveness of and additional requirements associated with control using DEP differential thrust can inform conceptual design studies for futuristic aircraft "Vision Vehicles" including ESAero's ECO-150 and NASA's STARC-ABL and N3-X.
The knowledge gained from this STTR study in conjunction with other ongoing research efforts would enable ESAero to independently develop integrated aircraft controllers (IAC) for hybrid electric distributed propulsion (HEDP) systems. With the growing emergence of HEDP aircraft designs, this ability to take such a highly nuanced system and make it fly both safely and efficiently will be in high demand by commercial and military customers. Additionally, the tools developed as a result of this study can be marketed for engineering of commercial, government, or military aircraft applications and conceptual designs. The development of a validated, robust DEP UAV flight test bed will also provide a one-of-a-kind experimental capability for an emerging niche technology. This platform can be used for commercially-funded testing of industry DEP concepts as distributed propulsion aircraft move towards production. More »
The knowledge gained from this STTR study in conjunction with other ongoing research efforts would enable ESAero to independently develop integrated aircraft controllers (IAC) for hybrid electric distributed propulsion (HEDP) systems. With the growing emergence of HEDP aircraft designs, this ability to take such a highly nuanced system and make it fly both safely and efficiently will be in high demand by commercial and military customers. Additionally, the tools developed as a result of this study can be marketed for engineering of commercial, government, or military aircraft applications and conceptual designs. The development of a validated, robust DEP UAV flight test bed will also provide a one-of-a-kind experimental capability for an emerging niche technology. This platform can be used for commercially-funded testing of industry DEP concepts as distributed propulsion aircraft move towards production. More »
Project Library
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero) | Lead Organization | Industry | Pismo Beach, California |
Armstrong Flight Research Center
(AFRC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Edwards, California |
| The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, OSPRA | Supporting Organization | Academia | Champaign, Illinois |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
-
Illinois
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