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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2017

Modelling the Risks Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pose to People on the Ground

Worldwide there is much e ort being directed towards the development of a framework of air- worthiness regulations for remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS). It is now broadly accepted that regulations should have a strong foundation in, and traceability to, the management of the safety risks. Existing risk models for RPAS operations do not provide a simple means for incorporating the wide range of technical and operational controls into the risk analysis and evaluation processes. This paper describes a new approach for modelling and evaluating the risks associated with RPAS operations near populous areas based on the barrier bow tie (BBT) model. A BBT model is used to structure the underlying risk management problem. The model focuses risk analysis, evaluation, and decision making activities on the devices, people, and processes that can be employed to reduce risk. The BBT model and a comprehensive set of example risk controls are presented. The general model can be applied to any RPAS operation. The foundations for quantitative and qualitative assessments using a BBT model are also presented. The modelling and evaluation framework is illustrated through its application to a case-study rotary wing RPAS for two operational scenarios. The model can be used as a basis for determining airworthiness certification requirements for RPAS.

Barrier bow tie model↗
NASA NTRS1994

Conceptual design of the AE481 Demon Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV)

This project report presents a conceptual design for a high speed remotely piloted vehicle (RPV). The AE481 Demon RPV is capable of performing video reconnaissance missions and electronic jamming over hostile territory. The RPV cruises at a speed of Mach 0.8 and an altitude of 300 feet above the ground throughout its mission. It incorporates a rocket assisted takeoff and a parachute-airbag landing. Missions are preprogrammed, but in-flight changes are possible. The Demon is the answer to a military need for a high speed, low altitude RPV. The design methods, onboard systems, and avionics payload are discussed in this conceptual design report along with economic viability.

Hailes, Chris↗
NASA NTRS1976

Prospective markets and design concepts for civilian remotely piloted aircraft

This paper summarizes a study that examines the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) in the civil environment. A market survey was conducted in which 35 civil applications of RPVs were identified. For a number of these uses, vehicle and system concepts were defined, benefit and cost comparisons were made with present methods, and the influence of safety and environmental implications was assessed. The results suggest a sizable potential demand for the use of RPVs in the civil sector, and some of the applications show promising cost savings over established methods. A focussed technology effort could provide the safety assurances needed for routine civilian operation of RPVs.

Nelms, W. P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A concept study of a remotely piloted vehicle for Mars exploration

Candidate configurations are discussed for shuttle-transported, spacecraft-deployed remotely piloted vehicles having individual aeroshells, parachutes, and scientific payloads for Mars exploration. Topics covered include aerodynamics; powerplants; structural materials; deployment and descent interface systems; payloads; secondary power; thermal control; navigation, guidance and control, communications, weight and center of gravity; performance; and flight testing. The advantages of the recommended electric-powered cruiser/lander configuration are summarized.

Source record↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview of Challenges to Integrating Remotely-Piloted Operations into the National Airspace System

An oral presentation summarizing key challenges to integrating remotely-piloted operations into the National Airspace System. The presentation provides an overview of NASA's Pathfinding for an Airspace with Autonomous Vehicles sub-project, recent research activities focused on enabling autonomous cargo delivery, and some of the challenges that have been learned so far from these activities.

Husni Idris↗
NASA NTRS1980

Wind-tunnel investigation of longitudinal and lateral-directional stability and control characteristics of a 0.237-scale model of a remotely piloted research vehicle with a thick, high-aspect-ratio supercritical wing

A 0.237-scale model of a remotely piloted research vehicle equipped with a thick, high-aspect-ratio supercritical wing was tested in the Langley 8-foot transonic tunnel to provide experimental data for a prediction of the static stability and control characteristics of the research vehicle as well as to provide an estimate of vehicle flight characteristics for a computer simulation program used in the planning and execution of specific flight-research mission. Data were obtained at a Reynolds number of 16.5 x 10 to the 6th power per meter for Mach numbers up to 0.92. The results indicate regions of longitudinal instability; however, an adequate margin of longitudinal stability exists at a selected cruise condition. Satisfactory effectiveness of pitch, roll, and yaw control was also demonstrated.

