Improving operational effectiveness of Tactical Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Systems (TALEUAS) by utilizing solar power
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Authors
Camacho, Nahum
Subjects
convective thermals
thermalling control
system identification
photovoltaics
Bayesian search
guidance
navigation
path planning
Electrical Energy Management System
MATLAB/Simulink
mathematical modeling and simulation.
thermalling control
system identification
photovoltaics
Bayesian search
guidance
navigation
path planning
Electrical Energy Management System
MATLAB/Simulink
mathematical modeling and simulation.
Advisors
Dobrokhodov, Vladimir N.
Date of Issue
2014-06
Date
June 2014
Publisher
Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
This thesis develops, implements, and validates a hybrid energy-harvesting technique that enables extracting energy from the environment by utilizing convective thermals as a source of potential energy, and exploiting solar radiation for photovoltaic (PV) energy to achieve long endurance flight of an autonomous glider. The dynamic behavior of convective thermals, as well as their mathematical models, are studied to determine their motion, while the navigation task is simultaneously solved using a Bayesian search approach that is based on the prior knowledge of the 3D elevation. This study advances an existing technique for detection of thermals by implementing the online identification of the airplane sink rate polar. The glider’s climb rate is optimized by implementing a modified thermalling controller, and its performance is compared to an existing method of centering in thermals. The integration of the energy extracted from the solar radiation is accomplished by the design of an Electrical Energy Management System (EEMS) that safely collects and distributes the energy onboard. The electrical energy is supplied by the semi-rigid mono crystalline silicon solar cells, which are embedded into the skin of the glider’s wings without distorting the airfoil. To validate and verify the algorithms developed in MATLAB/Simulink, an interface to a high-fidelity pilot’s training flight simulator was designed. Furthermore, the numerical algorithms were integrated onboard a prototype SB-XC glider equipped with solar cells to enable the desired energy-harvesting technique. Flight test results verify the feasibility of the developed algorithms.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)
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Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.