Downwash Reduction Drone With Adaptive Rotors and Its 3D Aerodynamic Analysis and Stabilization Control

Abstract

When a drone performs physical maneuvers in close proximity to ground objects at extremely low altitudes, the downwash generated significantly impacts the object directly beneath it. In response to this issue, we propose a drone designed to operate at low altitudes while simultaneously creating a windless zone directly beneath the aircraft, thus mitigating its impact on objects below. This entails the development of an H-shaped airframe structure capable of establishing a windless space through the manipulation of rotor angles. Our objective is to formulate a control model for the drone and implement stabilization control. The downwash characteristics of the proposed drone will be methodically investigated through experiments employing a unique 3D airflow measurement system and an operational drone. Visualization of downwash will be generated from the collected wind velocity data, showcasing the potential to create a windless zone when the rotor angle is set to 30° or higher. Additionally, in formulating the control model, we will conduct an extensive search for control parameters that contribute to stabilizing the drone during flight. Through simulation experiments, we aim to demonstrate the feasibility of controlling the drone with rotor angles up to 40° using a conventional controller, utilizing the capabilities of the parameter search algorithm.

Keywords

• Drone
• downwash
• control
• H-shaped
• weeding