Byrdsong, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Summary of flight tests to determine the spin and controllability characteristics of a remotely piloted, large-scale (3/8) fighter airplane model

An unpowered, large, dynamically scaled airplane model was test flown by remote pilot to investigate the stability and controllability of the configuration at high angles of attack. The configuration proved to be departure/spin resistant; however, spins were obtained by using techniques developed on a flight support simulator. Spin modes at high and medium high angles of attack were identified, and recovery techniques were investigated. A flight support simulation of the airplane model mechanized with low speed wind tunnel data over an angle of attack range of + or - 90 deg. and an angle of sideslip range of + or - 40 deg. provided insight into the effects of altitude, stability, aerodynamic damping, and the operation of the augmented flight control system on spins. Aerodynamic derivatives determined from flight maneuvers were used to correlate model controllability with two proposed departure/spin design criteria.

Holleman, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

US Army remotely piloted vehicle supporting technology program

Essential technology programs that lead to the full scale engineering development of the Aquila Remotely Piloted Vehicle system for U.S. Army are described. The Aquila system uses a small recoverable and reusable RPV to provide target acquisition, designation, and aerial reconnaissance mission support for artillery and smart munitions. Developments that will provide growth capabilities to the Aquila RPV system, as well as future RPV mission concepts being considered by the U.S. Army are presented.

Gossett, T. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Remotely piloted vehicle: Application of the GRASP analysis method

The application of General Reliability Analysis Simulation Program (GRASP) to the remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) system is discussed. The model simulates the field operation of the RPV system. By using individual component reliabilities, the overall reliability of the RPV system is determined. The results of the simulations are given in operational days. The model represented is only a basis from which more detailed work could progress. The RPV system in this model is based on preliminary specifications and estimated values. The use of GRASP from basic system definition, to model input, and to model verification is demonstrated.

Andre, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Tree attenuation at 869 MHz derived from remotely piloted aircraft measurements

Attenuation due to single trees is experimentally investigated using UHF transmissions at 869 MHz between a remotely piloted aircraft and a ground receiver system located in a stationary vehicle. Single trees of each tree type in full foliage were found to attenuate from 10-20 dB, with an average median value of about 12 dB. Attenuation coefficients associated with path lengths through the foliage may on average be about 1 dB/m, with maximum values closer to 2 dB/m.

Vogel, Wolfhard J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The remotely piloted vehicle as an earth science research aircraft

A brief study was conducted at the Goddard Space Flight Center to identify existing remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) capabilities and to determine if the use of an RPV was advantageous and practical for Earth science investigations. A total of 17 instrument systems were identified. It was found that RPV's were considered especially valuable for dangerous missions, e.g., flights through volcano plumes and hurricanes, long duration profiles over inaccessible regions such as the Antarctic, and very low altitude ocean profiling missions.

Smith, Dean S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The development of the DAST I remotely piloted research vehicle for flight testing an active flutter suppression control system

The development of the DAST I (drones for aerodynamic and structural testing) remotely piloted research vehicle is described. The DAST I is a highly modified BQM-34E/F Firebee II Supersonic Aerial Target incorporating a swept supercritical wing designed to flutter within the vehicle's flight envelope. The predicted flutter and rigid body characteristics are presented. A description of the analysis and design of an active flutter suppression control system (FSS) designed to increase the flutter boundary of the DAST wing (ARW-1) by a factor of 20% is given. The design and development of the digital remotely augmented primary flight control system and on-board analog backup control system is presented. An evaluation of the near real-time flight flutter testing methods is made by comparing results of five flutter testing techniques on simulated DAST I flutter data. The development of the DAST ARW-1 state variable model used to generate time histories of simulated accelerometer responses is presented. This model uses control surface commands and a Dryden model gust as inputs. The feasibility of the concept of extracting open loop flutter characteristics from closed loop FSS responses was examined. It was shown that open loop characteristics can be determined very well from closed loop subcritical responses.

Grose, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Preliminary performance estimates of a highly maneuverable remotely piloted vehicle

A computerized synthesis program has been used to assess the effects of various vehicle and mission parameters on the performance of a highly maneuverable remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) for the air-to-air combat role. The configuration used in the study is a trapezoidal-wing and body concept, with forward-mounted stabilizing and control surfaces. The study mission consists of an outbound cruise, an acceleration phase, a series of subsonic and supersonic turns, and a return cruise. Performance is evaluated in terms of both the required vehicle weight to accomplish this mission and combat effectiveness as measured by turning and acceleration capability. The report describes the synthesis program, the mission, the vehicle, and the results of sensitivity and trade studies.

