Forward Flight Research Articles

Rotor Power Savings and Pitch-Link Load Reductions with Spanwise-Varying Active Camber Morphing

The effect of spanwise-varying active-camber morphing on helicopter rotor power and pitch-link loads was investigated computationally for advance ratios ranging from hovering to high-speed forward flight (μ=0.35) and was compared to results obtained with spanwise uniform camber actuation. Different actuation strategies were applied, such as constant (0P) deflection and superimposed harmonic actuation based on a 0P deflection combined with 1P (one per revolution) and 2P harmonics. A comprehensive rotor aeromechanics model of an isolated Bo-105 rotor, including elastic blade modeling and free vortex wake aerodynamics, was used for this analysis. Two different active-camber section sizes were investigated, one ranging from 0.22R to 0.9R and one from 0.5R to 0.9R. The greatest benefits from active-camber actuation were found in hover and high-speed flight. It was possible to reduce both the rotor power consumption and the peak-to-peak pitch-link loads. A relevant contribution of the spanwise variability to these power gains was obtained in hovering flight. Toward higher flight speeds, the effect of spanwise variable camber morphing became less important in terms of rotor power savings. However, it allowed a notable reduction of the actuation amplitude far outboard on the rotor blade.

Effects of kinematic parameters and corrugated structure on the aerodynamic performance of flexible dragonfly wings

The effects of unsteady motions of flapping flat plates and corrugated structures in different parameters are studied using fluid–solid coupling and overlapping grid methods. Based on the dragonfly’s right forewing and right hindwing model, these actions include sweeping and pitching, take-off acceleration, and tandem wings cruising in the reverse phase at 180°. The results show that when the advance ratio J=0.36, the “inflow deflection” improves the aerodynamic force in two degrees of freedom compared to simple flapping. When considering only the impact of flexibility, the aerodynamic forces of flexible flat plates and corrugated structures are better than those of the rigid wing models. Considering the effect of corrugated structures, the lift of flexible corrugated wings diminishes, but more thrust is generated. From the perspective of vortex street, vortex rings materialize only in the downstroke stage, while the attachment effect of leading-edge vortices is noticeable in several models. In the same phase flapping, the two wings combine to form a giant wing, which generates significant forward flight momentum. In out-of-phase flapping mode, the series wings generate two lifts and two or three thrust peaks to attain the required forward flight speed while sustaining a high lift.

Comparative Study of Soft In-Plane and Stiff In-Plane Tiltrotor Blade Aerodynamics in Conversion Flight, Using CFD-CSD Coupling Approach

Tiltrotors permit aircrafts to operate vertically with lift, yet convert to ordinary forward flight with thrust. The challenge is to design a tiltrotor blade yielding maximum lift and thrust that converts smoothly without losing integrity or efficiency. The two types of blades, soft in-plane and stiff in-plane—the designation depending on the value of the blade’s natural lag frequency—exhibit different structural responses under the same flight conditions, differently affecting the aerodynamics of the blades, especially in the complex aerodynamic environment of conversion flight where the aerodynamic differences are significant. This phase of flight is not deeply researched, nor is the analytical coupling method much used. To study the influence of blade type on aerodynamics during conversion, models suitable for the conversion flight simulation are established for the application of coupled computational fluid dynamics and computational structural dynamics (CFD-CSD) methods. Each method is implemented with well-accepted techniques (the Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) equations, the Reverse Overset Assembly Technique (ROAT), and the Timoshenko beam model. To improve the solving efficiency, a loose coupling strategy is used in constructing the two-way coupled model. The XV-15 tiltrotor is used for verification. The aeroelastic simulation of soft in-plane and stiff in-plane blades in conversion flight indicates an impactful role on the modal shapes, with a significant difference in the third flap modal shapes for the XV-15 rotor. However, the effect on aerodynamic performance is relatively small. In the first half of the flight conversion, the thrust of stiff in-plane blades is larger than that of soft in-plane blades, but in the last half, the influence of structural characteristics on aerodynamic performance is negligible and the thrust of the blades tends to be equal.

