Range and Endurance Characterization of a Quadcopter subject to Steady Wind

Abstract

The range map of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) working in a nominal condition in an outdoor environment is affected by the available power and the environmental factors like the magnitude and direction of the wind. In the case of propulsion failure, it is important to determine the range and ground impact location of the UAS which might be useful in quantifying the risk involved in flying over certain urban, suburban areas. This paper focuses on mathematical modeling of the quadcopter along with its propulsion system and electric power consumption model to determine the effect of speed and direction of the wind on the range map. The same simulation environment can be used to determine the range and ground impact locations of an UAS in case of various failure scenarios.