Estimation of the Time of Flight of an Electric Unmanned Helicopter Based on the Minimum Set of Parameters

This article deals with the problem of forecasting the time of flight of an electric unmanned helicopter utilizing the minimum set of known parameters: the diameter and number of rotors and the flight mass. By solving this problem, it is possible to estimate the capabilities of an unmanned helicopter (multicopter), without having its full technical characteristics, which are often unavailable. In addition, when starting to design an aircraft, it is important to assess its key parameters necessary to achieve a given duration of flight, while preferably utilizing the minimum set of such parameters. Assessment methods are developed based on the statistics of the specific capacity of the batteries used for the construction of the aircraft class in question, and the analysis of the specific energy per weight, which is based both on theoretical studies and the consideration of known analogues. The obtained formulas clearly express the dependence of the time of flight on the key factors influencing it. Estimation of the time of flight using the proposed methods, may be the first step in designing a multicopter.

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