Research on the Working Performance of UAV Hybrid Power System Based on Mission Profile

Abstract

Currently, UAVs can be divided into two main types based on the type of power unit, fuel-powered UAVs and electrically powered UAVs. Most drones that are generally smaller and lighter in weight are electrically powered; while larger drones are usually fuel-powered. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, with fuel-powered drones being highly polluting and noisy, while electric drones usually have a shorter range. Fuel-powered UAVs are noisy and polluting, while electrically powered UAVs are usually shorter. The hybrid system combines the advantages of both and reduces pollution while ensuring a longer range. In this paper, an oil-electric hybrid power system for a tilt-rotor UAV is studied, a mathematical model of the hybrid power system is built, and the performance of the hybrid power system is studied and analyzed based on the mission profile. The mission profile of the UAV is determined, and the UAV demand power curve under this mission profile is given. The overall performance of the oil-electric hybrid power system is simulated and calculated. The results show that the oil-electric hybrid power system meets the power demand of the tilt-rotor UAV under the mission profile given in this paper, and can work normally within the full envelope.