Hummingbirds use distinct control strategies for forward and hovering flight.

The detection of optic flow is important for generating optomotor responses to mediate retinal image stabilization, and it can also be used during ongoing locomotion for centring and velocity control. Previous work in hummingbirds has separately examined the roles of optic flow during hovering and when centring through a narrow passage during forward flight. To develop a hypothesis for the visual control of forward flight velocity, we examined the behaviour of hummingbirds in a flight tunnel where optic flow could be systematically manipulated. In all treatments, the animals exhibited periods of forward flight interspersed with bouts of spontaneous hovering. Hummingbirds flew fastest when they had a reliable signal of optic flow. All optic flow manipulations caused slower flight, suggesting that hummingbirds had an expected optic flow magnitude that was disrupted. In addition, upward and downward optic flow drove optomotor responses for maintaining altitude during forward flight. When hummingbirds made voluntary transitions to hovering, optomotor responses were observed to all directions. Collectively, these results are consistent with hummingbirds controlling flight speed via mechanisms that use an internal forward model to predict expected optic flow whereas flight altitude and hovering position are controlled more directly by sensory feedback from the environment.

Effects of dynamical spanwise retraction and stretch on flapping-wing forward flights

Birds and bats retract and stretch their wings dynamically during each flap in level flights, implying intriguing mechanisms for the aerodynamic performance improvement of flapping wings. A numerical investigation into the aerodynamic effects of such bio-inspired concept in forward flights has been performed based on a three-dimensional wing in plunging motion and a two-section wing in flapping motion. The currently considered Reynolds number and Strouhal number are Re=1.5×105 and St=0.3, respectively. During the research, the mean angle of attack is varied in relatively wide ranges to achieve lift-thrust interconversion for the wings. The conclusive results show that dynamical spanwise retraction and stretch has induced three absolutely desirable scenarios for the oscillating wings in forward flights, namely producing more lift and consuming less power for a given thrust generation, producing more thrust and consuming less power for a given lift generation, and producing more lift and more thrust while consuming less power. Furthermore, the morphing wings have alleviated periodical aerodynamic load fluctuations compared with the non-morphing baseline. The mechanism of the aerodynamic effects of the bionic morphing mode is analyzed with the aid of field visualization. The current article is the first to reveal the absolute advantages of the bionic spanwise morphing. Hopefully, it may help comprehend the behaviors of natural fliers and provide inspirations for performance enhancement of micro artificial flapping-wing vehicles.

Detached-Eddy Simulation of UH-60A Airloads Using an Immersed Boundary Method

The complete helicopter configuration of UH-60A Black Hawk in forward flight is numerically studied using an immersed boundary method and an actuator surface model. Detached-eddy simulation is conducted where the UH-60A fuselage is modeled by the immersed boundary method, while the main and tail rotors are represented using the actuator surface model. The low-speed case (flight counter 8513) from the UH-60A Airloads Program by NASA and the U.S. Army is considered. This case poses challenges such as significant blade–vortex interaction and rotor–airframe interaction. The validation of the test case is conducted for both the isolated main rotor and the full configuration, and the results are compared with flight-test measurements and computational data from the literature. Both the main rotor blade airload and fuselage drag data agree well with the reference data. The surface pressure data over the centerline of the fuselage, horizontal stabilator, and vertical stabilizer are presented. Qualitative data demonstrate massive flow separation from subcomponents of the fuselage that are often not included in computational fluid dynamics simulations. It also features significant main rotor–tail rotor interactions. The computational effort for three grid levels of each test case is provided.

