Analysis and Simulation of Axial Flux Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor for Hybrid UAV Propulsion

Abstract

In recent years, a wide range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) applications has gained popularity. Due to the size of battery pack limitation, engine-propelled UAVs have become an appealing alternative as they possess high endurance (due to their high-density fuel). However, most modern UAVs include electronic instruments. In the operation, the UAV still requires a battery as the primary electrical power source. Various efforts have been made to connect the electronic system with the vehicle's prime mover system, one of which is by using a hybrid propulsion system. In this paper, a hybrid propulsion system based on a 2-stroke internal combustion engine (ICE) along with Aksantara's axial flux Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) that acts as a generator and internal engine starter is proposed. This design will implement axial flux configuration PMSM to enhance the endurance and range of the proposed hybrid propulsion system. To obtain the hybrid propulsion performance result, the axial flux PMSM is numerically calculated using Finite Element Method (FEM) by utilizing Ansys Maxwell. The overall in-flight propulsion system performance will be evaluated using Simulink software. From the simulation, the implementation of the proposed axial flux PMSM hybrid propulsion system will show benefits in terms of endurance and range compared to other propulsion systems.