Dynamic Evaluation of Electric Propulsion System Performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) propulsion system is significantly related to the UAV's flight performance as it is the core of UAV power produced. Propulsion systems include energy sources and power units such as engines and motors. Electric motors are used to generate thrust, which the thrust produced can affect the UAV performance. Thus, this study aims to investigate the best combination of electric motors and propellers for UAVs for high efficiency of thrust production. The experimental work involved electric motors and various small-scaled propellers (fixed and folding) with diameter ranges between 10 to 15 inches using a subsonic speed open loop wind tunnel. The wind tunnel was set to various speeds (0 m/s to 15m/s) to investigate the effects of static and dynamic thrust produced. Then, the efficiency of each motor and propeller combination is calculated based on the thrust produced and the best combination is determined. The significance of this work is to provide a reference when selecting a particular combination propeller (fixed or folding) and motors for specific uses of UAVs with the highest efficiency. As a result, a fixed propeller is proven to be more efficient than a folding propeller based on the thrust produced.