Aircraft/Engine Integrated Design for an Air-superiority Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Abstract

Aiming at the demand of efficient energy management for wide flight envelope of air-superiority unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an conceptual and preliminary design of air-superiority UAV with oil-electric hybrid power was proposed based on the idea of integrated aircraft and engine modelling. The evaluation model of the UAV aerodynamic performance and the thrust requirements of full flight envelope were determined, then the matching configuration of target turbofan engine was proposed. According to general design parameters of UAV, the simulation model and constraint relations for aircraft-engine integration performance calculation were established, parameters were optimized for typical multi-mission conditions, the tactical performance of future advanced air superiority UAV was predicted. The integrated design method of air superiority UAV upon hybrid electric turbofan can also be applied to improve the performance of UAVs in service, which established in this paper has good engineering practical value.