Numerical simulation of postlaunching behaviors for a “balloon-borne UAV system”
Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology
ISSN: 0002-2667
Article publication date: 24 April 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present numerical simulations for a series of flight processes for the postlaunching stage of the “balloon-borne UAV system.” It includes the balloon further ascent motion after airborne launching. In terms of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the tailspin state and the charge-out process with an anti-tailspin parachute-assisted suspending are analyzed. Then, the authors conduct trajectory optimization simulations for the long-distance gliding process.
Design/methodology/approach
The balloon kinematics model and the parachute Kane multibody dynamic model are established. Using steady-state tailspin to reduced-order analysis and achieving change-out simulation by parachute suspension dynamic model. A reentry optimization control problem is developed and the Radau pseudo-spectral method is used to calculate the glide trajectory.
Findings
The established dynamic model and trajectory optimization method can effectively simulate the motion process of balloons and UAVs. The system mass reduction for launching UAVs will not cause damage to the balloon structure. The anti-tailspin parachute can reduce the UAV attack angles effectively. The UAV can glide to the designated target position by adjusting the attack angle and sideslip angle. The farthest flight distance after launching from 20 km height is 94 km and the gliding time is 40 min, which demonstrates the potential application advantage of high-altitude launching.
Practical implications
The research content and related conclusions of this article achieve a closed-loop analysis of the flight mission chain for the “balloon-borne UAV system,” which provides simulation references for relevant balloon launching experiments.
Originality/value
This paper establishes a complete set of numerical simulation models and can effectively analyze various postlaunching behaviors.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Aerostat System Research and Development Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for undertaking a high-altitude scientific balloon experiment project in April 2022 in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, which provides the balloon’s actual flight trajectory data in Figure 1.
This work was supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Priority Research Program “Scientific Experiment System in Near Space (Honghu Special Project)” (Grant No. XDA17020101).
Citation
Zhang, H., Yang, Y. and Cai, R. (2024), "Numerical simulation of postlaunching behaviors for a “balloon-borne UAV system”", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-07-2023-0181
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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