Validation of Variable Rotor Speed Trim Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

A multirotor trim algorithm is developed and validated using the HPCMP CREATETM -AV Helios rotorcraft analysis and simulation framework. Validation data were sourced from experiments in which a quadrotor with xed-pitch rotors was trimmed for steady hover and forward flight in the NASA Langley Low-Speed Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel. For each ight condition, the aircraft attitudes were fixed so that the only control variables were the rotation rates of the four rotors, which were varied until the residual loads were minimal. The resultant trim states were rst replicated in the computational framework to verify the aerodynamic solver. Then, the trim algorithm was validated in Helios by constraining the aircraft attitudes and searching for the rotor speeds that minimized the residual loads. The analysis demonstrated excellent agreement between the predicted and measured trim states. Finally, free-flight trim cases were simulated to quantify the effect of the trim constraints and verify the experimentally trimmed ight conditions. The predicted free-flight trim state showed reasonable agreement to the constrained case, with negligible change in the residual loads, indicating trim was achieved in both the experiments and the simulations.

Research on transition corridor of distributed tilting power configuration

For a distributed tilt-power configuration aircraft, the transition corridor was studied based on limited conditions such as wing lift characteristics and propeller power requirement. By establishing the dynamic model of each component and balancing according to the balance equation, the boundary of the transition corridor of distributed tilting dynamic configuration is determined. The results show that the minimum forward flight speed required for a low Angle of attack is less than that for a high Angle of attack; the wing lift characteristic high-speed boundary and the propeller power limit boundary together form the high-speed boundary of the transition corridor.

Acoustic measurements in single-rotor/wing interaction at low disk loading and Reynolds number

The tiltrotor design is favored for urban air mobility (UAM) prototypes due to the combination of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability and efficient forward flight. With rising UAM air traffic at low altitudes, noise from these aircraft is a crucial design factor. Most tiltrotor noise research focuses on high disk loading and Reynolds number setups, leaving smaller aircraft configurations less explored. This study investigates aero-acoustic trends from rotor-wing interaction at low disk loading ([Formula: see text]100 N/m2) and Reynolds number (Re < 100,000). While prior literature suggests lowering disk loading and reducing rotor wake interference can mitigate rotor noise, such ideas lack empirical validation. The setup involves an anechoic chamber housing a two-blade rotor, along with flat and NACA 0012 airfoil wings. Microphones and a rotation stage capture acoustic data for analysis. Factors like flow recirculation, isolated rotor noise, rotor height, rotation direction/rate, and wing curvature are assessed for impact on noise signature. It is found that the deflected rotor wake in rotor-wing interaction significantly increases low-frequency broadband noise and overall sound pressure level (OASPL), compared to an isolated rotor. Dominant tonal noise diminishes based on the strength of the deflected rotor wake. These findings offer insights into reducing noise from rotor wake impingement on the wing.

Influence of Engine Dynamic Characteristics on Helicopter Handling Quality in Hover and Low-Speed Forward Flight

This study assesses the influence of engine dynamic characteristics on helicopter handling quality during hover and low-speed forward flight. First, we construct the helicopter–engine coupling model (HECM) based on the power-matching relationship between the engine and the rotor. The impact of the engine is evaluated by comparing HECM with a helicopter model without the engine. To assess the engine’s influence quantitatively, we consider torque response, height response, and collective–yaw coupling characteristics in ADS-33E-PRF handling quality criteria. The results reveal that the engine power output lag can deteriorate the helicopter’s torque and height response handling quality rate (HQR). After the increase in helicopter mass, the torque HQR caused by engine influence improved, and the altitude HQR further deteriorated. The engine dynamic characteristics can also reverse the yaw rate, decreasing collective–yaw coupling HQR. As the helicopter’s flight speed increased, the engine’s impact on the yaw rate increased by 41.8%. This study can provide valuable insight into the effects of engine dynamic characteristics on helicopter handling quality and offer a reference for the design of helicopter–engine coupling control laws.