Nelms, W. P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Sensitivity study for a remotely piloted microwave-powered sailplane used as a high-altitude observation

The sensitivity of several performance characteristics of a proposed design for a microwave-powered, remotely piloted, high-altitude sailplane to changes in independently varied design parameters was investigated. Results were expressed as variations from baseline values of range, final climb altitude and onboard storage of radiated energy. Calculated range decreased with increases in either gross weight or parasite drag coefficient; it also decreased with decreases in lift coefficient, propeller efficiency, or microwave beam density. The sensitivity trends for range and final climb altitude were very similar. The sensitivity trends for stored energy were reversed from those for range, except for decreasing microwave beam density. Some study results for single parameter variations were combined to estimate the effect of the simultaneous variation of several parameters: for two parameters, this appeared to give reasonably accurate results.

Turriziani, R. V.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Design of a remotely piloted vehicle for a low Reynolds number station keeping mission

Six teams of senior level Aerospace Engineering undergraduates were given a request for proposal, asking for a design concept for a remotely piloted vehicle (RPV). This RPV was to be designed to fly at a target Reynolds number of 1 times 10(exp 5). The craft was to maximize loiter time and perform an indoor, closed course flight. As part of the proposal, each team was required to construct a prototype and validate their design with a flight demonstration.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1979

Evaluation of a long-endurance-surveillance remotely-piloted vehicle with and without laminar flow control

Two aircraft were evaluated, using a derated TF34-GE-100 turbofan engine one with laminar flow control (LFC) and one without. The mission of the remotely piloted vehicles (RPV) is one of high-altitude loiter at maximum endurance. With the LFC system maximum mission time increased by 6.7 percent, L/D in the loiter phase improved 14.2 percent, and the minimum parasite drag of the wing was reduced by 65 percent resulting in a 37 percent reduction for the total airplane. Except for the minimum parasite drag of the wing, the preceding benefits include the offsetting effects of weight increase, suction power requirements, and drag of the wing-mounted suction pods. In a supplementary study using a scaled-down, rather than derated, version of the engine, on the LFC configuration, a 17.6 percent increase in mission time over the airplane without LFC and an incremental time increase of 10.2 percent over the LFC airplane with derated engine were attained. This improvement was due principally to reductions in both weight and drag of the scaled engine.

Turriziani, R. V.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Wind-tunnel investigation of aerodynamic loading on a 0.237-scale model of a remotely piloted research vehicle with a thick, high-aspect-ratio supercritical wing

Wind-tunnel measurements were made of the wing-surface static-pressure distributions on a 0.237 scale model of a remotely piloted research vehicle equipped with a thick, high-aspect-ratio supercritical wing. Data are presented for two model configurations (with and without a ventral pod) at Mach numbers from 0.70 to 0.92 at angles of attack from -4 deg to 8 deg. Large variations of wing-surface local pressure distributions were developed; however, the characteristic supercritical-wing pressure distribution occurred near the design condition of 0.80 Mach number and 2 deg angle of attack. The significant variations of the local pressure distributions indicated pronounced shock-wave movements that were highly sensitive to angle of attack and Mach number. The effect of the vertical pod varied with test conditions; however at the higher Mach numbers, the effects on wing flow characteristics were significant at semispan stations as far outboard as 0.815. There were large variations of the wing loading in the range of test conditions, both model configurations exhibited a well-defined peak value of normal-force coefficient at the cruise angle of attack (2 deg) and Mach number (0.80).

Byrdsong, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Preliminary performance estimates of an oblique, all-wing, remotely piloted vehicle for air-to-air combat

A computerized aircraft synthesis program has been used to assess the effects of various vehicle and mission parameters on the performance of an oblique, all-wing, remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) for the highly maneuverable, air-to-air combat role. The study mission consists of an outbound cruise, an acceleration phase, a series of subsonic and supersonic turns, and a return cruise. The results are presented in terms of both the required vehicle weight to accomplish this mission and the combat effectiveness as measured by turning and acceleration capability. This report describes the synthesis program, the mission, the vehicle, and results from sensitivity studies. An optimization process has been used to establish the nominal RPV configuration of the oblique, all-wing concept for the specified mission. In comparison to a previously studied conventional wing-body canard design for the same mission, this oblique, all-wing nominal vehicle is lighter in weight and has higher performance.

Nelms, W. P., Jr.↗