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Full composites hydrogen fuel cells unmanned aerial vehicle with telescopic boom

  • Carrera, E. (Department of Mechanical and AeroSpace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, c.so Duca degli Abruzzi) ;
  • Verrastro, M. (Leonardo Company, Piazza Monte Grappa n.) ;
  • Boretti, Alberto (Independent Scientist, Chancellor Avenue)
  • Received : 2021.12.01
  • Accepted : 2021.12.10
  • Published : 2022.01.25
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Abstract

This paper discusses an improved unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, configuration characterized by telescopic booms to optimize the flight mechanics and fuel consumption of the aircraft at various loading/flight conditions.The starting point consists of a full-composite smaller UAV which was derived by a general aviation ultralight motorized aircraft ULM. The present design, named ToBoFlex, extends the two-booms configuration to a three tons aircraft. To adapt the design to needs relevant to different applications, new solutions were proposed in aerodynamic fields and materials and structural areas. Different structural solutions were reported. To optimize aircraft endurance, the innovative concept of Telescopic Tail Boom was considered along with two different tails architecture. A new structural configuration of the fuselage was proposed. Further consideration of hydrogen fuel cell electric propulsion is now being studied in collaboration between the Polytechnic of Turin and Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University which could be the starting point of future investigations.

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References

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