Optimal Performance Trim Procedure for Multirotor Vertical Takeoff and Landing Vehicles

The present paper proposes a general approach capable of determining the set of trim commands, aerodynamic control surface actuation, and/or engine thrust regulation that allow specific trimmed steady-state flight conditions of nonconventional vertical takeoff and landing vehicles under given performance constraints. Exploiting the peculiarity of these vehicles to have redundant controls, namely more controls than those strictly required to define steady-state flight conditions, their trim problem is recast into a constrained minimization of a cost function. This approach is of particular interest in that it allows the identification of control settings for multirotor vehicles that, at the same time, guarantee trimmed flight conditions and optimization of selected target functions such as, for instance, performance or noise emission. The proposed approach is numerically applied to quadcopter and hexacopter configurations for three flight conditions (level forward flight, climb, and coordinate turn), and three strategies of trim by different trim variables (rotor angular velocity, blade collective pitch, and combination of angular velocity and blade collective pitch). The effect of the introduced cost function is investigated, comparing the outcomes of minimum control effort and minimum torque strategies. The results achieved demonstrate the capability of the proposed algorithm to exploit redundant controls of multirotor vehicles for identifying selected optimal trim operative conditions.

Analysis of the Aeroacoustic Characteristics of a Rigid Coaxial Rotor in Forward Flight Based on the CFD/VVPM Hybrid Method

This study develops a hybrid solver with reversed overset assembly technology (ROAT), a viscous vortex particle method (VVPM), and a CFD program based on the URNS method, in order to study the aerodynamic and acoustic characteristics of coaxial rigid rotors. The aerodynamic load of the “AH-1G” helicopter rotor is first calculated based on the hybrid method and compared with available experimental data. The prediction of the linear noise of the OLS rotor is then performed and the obtained results are compared with available experimental data. These results allow the evaluation of the accuracy of the hybrid method for emulating rotor aerodynamics and acoustics. Afterwards, the hybrid and CFD methods are applied to obtain the aerodynamic and acoustic characteristics of the given coaxial rigid rotor model, while taking into account the trim of the collective pitch. The obtained results demonstrate that the hybrid method has high proficiency in capturing blade–vortex-interaction impulsive loads and high computational efficiency in predicting associated loading noise characteristics. Furthermore, the effect of the hybrid method on the noise characteristics of coaxial rigid rotors under a different advance ratio, blade tip speed, shaft angle, and other conditions, as well as the impact of the upper and lower rotors on the noise contribution of the coaxial rotor are analyzed. Finally, the impacts of the initial phase and the vertical spacing on the sound pressure level are studied.

Design and Joint Control of a Conjoined Biplane and Quadrotor

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to perform many different missions, some of which may require a large aircraft for endurance and a small aircraft for maneuverability in wind gusts or cluttered environments such as buildings. This paper proposes a novel combination of a quadrotor and a hybrid biplane capable of joint hover, joint forward flight, and mid-air separation followed by separate flight. We investigate cooperative control strategies during joint flight that do not require any communication between the quadcopter and the biplane. This means that the two aircraft have their own independent control strategy based on their own sensors. The biplane, which is the largest of the two with most control authority, leads the flight and the goal for the quadrotor is to help in producing thrust and increasing rotational stability. Three control strategies for the quadrotor are compared: a proportional angular rate damper, a proportional angular acceleration damper, and constant thrust without attitude control. Simulation and practical tests show that for desired attitude changes of the biplane, the quadrotor rate- and angular acceleration damper strategies lead to a small performance degradation. However, the angular rate damper strategy reduces the roll angle error in disturbance rejection experiments and requires the smallest input command. The in-flight release is successfully tested in joint hover up to a forward pitch angle of −18∘.

RESEARCH ON AERODYNAMIC NOISE CHARACTERISTICS OF HELICOPTER ROTORS CONSIDERING THE INFLUENCE OF BLADE SHAPES

In this study, we investigated the influence of blade shapes on the aerodynamic noise characteristics of helicopter main rotors by the vortex method. The obtained results are the variation of the time-dependent lift coefficient of rotors and the aerodynamic noise characteristics of the helicopter rotor with different blade shapes. On that basis, the influence of the blade shape on the aerodynamic noise characteristics of helicopter rotors was evaluated. An advanced blade shape was designed to reduce the aerodynamic noise of rotors while maintaining the lift of the rotor. Computational results show that the rotor with the advanced blade generates the lower noise, and the noise of the advanced blade reduces by up to 6.15 dB (reduced by 6.90%) compared with the common rectangular blade in hover and up to 5.4 dB (reduced by 5.15%) in forward flight.

