Experimental investigation into the performance of UAV propellers at low Reynolds numbers

What is it about?

This paper is the initial step towards the development of a comprehensive data-driven tool based on experimental data, aimed at improving the prediction of low Reynolds number propeller performance. A reliable, accurate, and semi-automated test rig has been developed to address this need, which is capable of testing a wide range of propellers up to 24” in diameter. Two of these propellers (i.e., APC 14”×8.5” E and APC 16”×8” E) were used as validation assets to confirm the sensitivity and repeatability of our measurements against previous studies in the literature. Our measurements accounted for closed section wall interface, propeller induced velocity, and motor fixture drag corrections. The developed experimental protocol was time-efficient with the ability to quickly change propellers. The performance data of 14 commercial, fixed pitch, two-bladed propellers with diameters ranging between 10” to 22” were measured with various freestream velocities up to 24 m/s and propeller speeds up to 9500 RPM depending on the propeller type and diameter.

Featured Image

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Ten of these propellers have never been tested in any previous work, hence allowing for the creation of a novel data set for these candidates. This data set is believed to be useful for designers of small- and medium-sized UAVs, enabling them an informed propeller selection process, and will form the first batch of data to be used in the future to create our targeted data-driven model.