Optimization of BLDC motor/propeller matching in the design of small UAVs

Abstract

The need for small and micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for use in military as well as civil applications is larger than ever before with a high probability for a growing demand in the future. The large variety of possible implementations and applications of these vehicles contributed to a lot of different designs and concept solutions. While these designs often vary in regards to their aerodynamics and construction, most of them use a DC electric motor paired with a propeller as means of propulsion. This is especially emphasized in recent years due to the fact that BLDC motors have achieved levels of very high power density. In this paper commercially available off-the-shelf BLDC motors in combination with commercially available off-the-shelf propellers are considered. Optimization algorithm is used in order to determine the optimal match of BLDC motor and propeller which gives the highest efficiency of the complete propulsion system for different flight conditions.