Geometrically exact aeroelastic stability analysis of helicopter composite rotor blades in forward flight

In this paper, a sophisticated method for analyzing the geometrically exact aeroelastic stability of composite rotor blades in forward flight has been proposed. The unique advantage of the proposed method is to use the geometrically exact beam model with the updated Variational Asymptotic Beam Sectional analysis (VABS) for structural modeling to not only calculate the blade cross-sectional properties and blade spanwise deformations more accurately, but also take into account the effect of transverse shear deformation and blade initial twist and curvatures sophisticatedly. The Peters finite state airloads theory and the Peters-He finite state dynamic inflow model are coupled to calculate the three-dimensional unsteady airloads applied on the blade. The auto-pilot trim scheme is adopted to determine the blade pitch controls. The finite element spatial discretization method, the Newmark numerical integration method, the Newton-Raphson method and the moving-block analysis method are combined to solve the established geometrically exact aeroelastic equations and obtain the geometrically exact aeroelastic stability of composite rotor blades. The proposed method is validated by correlation with existing analytical results. The investigations show that the effect of transverse shear deformation on the aeroelastic stability of composite hingeless rotors in forward flight is non-negligible. Blade initial curvatures have significant effect on the aeroelastic stability of composite hingeless rotors in forward flight, which is not only related to the blade elastic couplings, but also to the advance ratio.

The Plasma In Situ Detection on China’s Space Station Wentian Module: Instrument Description and First Results

The plasma in situ detector is a multi-sensor package designed to in situ measure the bulk parameters of the local ionospheric plasma. The plasma in situ detector is comprised of three sensors: Langmuir probe (LP), retarding potential analyzer (RPA) and ion drift meter (IDM). LP measures electron density and temperature. RPA measures ion density, temperature and ion horizontal velocity. IDM measures the transverse horizontal component of the ram velocity. The plasma in situ detector has been installed outside the wentian module cabin, and the boom has been successfully deployed which extends the spherical sensor of LP beyond the sheath of the cabin. RPA and IDM were installed at the front of the experiment package, with the horizontal axis direction along the forward flight direction of the space station. This paper discusses the general performance characteristics of the in situ detector, the functional performance of each sensor, and initial results of some classical ionospheric features being observed.

Comparative analysis of fixed-pitch and variable-pitch control systems for multirotor drones: Acoustic characteristics and rotor phase control

In this study, the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic characteristics of multirotor electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft in hovering and forward flight are compared using two representative control methods: fixed-pitch control and variable-pitch control (i.e., revolution per minute (RPM) control and collective pitch control). To this end, a comprehensive multirotor noise assessment framework is used to predict the aerodynamics and noise of multirotors controlled by RPM and collective pitch. High-resolution time–frequency analysis is used to clarify the differences in noise spectral characteristics. The findings indicate that blade passage frequency characteristics vary significantly depending on the control method. The phase differences between the rotors of variable-pitch control remain constant irrespective of disturbances or attitude control. In other words, the frequencies of the tone noise do not exhibit short-periodic modulation, unlike those of RPM-controlled multirotor. Additionally, the aeroacoustic characteristics of fixed-pitch and variable-pitch controlled multirotor in response to wind velocity fluctuation are investigated by considering the direction of noise radiation and interference effects. The impact of the turbulent kinetic energy of wind on the noise characteristics is examined by quantifying the noise components associated with aerodynamic unsteadiness in flight. Furthermore, the rotor phase control method can be applied to reduce noise in both control methods. The optimization of rotor phases reduces tone noise significantly at the target observer point without causing aerodynamic losses in variable-pitch controlled multirotor. In contrast, the reduction in tone noise remains relatively limited for fixed-pitch controlled multirotor, as the rotor phase differences are not maintained.

