05 - Propulsion
BIMODAL UNMANNED VEHICLE: PROPULSION SYSTEM INTEGRATION AND WATER/AIR INTERFACE TESTING
A. Bacciaglia¹, D. Guo², P. Marzocca², C. Bil², A. Ceruti¹; ¹University of Bologna, Italy ;²RMIT University, Australia
This research project aims to contribute towards the propulsion system of a multi-modal UAV capable of sustained aerial rnight, locomotion in water and deployment from a torpedo tube. This report will rst set the context for thernproject by presenting the background information, motivation and requirements for the UAV propulsion system. To narrow the scope of the project, a literature review was conducted to identify the gap in existing literature and potential areasrnfor contribution. The overarching objective of the project was thus determined to be the development and integration of multiple propulsion systems, of which each system is optimized for a speci c medium to achieve an overall system whichrnis ecient for the entire range of operations. The individual propulsion systems are the aerial propeller, the marine propeller and the aerial/aquatic transition mechanism.rnThis paper covers the design and optimisation of the propellers, including a comparison between separate propeller systems and a hybrid propeller system. Structural analysis and propeller placement is also considered in the optimisationrnprocess. Motors are then designed for both hybrid and separate propellers, with more emphasis being placed on the separate propeller design. The separate propeller design is a novel design that requires integration of two shaftless motorsrninto a single motor and requires more work than a conventional motor of the hybrid propeller design. The selection, sizing and design of an aerial/aquatic transition mechanism is also detailed in the report, along with designs for a valve within the mechanism. Experiments were carried out to validate the theoretical predictions and highlight inaccuracies in the modelling. Future work is also proposed with areas for improvement and development