Affiliation:
1. Corresponding author;, Email: dcaero14@tamu.edu.
Abstract
This paper describes the development and flight testing of a personal air vehicle by team Harmony for the GoFly Prize competition. The competition emphasized an open-air ight experience, and the nal aircraft was scored by size (≤ 8.5 ft), noise (<87 dBA), and speed (>30
kt). The highest scoring team would win a $1 million grand prize. Team Harmony endeavored to develop an aircraft which would maximize the competition score. A counterrotating coaxial electric helicopter con guration was chosen to maximize rotor area and reduce disk loading for efficiency
and acoustic benefits. The rotors were designed through a parametric study using an in-house aerodynamics code, an in-house acoustics code, and CREATE TM -AV Helios CFD. A quiet electric power train and custom 11 kWh battery were developed. Flight control was implemented with dual, independent,
electronically coupled swashplates. A one-third-scale prototype aircraft was first developed and flighttested. Then a full-scale, 520 lb (235.4 kg) prototype with an 8.45 ft(2.58 m) rotor diameter was developed and flight-tested. During hovering, the measured sound pressure levels at 50 ft(15.24
m) were 73 dBA. The full-scale vehicle crashed before its speed capabilities could be tested, but the aircraft would have likely scored well, achieving the goal of the project. This work encompassed several design trade-offs, especially between aerodynamic and acoustic performance in the rotor
and blade design, and between acoustics and endurance in the power source selection, and in availability and flight-worthiness of off-the-shelf hardware for personal flight.
Publisher
AHS International dba Vertical Flight Society
Cited by
1 articles.
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