A Comprehensive Study on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Electrically Controlled Rotor Using Lattice Boltzmann Method

An electrically controlled rotor (ECR) is a kind of swashplateless rotor that implements the primary control via the trailing-edge flap system instead of a swashplate and demonstrates great potential in vibration reduction and noise alleviation. In this paper, the mesoscopic numerical simulation method known as the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is employed to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of an ECR. In the LBM, the discretized Boltzmann transport equation is solved to simulate the macroscopic motion of the fluid, and the D3Q27 model is applied for this study. The effects of the flap deflection on the ECR aerodynamic characteristics can be accurately included with the appropriate refined wall lattice resolution. On this basis, the adaptive wake-refinement strategy is applied to track the evolution of the wake and adequately capture details of the wake structure in the wake flow field. Based on this method, an aerodynamic analysis model for the ECR can be established on the XFlow simulation platform. The aerodynamic analysis model is validated, and the results indicate that the LBM can accurately capture the details of the rotor flow field and calculate blade aerodynamic load, as well as predict the downwash of the rotor. Therefore, based on this model, the ECR aerodynamic characteristics under hovering and forward flight conditions are analyzed, and the effects of the flap deflection on the wake structure, induced inflow, and disc load can be captured. The results indicate that a relatively large flap deflection required to trim the rotor will cause the additional intense flap wake vortex in the ECR wake flow field, apart from the concentrated vorticity at the blade tip and root demonstrated in the conventional rotor wake flow field, and thus significantly change the distributions of the disc-induced inflow and aerodynamic load.

Double function of flight in Calopteryx splendens (Odonata: Calopterygidae) males

Different flight manoeuvres of males of Calopteryx splendens were analysed by means of slow-motion filming. The wingbeat frequencies of males flying in tandem were higher than those of single flying males. A male exhibited the highest frequencies when carrying a Blue Featherleg tandem over a distance of 20–25 cm. The widest range of variability of values of wingbeat frequencies were recorded in threatening flight, probably due to the simultaneous communicative function of the wings during that behaviour. The upstroke/downstroke ratio of the wings allows to draw conclusions on their aerodynamic effect. It was low in pursuing flight, which is when more thrust is needed, and it was high in flight with an additional load (a Featherleg tandem) when a lot of lift was necessary. Both sexes exhibited wing standstills during forward flight. In males, the variability of the duration of wing standstills was widest, probably due to the communicative function of their blue wings. Because males engage in threatening displays their flight was very irregular and unsteady. In contrast, females were much more regular in their flight, which may explain why they win most pursuit races with males.

Design and Optimization of Low Impact Shift Control Strategy for Aviation Transmission Power System Based on Response Surface Methodology

The utilization of a variable-speed power system significantly improves the forward flight speed and cruising range of the helicopter. Nevertheless, the shock of speed and torque during the shift process brings stability and safety problems that cannot be ignored. Thus, swift and stable shift control is a key issue in the research on aviation power systems. This study focuses on the design and optimization of low-impact shift control strategies for a variable-speed power system, which involves multiple control variables, long adjustment times, and uncontrollable risks due to the nonsteady state. A comprehensive power system model that integrates the engine, a two-speed dual-clutch transmission system, and the main rotor was proposed. By selecting the engine fuel flow, friction clutch hydraulic pressure, and rotor pitch angle as input signals, regression fitting models between the input signals’ starting time points and speed or torque shock were obtained using Response Surface Methodology (RMS). The interaction effect of multiple time series was analyzed, and four kinds of low-impact nonlinear programming multi-objective optimized models for speed or torque are proposed. The results indicate that the P values of the RMS fitting models at upshift and downshift are less than 0.0001 and 0.05, respectively, which are highly significant and can effectively predict the shift dynamic response; under the optimized upshift and downshift control strategy, the speed and torque shock are reduced by 5–10%.