Experimental Characterization of Drag Coefficient of an UAV Recovery Parachute
Main Article Content
Abstract
Parachute recovery systems are proved to be an efficient method to recovery and rescue unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as it follows most requirements of reliability and airworthiness in flights. Parachutes are key components of the recovery systems and the drag coefficient of parachutes plays a crucial role in evaluating parachute’s performance. The purpose of the research is to determine and compare the impact of some factors on aerodynamic drag force during the inflation of a parachute. The canopy’s shape (flat circular type and extended skirt 10% flat type), of the length of suspension lines (be in proportion to nominal diameter from 0.6 to 1.5) are considered. Measurement of the drag force of the parachute models is carried out in an open return wind tunnel. Experimental results show that flat circular canopy has a higher drag coefficient than extended skirt 10% flat model in the range of low speed from 3 to 6 m/s. However, when wind speed is greater than 6 m/s, the drag coefficients of both two parachute types are nearly 0.85. In terms of the suspension line, the longer length would significantly raise the coefficient of drag force.
Keywords
UAV, parachute recovery system, parachute, drag coefficient
Article Details
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References
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[10]. Zhe-Yan Jin, Sylvio Pasqualini, Bo Qin, Experimental investigation of the effect of Reynolds number on flow structures in the wake of a circular parachute canopy, Acta Mechanica Sinica, 2014. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-014-0058-1
[11]. Yu Li, Cheng Han, Zhan Ya’nan, Li Shaoteng, Study of parachute inflation process using fluid–structure, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, vol. 27, pp. 272-279, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cja.2014.02.021
[12]. Zheyan Jina, Sylvio Pasqualini, Zhigang Yang, Experimental investigation of the flow structures in the wake of a, European Journal of Mechanics B/Fluids, pp. 70-81, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechflu.2016.07.008
[13]. Keith R. Stein, Richard J. Benney, Fluid-Structure Interactions of a Round Parachute: Modeling and Simulation Techniques, Journal of Aircraft, p. 802, 2001. https://doi.org/10.2514/2.2864
[14]. Xue YANG, Li YU, Min LIU, Haofei PANG, Fluid structure interaction simulation of supersonic parachute inflation by an interface tracking method, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, vol. 33, pp. 1692-1702, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cja.2020.03.005
[15]. DJ.Cockrcll, The Aerodynamics of Parachutes, List of National Distribution Centres, NATO Science and Technology Organization., 1987.
[16]. T. W. Knacke, L. L. Dimmick., Design Analysis of Final Recovery Parachutes for B-70 Encapsulated Seat and the USD-5 Drone, Ohio : USAF, 1962.
[17]. Ashim Panta, Simon Watkins, Reece Clothier, Dynamics of a small unmanned aircraft parachute system, Journal of Aerospace Technology and Management, vol. 10, 2018. https://doi.org/10.5028/jatm.v10.752
[18]. Sylvio Pasqualini, Zheyan Jin, Zhigang Yang, Measurement of the flow structures in the wakes of different types of parachute canopies, Acta Mechanica Sinica, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-017-0710-7