Fluid Mechanics and Flight Mechanics

Concept Research of Laser-motive UAV

  • JIN Xing ,
  • CHANG Hao ,
  • CUI Xiaoyang
Expand
  • 1. State Key Laboratory of Laser Propulsion & Application, Academy of Equipment, Beijing 101416, China;
    2. Postgraduate School, Academy of Equipment, Beijing 101416, China

Received date: 2013-04-18

  Revised date: 2013-05-28

  Online published: 2013-06-21

Abstract

The laser-motive unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has received wide attention due to its high flight altitude and long fight duration. The relationship between the laser radiation power density, the output power density of the UAV and flight performance is set up based on a mass evaluation model of the UAV. The ceiling and flight envelope between laser-motive and solar-motive UAVs are analyzed taking the Sky Sailor UAV as an example. The results show that a laser-motive UAV has the advantage of carrying more payload, having high ceiling and stronger ability to resist disturbance as compared with a solar-motive UAV. Besides, with the increase of laser radiation power density, the flight envelope is broader even though the mass and power consumption of the electronic devices and payload increase. Meanwhile, the flight velocity increases, but the actual ceiling decreases.

Cite this article

JIN Xing , CHANG Hao , CUI Xiaoyang . Concept Research of Laser-motive UAV[J]. ACTA AERONAUTICAET ASTRONAUTICA SINICA, 2013 , 34(9) : 2074 -2080 . DOI: 10.7527/S1000-6893.2013.0291

References

[1] Vineet V K, Kumar A, Makade R, et al. Solar power the future of aviation industry. International Journal of Engineering Science and Technology, 2011, 3(3): 2051-2058.

[2] Richard M. Feasibility of laser power transmission to a high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle. ADA544926, 2011.

[3] Li X K, Zhang Y L, Chen M S, et al. Numerical simulation for impact of laser power and propellant on performance of continuous-wave laser-sustained plasma thruster. Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica, 2011, 32(1): 27-34.(in Chinese) 李小康, 张育林, 程谋森, 等. 激光功率和工质对连续激光推力器性能影响的数值模拟. 航空学报, 2011, 32(1): 27-34.

[4] Hong Y J, Wang G Y, Dou Z G. State of art of laser ablation microthruster. Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica, 2009, 30(9): 1555-1565.(in Chinese) 洪延姬, 王广宇, 窦志国. 激光烧蚀微推力器研究进展. 航空学报, 2009, 9(30): 1555-1565.

[5] NASA dryden fact sheets-beamed laser power. Washington: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2008. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-087-DFRC.html.

[6] Tim B. Recent demonstrations of laser power beaming at DFRC and MSFC. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2005, 766: 73-85.

[7] Power beaming challenge. Washington: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2012. http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/early_stage_innovation/centennial_challenges/beaming_tether/index.html.

[8] Nugent T. Video of laser-powered quadrocopter endurance flight. LaserMotive, 2010. http://lasermotive.com/2010/11/12/video-of-laser-powered-quadrocopter-endurance-flight/.

[9] Norris G. UAV demonstrates utility of laser power. Aviation Week & Space Technology, 2012. http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_09_03_2012_p64-486128.xml.

[10] Howell J T, O'Neill M J, Fork R L. Advanced receiver/converter experiments for laser wireless power transmission. Granada: Solar Power from Space (SPS04) and 5th Wireless Power Transmission (WPT5) Conference, 2004: 1-8.

[11] Nugent T J, Kare J T. Laser power for UAVs. http://www.lasermotive.com.

[12] Runge H, Rack W, Ruiz-Leon A, et al. A solar powered HALE-UAV for arctic research. The 1st CEAS European Air and Space Conference, 2007: 1-6.

[13] Bhatt M R. Solar power unmanned aerial vehicle: high altitude long endurance applications (HALE-SPUAV). San Jose: San Jose State University, 2012.

[14] Noth A. Design of solar powered airplanes for continuous flight. Zurich: Ingenieur en Microtechnique Ecole Polytechnique Felerale de Lausanne, 2008.

[15] Halla D W, Hall S A. Structural sizing of a solar powered aircraft. NASA-CR-172313. 1984.

Outlines

/