Design and Optimization of Channel Inlets on ITB-Coaxial Rotor Flying Saucer

Abstract

Stabilizer Channels on ITB coaxial rotor flying saucer show and prove as good results for stabilizing the platform. This concept is adopted on distributed thrust of a commercially VTOL aircraft. The flying saucer has 700 mm outer diameter and 2.2 kg weight. The Quadruple channels on the UAV are designed to control the attitude. Each Channel has variable area nozzle which is controlled by an electric servo as the actuator. The important parameters of the successfully channel design is on inlet profile and geometry. Swirling flow occurred inside the main propulsion duct is still the most problem to be solved by optimizing the channel inlet shape. The several designs and methods will be shown on this paper. Both computational fluid dynamics software and experimental testing are used to analyze all candidate designs of the inlet channel.

In order to validate this design, we develop a special test bed platform for Small VTOL-UAV to measure all forces and moments of the several design of the inlet channel.