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Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (11): 531280.doi: 10.7527/S1000-6893.2025.31280

• Articles • Previous Articles    

Integration of multirotor aerodynamic interference in UAM flight dynamics model

Yeping WANG1, Honglei JI1,2(), Qingyu KANG1, Haoxuan DENG2, Chang WANG2   

  1. 1.College of Aerospace Engineering,Chongqing University,Chongqing  400044,China
    2.Key Laboratory of Rotor Aerodynamics,China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center,Mianyang  621000,China
  • Received:2024-09-30 Revised:2024-10-23 Accepted:2025-02-12 Online:2025-02-21 Published:2025-02-18
  • Contact: Honglei JI E-mail:jhl@cqu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(11902052);Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing(CSTB2022NSCQ-MSX1592);Open Project of the Key Laboratory of Rotor Aerodynamics, China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center(RAL202302-3)

Abstract:

To address the challenge of strong aerodynamic interference in multi-rotor electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft and the difficulty of quickly and efficiently analyzing its impact on flight performance and flight quality, an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) flight dynamics model integrated with multi-rotor aerodynamic interference is developed. First, by combining classical vortex theory and dynamic inflow model, a dynamic inflow model suitable for flight dynamics analysis of multirotor is established, accounting for the effects of coupling between rotor flapping and rigid-body motion, thus forming a flight dynamics model that incorporates multirotor aerodynamic interference. Then, the accuracy of this model is validated through comparison with data from international literature, and the impact of multirotor aerodynamic interference on the equilibrium characteristics and required power characteristics of the aircraft is analyzed. Finally, a small-disturbance linearized model is used to study the effect of multirotor aerodynamic interference on the stability of the aircraft. The results show that aerodynamic interference between rotors mainly affects the flight performance and handling qualities of the aircraft in low- to medium-speed flight conditions. Aerodynamic interference slightly reduces the required power of the front rotors while significantly increasing that of the rear rotors, substantially altering the aircraft’s longitudinal control characteristics. Multirotor aerodynamic interference significantly enhances the speed and yaw static stability during hover/low-speed flight and improves the lateral static stability in medium-speed flight; however, it causes the angle-of-attack static stability to become unstable, leading to a deterioration in dynamic stability for the heave and spiral modes.

Key words: quadrotor aircraft, aerodynamic interference, flight dynamics, static stability, dynamic stability

CLC Number: