Analysis and optimization of anti-wind capability of an electric hybrid aerial vehicle

The application of the electric quadrotor fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle (QF-HAV) is severely limited by the poor anti-wind capability during VTOL process. This paper proposes a method that can analyze the anti-wind capability of the QF-HAV. The force equilibrium equations of the QF-HAV that hovers in the wind interference situation is established based on the simplifying of the complexity and uncertainty of the wind field by assuming that the wind is steady flow and decomposing the wind direction into two parts. The anti-wind capability of a QF-HAV with twin-boom is analyzed using the method proposed and the analysis results show that the anti-wind capability of the QF-HAV is strong in the headwind situation and poor in the crosswind situation. Wind-induced yaw moment is the main factor that causes the QF-HAV which hovers in the wind interference situation to become unstable during VTOL process. The angle and the installation position of the propeller disc of the quadrotor are the factors that have great effects on the anti-wind capability of the QF-HAV. The anti-wind capability can be improved by optimizing the aerodynamic configuration of the QF-HAV, increasing the angle of the propeller disc and extending the distance between the installation position of the propeller disc and the center of the gravity.