05 - Propulsion
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY OPTIMISATION OF MEDIUM ALTITUDE LONG ENDURANCE UAVS
D. Verstraete, University of Sydney, Australia
Small UAVs are limited in altitude capability due to the lack of an appropriate propulsion system. If a reasonable thermal efficiency can be attained, small turboprop engines could fill this gap. This paper investigates the feasibility of extending the altitude capabilities of small UAVs through the use of recuperated turboprop engines and analyses scaling effects on turboprop performance.