Modeling permanent magnet electric motor for unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The development of element base and manufacturing technologies is always one of the important scientific and technological issues. Both the search for the latest technical solutions and the improvement of known devices remain relevant. These trends are also true for permanent magnet motors used as a propulsion system for an unmanned aerial vehicle. The purpose of the research is to calculate and model an electric motor for an unmanned aerial vehicle by the finite element method using the ELCUT package. The principle research tasks are to choose an appropriate representation method for permanent magnets on the electric motor rotor and stator winding as well as to evaluate the results of modeling in the ELCUT software complex. Methods of computer modeling using applied software complexes, methods of magnetic field analysis in the air gap, methods of equivalent circuits were applied. The analysis results show that permanent magnet electric motors are commonly used as propulsion systems for unmanned aerial vehicles. The major challenges with electric motor modeling arising from the representation methods for the rotor magnets and stator winding were defined. The model of a permanent magnet motor for an unmanned aerial vehicle was created. The results of the permanent magnet electric motor modeling for an unmanned aerial vehicle were represented, proving the robustness of calculations and solution of posed problems. The research results can be applied in calculation and modeling of electric motors with surface distribution of magnets on a rotor and distributed winding on a stator, and under the uniform distribution of different number of magnets to poles relative to slots.