Analysis and Modeling of UAV Power System Architectures

This paper establishes a comprehensive modeling framework for vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicles (VTOL UAVs). An example UAV platform is designed to demonstrate applications of the model. Power system architectures are compared based on power losses, craft mass and flight-time. A realistic mission profile is used to examine power system losses and required input energy over various flight stages. Simulation shows a hybrid fuel cell stack and battery architecture allows for a heavier craft payload or increased maximum flight-time compared to conventional battery supplied power systems. Optimization plots demonstrate the usefulness of the model in UAV power system design.