Conference paper
Recent NASA Wind Tunnel Free-Flight Testing of A Multirotor Unmanned Aircraft System
AIAA SCITECH 2020 FORUM, Vol.1
01 Jan 2020
Abstract
Wind tunnel free-flight tests of a small quadrotor aircraft were completed in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low Speed Tunnel and 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel. The primary objective of these tests was to acquire flight data in forward and descending flight for the purpose of assessing the fidelity of an all-attitude flight dynamics simulation previously developed from static and dynamic wind tunnel data. A secondary objective was to demonstrate and mature free-flight test methods specific to the emerging class of small unmanned aircraft and urban air mobility vehicles. Experimental flight data correlated well with simulation predictions which included steady trim conditions consistent with straight and level flight, and quasi-steady conditions associated with descent velocities prone to vortex ring state development. The test method was shown to be well suited to these classes of vehicles and several unique infrastructure requirements, including tether systems and data acquisition requirements were identified. In addition, unique operational test techniques and safety procedures were developed to accommodate the testing. Results of these tests will be used to support air traffic management studies and research into safety assurance concepts that enable the integration of these classes of vehicles into the National Airspace System.
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Details
- Title
- Recent NASA Wind Tunnel Free-Flight Testing of A Multirotor Unmanned Aircraft System
- Creators
- John Foster - NASA Langley Res Ctr, Flight Dynam Branch, M-S 308, Hampton, VA 23681 USALuke J. Miller - Langley Research CenterRonald C. Busan - Langley Research CenterSarah L. Langston - Langley Research CenterDavid C. Hartman - Drexel Univ, Dept Mech Engn & Mech, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Publication Details
- AIAA SCITECH 2020 FORUM, Vol.1
- Publisher
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Number of pages
- 25
- Grant note
- NASA System-Wide Safety project
- Resource Type
- Conference paper
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001359308606045
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85091924391
- Other Identifier
- 9781624105951; 1624105955; 991022062816104721