An approach for formation design and flight performance prediction based on aerodynamic formation unit:Energy-saving considerations

The performance improvement of swarm drones through aerodynamic shape optimization may be challenging due to folded size constraints imposed by the specific launch approach.However,fixed-wing aircraft swarms can benefit from formation flight in terms of energy consumption.This study introduces the concept of the"aerodynamic formation unit",which consists of two or three aircraft that form an inseparable unit of the formation.Considering the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)distribution and wingtip vortex interference in the formation,two typical aerodynamic formation units are optimized by the variable-fidelity aerodynamic optimization method based on space mapping.The aerodynamic characteristics of the formation UAVs that affect flight performance,such as lift-to-drag ratio(L/D ratio)and static stability are analyzed by Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)simulations.The L/D ratio(cruising condition)of the following aircraft can be increased by 22.8%and 57.5%in the optimal units that involve two and three aircraft respectively.Moreover,this study conducts several CFD simulations for multi-aircraft formations formed by the units,which show that the average L/D ratio of the formation can be improved by more than 19%.These results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the"aerodynamic formation unit"concept and the optimization framework for formation parameters.

Static aeroelasticity of the propulsion system of ion propulsion unmanned aerial vehicles

“Ionic wind”generators are used as the main propulsion system in ion propulsion unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs).Owing to the large size and poor stiffness of the electrode array in the propulsion system,the electrode array is prone to deformation under the flight load.In this work,the thrust characteristics and static aeroelastic properties of“ionic wind”propulsion systems were analyzed in detail.The simulation model for an“ionic wind”propulsion system was established by coupling a two-dimensional gas discharge model with a gas dynamics model.The influences of electrode voltage,spacing,size,and shape on the performance of the propulsion system were investigated.The fluid-solid interaction method was used to solve static aeroelastic characteristics under deformation.The aerodynamic and thrust performances of the elastic state and the rigid state were compared.It was found that the operating voltage,the distance between two electrodes,and the emitter radius had greater impacts on the thrust of the propulsion system.The propulsion system had a small contribution to the lift but a large contribution to the drag.In the elastic state,the lift coefficient accounted for 12.2%,and the drag coefficient accounted for 25.8%.Under the action of the downwash airflow from the wing,the propulsion system formed an upward moment around the center of mass,which contributed greatly to the pitching moment derivative of the whole aircraft.In the elastic state,the pitching moment derivative accounted for 29.7%.After elastic deformation,the thrust action point moved upward by 28.7 mm.Hence,the no lift pitching moment is reduced by 0.104 N$m,and the pitching moment coefficient is reduced by 0.014,causing a great impact on the longitudinal trimming of the whole aircraft.

Unmanned aerial vehicle swarm mission reliability modeling and evaluation method oriented to systematic and networked mission

With the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV) system autonomy, network communication technology and group intelligence theory, mission execution in the form of a UAV swarm will be an important realization of future applications. Traditional single-UAV mission reliability modeling methods have been unable to meet the requirements of UAV swarm mission reliability modeling. Therefore, the UAV swarm mission reliability modeling and evaluation method is proposed. First, aimed at the interdependence among the multiple layers, a multi-layer network model of a UAV swarm is established. At the same time, based on the system having the following characteristics—using a mission chain to complete the mission and applying the connectivity of the mission network—the mission network model of a UAV swarm is established. Second, vulnerability and connectivity are selected as two indicators to reflect the reliability of the mission, and aimed at random attack and deliberate attack, vulnerability and connectivity evaluation methods are proposed. Finally, the validity and accuracy of the constructed model are verified through simulations,and the model and selected indicators can meet the reliability requirements of the UAV swarm mission. In this way, this study provides quantitative reference for UAV-swarm-related decisionmaking work and supports the development of UAV-swarm-related work.

Robust design and analysis of a conformal expansion nozzle with inverse-design idea

This paper examines robust optimization design and analysis of a conformal expansion nozzle of flying wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle （UAV） with the inverse-design idea. In view of flow features and stealth constraints, the inverse-design idea is described and the uncertainty-based robust design model is presented. A robust design system employs this model to combine deterministic optimization and robust optimization and is applied into design of a conformal expansion nozzle. The results indicate that design optimization can conform to the anticipation of the inversedesign idea and significantly improve the aerodynamic performance that meet the requirement of 6σ. The present method is a feasible nozzle design strategy that integrates robust optimization and inverse-design.

传感器飞机核心关键技术进展与应用

传感器飞机是美国空军实验室提出的一种高空长航时预警监视和信息综合飞行器,采用平台载荷一体化技术理念,兼具飞行器和传感器的双重特征。平台与载荷之间多要素耦合,意味着不同于传统情报、监视与侦察(ISR)飞机的总体设计;飞行条件与性能指标为气动设计带来了新挑战;大展弦比柔性机翼的气动弹性问题不仅造成飞行性能恶化,还会导致机翼共形天线电性能的损失。本文总结了传感器飞机的技术特征,从飞行平台和共形天线两方面阐述了美国传感器飞机系统的发展历程,梳理了支撑传感器飞机发展的一体化布局设计、层流减阻、阵风减缓、共形天线设计、形变测量与重构、电性能补偿6项核心关键技术并介绍了相关应用;从飞行能力、隐身能力、感知能力及协同能力4个方面展望了该类飞行器的发展趋势,可为后续新型ISR飞机提供参考。