Transitional flight equilibrium and performance study for the X-NMRL tail-sitter VTOL MAV

Abstract

An investigation on transitional flight equilibrium, performance analysis and parameter impacts is conducted in a conversion corridor, based on the proposed X-NMRL tail-sitter Vertical Takeoff and Landing Micro Air Vehicles (VTOL MAVs). Dependent on a propulsion model, aerodynamic model and physical control model, a nonlinear mathematical transitional model of the vehicle dynamics was constructed with consideration of the velocity, angle of attack, thrust, control surface deflection and pitching angle. The momentum theory and estimation method are applied to simulated propeller slipstream effects on aerodynamics, and an aerodynamic model for all regions of angles of attack and velocities is built. The nonlinear indefinite high-order dynamic model is solved by the improved Newton iteration algorithm. The corridor of the pitching angle or flight-path angle to the velocity reveals that the boundaries are mainly governed by the stalling performance, full throttle thrust and zero thrust, respectively. The performance corridor indicates different performance parameter variations under different conditions of steady climbing, cruising and descending states. Additionally, the performance for a steady transitional strategy can be illustrated to some extent. In terms of the parameter impacts, the increasing max propulsive power, supplied voltage, and decreasing total weight can widen the transitional corridor effectively, and the changes in the aerodynamics will only move the boundaries toward the same direction. These results will benefit transitional vehicle designs and control designs.